Summary: PDF is compatible with Windows, Mac, Linux, and other platforms, which make it a high utility file format. Therefore, a lot of Thunderbird users want to export their emails to PDF files. In this post, we will discuss different ways to export Thunderbird emails to PDF files. We will also mention an advanced MBOX conversion tool that can easily export Thunderbird MBOX emails to PDF files.
PDF is a portable file format which is easily accessible on any platform. It can be opened on MS Windows, Mac, Linux, etc. Users can also password-protect a PDF file to protect it from unauthorized access. For this and many other reasons, many Thunderbird users export their emails to PDF format. They can also use PDF files for backup, offline viewing, printing, legal documentation, and other purposes.
If you’re one such Thunderbird user and want to export your emails to PDF, then this post is for you. Here, we will explain how to export Thunderbird emails to PDF files.
How to Export Thunderbird Emails to PDF Files?
You can export Thunderbird emails to PDF files by using ImportExportTools NG add-on tool in Thunderbird. Below, we have explained the step-by-step process.
First, you need to download the free ImportExportTools NG add-on. Here are the steps:
- Launch your Thunderbird application.
- From the top right-corner, click on the 3 horizontal lines.
- From the dropdown menu, click on the Add-ons option.
- In the search bar, enter ‘ImportExportTools NG’ and Click ‘Enter’.
- You will see (+) Add to Thunderbird button next to the ‘ImportExportTools NG’. Click on it. This will add the ImportExportTools NG to your Thunderbird.
Once the ImportExportTools NG is added to your Thunderbird, follow the below steps to save your emails to PDF format:
- Select the Thunderbird folder that you want to save to PDF.
- Then, right-click on the ImportExportTools NG and select Export all messages in the folder.
- Now, choose PDF format.
- Select folder and path to save the PDF files.
Downsides of the Manual method
The above method to export Thunderbird emails to PDF files is for sure effective but it has some downsides, such as:
- It is only reliable and workable when a user wants to save Thunderbird emails to PDF from one or two folders.
- It will not convert attachments with emails to PDF.
- The process is lengthy and time-consuming.
- It requires the users to have a good technical knowledge to perform the process.
An Easy and Quick Way to Convert Thunderbird Emails to PDF Files
To overcome the limitations of manual method and to convert multiple folders at once, it is best to use a third-party MBOX converter tool, like Stellar Converter for MBOX. It is a specialized tool to convert MBOX file to PDF and various other formats. The tool is exceptionally designed to save you from any risk of data loss during the conversion process.
To begin the conversion process of Thunderbird emails (MBOX file) to PDF format, download and install the Technician edition of Stellar Converter for MBOX. Then, follow the steps given below:
Note: Ensure that you have PDF reader on your system to view the PDF files.
- Launch Stellar Converter for MBOX.
- The main interface of the software displays a dropdown list of multiple MBOX email clients. From the list, select Thunderbird.
- To choose the MBOX file, click ‘Select File’. There is a ‘Select Identity’ option to select the identity folder having MBOX files. Once you have selected the MBOX file, click ‘Convert’ to begin the process.
- Once the conversion process is complete, you can preview the emails and other MBOX file items.
- After previewing the converted data, select the ‘Save Converted File’ option under the ‘Home’ tab. A ‘Save As’ dialog box appears showing multiple options to save the file. Select the ‘Other Formats’ radio button, choose ‘PDF’, and then click ‘Next’.
- From the ‘Choose Destination’ window, click ‘Browse’ to choose the location on your system to save the converted files. Click ‘Save’.
- Wait for the process to complete. Then, you can view the converted PDF file at the location you’ve selected to save the file.
Conclusion
There are different reasons why Thunderbird users export their emails to PDF files. Above, we have discussed two different methods to export Thunderbird emails to PDF files. You can use the add-on tool in Thunderbird email application to convert the emails to PDF format. However, this method comes with limitations. Therefore, use Stellar Converter for MBOX for quick and safe conversion of Thunderbird emails to PDF files. The software offers extremely user-friendly interface and converts Thunderbird MBOX emails to PDF in just a few simple steps.
