How to Backup Thunderbird Emails to External Hard Drive?

Your email account is like a digital diary; it stores important messages and personal/professional conversations. If you are using an email client to manage your emails, then it becomes more important too. Over time, it becomes something you rely on every day. Now imagine losing all of it because of a system crash, email corruption, or accidental deletion. These things can happen when you least expect them. That’s why it’s important to backup Thunderbird emails to a safe and secure location.

In this simple guide, you’ll learn easy ways to keep your emails safe on your computer so your important data is always protected.

Here, we are going to explain four different ways to save Thunderbird emails to hard drive:

1. Use ImportExportTools NG
2. Manual Save As option
3. Thunderbird Profile Backup
4. Using Automatic Tool

Let’s discuss each method in detail one by one.

How to Backup Thunderbird Emails Using ImportExportTools NG?

Use a free add-on called ImportExportTools NG to backup your emails. This method is ideal for users who want to back up a few folders or small mailboxes.

1. Open the Thunderbird application on your system.

2. Press the Alt button and choose Tools >> Themes & Add-ons.

3. Search for ImportExportTools NG and add it to your application.

4. Now right-click on the email folder you want to export.

5. Select ImportExportTools NG >> Export Messages ina Folder >> Select File formats.

 

6. Alternatively, you can also choose Export Folder (mbox) >> select option.

7. Moreover, right-click on your email ID and export your complete profile.

That’s it! Your Thunderbird emails will be save process may take some time depending on your mailbox size.

How to Backup Thunderbird Emails to Hard Drive Using “Save As” Option?

This application offers built-in feature to execute the Thunderbird backup process. Follow these steps:

1. Open the Thunderbird email client.

2. Click on the desired folder to backup.

3. Select the email that you want to save.

4. Now, right-click on the mouse and select Save As option.

4. Choose the desired folder location and click on the Save button.

In this way, you can save your emails in EML files.

How to Perform Thunderbird Profile Backup Manually?

1. Start the Thunderbird application on your system.

2. Click on the three horizontal lines and select Troubleshooting Information from the Help menu.

3. Go to Profile Folder and select Open Folder.

4. Once you click on Open Folder, it will launch the profile directory.

5. Copy the profile folder and paste it into the desired location.

Done!! The complete methods have been completed now!

While manual methods are free, they have several challenges:

• Best suited only for small mailboxes
• Risk of errors during copying emails

Because of these limitations, many users prefer an automated solution for an easy backup process.

Steps to Backup Thunderbird Mailbox to Hard Drive

Follow these simple steps to backup your Thunderbird mailbox to an external hard drive:

1. Run the software and select your Thunderbird profile.

2. Choose the email folders you want to backup.

3. Select the saving option from the given list.

4. Select your Hard Drive as the target location and click Next button.

The software will start saving your emails from Thunderbird to external drive automatically.

After that, it will show a successful pop-up message once done.

Watch How to

Download Thunderbird Backup Tool and explore its amazing features right away.

Tips for Safe Thunderbird Email Backup

• Store your backup on two different locations (e.g., external hard drive + cloud).
• Check your backup periodically to ensure it’s accessible.
• Use meaningful folder names and date tags to manage versions.
• If using Windows 10 or 11, ensure the external drive has enough space.

Conclusion

Backing up Thunderbird emails is a smart way to protect your important data from unexpected loss. In this post, we have discussed how to backup Thunderbird emails to external hard drive using the four best ways. Whether you choose the manual way or an automated Thunderbird backup tool, as per your needs.

Your emails hold valuable information — don’t wait for an accident to happen before creating a backup. Keep them safe on your local storage or external hard drive and ensure peace of mind.