How to convert Thunderbird to PST - A Complete Guide

In the digital age, email correspondence plays a vital role in our professional lives. It's no surprise, then, that we often have to adapt to different email platforms based on our specific needs and circumstances. One such situation involves converting Thunderbird data to Outlook PST format. This guide aims to provide you with a clear and comprehensive understanding of this process. Whether you're an IT professional or an everyday email user, this guide will provide valuable insights and step-by-step instructions on how to convert Thunderbird to PST. So, let's dive in.

Why Convert Thunderbird to PST?

First, let's understand why this conversion is necessary. Thunderbird, a cross-platform email client, is known for its flexibility, security, and cost-effectiveness. However, there are times when users need to switch to Microsoft Outlook, globally recognized for its advanced features, superior email management, user-friendly interface, and business-oriented functionalities. To utilize Thunderbird data in Outlook, users need to convert Thunderbird MBOX files to Outlook PST format.

Scenarios that Demand Thunderbird to PST Conversion

The need for conversion isn't arbitrary and generally arises in a few common scenarios:

Job Change: As different organizations use different email clients, a job change might necessitate the conversion of your emails from Thunderbird to PST.

Email Migration: If you're migrating your email platform from Thunderbird to Outlook, you'll need to convert your MBOX files to PST.

Data Backup: Converting Thunderbird to PST can help create backups that can be easily accessed in Outlook.

How to Convert Thunderbird to PST?

The process of converting Thunderbird emails to PST can be executed manually or with the assistance of a third-party Thunderbird to PST converter. Let's walk through both processes to understand them better.

Method 1: Convert Thunderbird to PST using IMAP

If you want to convert Thunderbird emails to PST format, you can try this method. In this method, we will configure Gmail in Thunderbird, then migrate Thunderbird emails to Gmail, and finally configure Gmail in MS Outlook. This process is divided into seven steps. To perform this method, MS Outlook and Thunderbird must be installed on your system.

Step 1: Enable IMAP from Gmail

1. Sign in to your Gmail Account
2. Click the Setting Gear icon
3. Select the Settings option
4. Select the Forwarding and POP/IMAP tab
5. Enable the IMAP option and click the Save Changes button.

Step 2: Generate App Password

1. Go to the https://myaccount.google.com/
2. Click the Security option and activate the two-step verification
3. Go to the Security option again and select the App password option
4. Re-connect to the Gmail account.
5. Select the Other (custom name) as an app option
6. Enter Mozilla Thunderbird Desktop and click the Generate button
7. Copy the app password

Step 3: Configure Gmail in Thunderbird

1. Open Mozilla Thunderbird.
2. Go to the Tools and select the Thunderbird Options
3. Click the Account setting and select Account Actions
4. Select Add Mail account option
5. Enter Name, Gmail Address, and app password.
6. Select Remember password checkbox and click the Continue button
7. Select IMAP (remote folders) and click the Done button

Step 4: Migrate Thunderbird emails to Gmail

1. On the left navbar, select your Gmail mailbox
2. Right-click on your Gmail mailbox and create a new folder
3. Enter Thunderbird emails as a folder name and click the create folder button
4. Select your Thunderbird mailbox emails
5. Right-click on the selected emails and select the Copy option
6. Select Gmail mailbox and select the Thunderbird emails folder
7. Go to your Gmail account and check the folder.

Step 5: Generate App Password for MS Outlook

1. Go to the https://myaccount.google.com/
2. Select the Security option and choose the App password option
3. Sign in to your Gmail account
4. Select the Other (custom name) as an app option
5. Enter Outlook Desktop and click the Generate button
6. Copy the app password

Step 6: Configure Gmail in Outlook

1. Open MS Outlook and go to the File option
2. Click the Add Account button.
3. Enter your name and Gmail ID
4. Enter your App password and re-enter your App password
5. Select Remember Password checkbox and click the Next button to start the verification
6. After the verification process, click the Finish button.

Step 7: Export PST from Outlook

1. Click on the File option
2. Select Open & Export and choose the Import/Export option
3. Select Export to a file option and click the Next button
4. Select Outlook Data File (.pst) and click the Next button
5. Select the Folders you want to export
6. Select the Include Subfolders checkbox and click the Next button
7. Click the Browse button and provide a destination path to save the PST file
8. Click the OK button and select Do not export duplicate items
9. Click the Finish button.

Method 2: Convert Thunderbird to PST Using the Drag-and-Drop

In this method, we will first export Thunderbird emails to EML format, and then import EML files to Outlook. For this, MS Outlook must be installed on your system.

Step 1: Create EML Files from Thunderbird

1. Open Mozilla Thunderbird.
2. Select the messages you wish to convert to PST. You can press Ctrl+A to select all messages in a folder.
3. Now, drag and drop these messages to any local folder on your system. These emails will be saved in EML format.

Step 2: Import EML Files into MS Outlook

1. Open the MS Outlook application.
2. Create a new folder where you want to import your emails.
3. Go to the folder where you saved the EML files
4. Select all the EML files (you can use Ctrl+A), then drag and drop them into the newly created folder in MS Outlook.

With these methods, you can convert Thunderbird to PST format. However, the manual solution is time-consuming and requires technical expertise. If you are looking for an easy way to perform this task, try the SysCurve Thunderbird to PST Converter. The software also comes with a demo version that allows you to convert and export the first 20 items per folder.

Method 3: Convert Thunderbird to PST using Thunderbird to PST Converter

Here, we are going to use the SysCurve MBOX to PST Converter. This tool quickly converts and exports Thunderbird emails to PST format. With the help of this software, you can convert Thunderbird to PST, EML, MSG, HTML, and RTF format.

1. Download and install the SysCurve MBOX Converter.
2. Open the tool and click on the Browse button
3. Select Add MBOX option if you have an MBOX file or choose the Mozilla Thunderbird / Postbox option
4. Click the Browse or Auto Load button to select MBOX or Thunderbird profile
5. Click the Next button to start the loading process
6. Go to the Export option and select the folders you want to export
7. Choose PST as an export option and provide a location to save the PST file
8. Click the Export button to start the conversion process.

After the conversion process, you can open the converted PST file in MS Outlook.

Other helpful features

• Convert Thunderbird to PST, EML, HTML, MSG, and other formats.
• Preview Thunderbird email data.
• Support Thunderbird and other MBOX email clients
• Save Individual emails to MSG, EML, HTML, MHTML, and RTF format.
• Migrate Thunderbird to Office 365 platform
• Perform selective conversion based on To, Cc, Bcc, Subject, and Date.
• Free Thunderbird to PST conversion for the first 20 items per folder.
• Support all versions of MS Outlook
• Compatible with Windows OS.

Frequently Asked Questions

The Final Word

In this guide, we've outlined both manual and automated ways to convert Thunderbird to PST format, depending on your comfort level and technical abilities. Each method has its advantages and limitations. While manual methods are cost-free, they can be labor-intensive, time-consuming, and complex. On the other hand, third-party solutions like SysCurve Thunderbird to PST Converter provide a more streamlined process. Always remember to back up your data before starting the conversion process to avoid any accidental loss.

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