Mozilla Thunderbird is an open-source email client that stores emails and other mailbox items in an MBOX file. However, Microsoft Outlook doesn’t support the MBOX file format. Thus, if you want to export emails from Thunderbird to Outlook, you need to convert the MBOX file to PST file using an MBOX to PST converter software. After conversion, you can import the PST into any Outlook account. Below, we will explain the stepwise process to export Thunderbird mailbox data to PST file.
Process to Export Mozilla Thunderbird Emails to Outlook
Here, we will be explaining the step-by-step process to export emails from Thunderbird to Outlook PST.
Part 1: Export Thunderbird Mailbox Data to MBOX File
You need to first export the Thunderbird mailbox data to MBOX file by following the given steps:
- Launch Mozilla Thunderbird on your Windows PC.
- Click on the Gear icon (Settings) at the bottom left corner of the screen.
- Click on the Add Ons and Themes option.
- It will open the Add-Ons Manager tab. Use the search bar to search for the ImportExportTools NG add-on.
- Click Add to Thunderbird to install it.
- When prompted, click on Add to proceed.
- After installing the add-on, relaunch Mozilla Thunderbird.
- Right-click on the Thunderbird mailbox folder that you want to transfer to Outlook and go to ImportExportTools NG > Folder Export (mbox) > As mbox File.
- Choose the destination folder and click on Select Folder.
- It will save the selected Thunderbird mailbox items in the destination folder in MBOX file.
Part 2: Convert MBOX File to Outlook PST using MBOX to PST Converter Software
Once you have successfully exported Thunderbird mailbox data to MBOX file, you can convert the file into Outlook-compatible PST file format. For this, you can use Stellar Converter for MBOX. It is a powerful MBOX to PST converter software that converts Thunderbird MBOX file to Outlook PST while keeping the folder tree structure intact. You can also use this software to save all the Thunderbird mailbox items, such as emails, calendars, notes, contacts, etc., in the PST file with complete accuracy.
Here are the steps to convert the Thunderbird MBOX file to PST file:
- Download and install Stellar Converter for MBOX on your Windows PC. Launch it.
- Click on Select Mail Client under the Home tab.
- The Select MBOX window will appear. Select the email client (Thunderbird) from the Select Mail Client dropdown menu.
- After selecting the email client, click on Select Identity to select the MBOX file you want to convert. Once selected, click on Convert.
- The software will start scanning the selected MBOX file. Once the scan is complete, it will list all the MBOX file items. You can click on any mailbox item to see its preview.
- Then, click on the Save Converted File button under the Home tab.
- It will open the Save As window. Choose the Save As PST option and click Next.
- Click on Browse to choose the destination folder. Click Save.
Note: You can use the Apply Advanced Filter option to filter the emails based on Date Range or Sender’s email address.
This will save the selected Thunderbird MBOX mailbox items in PST file. If you want to import this file into Outlook, you can do so by using Outlook’s import/export wizard.
Conclusion
There is no direct way to export Thunderbird emails to Outlook. The only way to do this is to convert the Thunderbird MBOX file to PST file using an advanced MBOX to PST converter, like Stellar Converter for MBOX. This software can help you convert the Thunderbird MBOX file data to Outlook PST file while retaining the original folder hierarchy and data. You can then easily import the converted PST file into any Outlook account.
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