How to Import Mailbird Emails to Thunderbird? [Detailed Guide]

Moving from Mailbird to Thunderbird sounds simple until you find that Mailbird keeps every message in a single local database file, not in folders Thunderbird can read. This guide covers three ways to make the move, what each one actually transfers, and the one detail that trips most people up.

Quick Answer

The fastest free route is to run Mailbird’s built in Export Tool, save your mail as EML, then import those EML files into Thunderbird with the free ImportExportTools NG add on. If your accounts are IMAP, you can skip exporting and just re add each account in Thunderbird so the server resyncs the mail. For a large or mixed mailbox stored only in Mailbird’s Store.db, a converter that reads the database is the reliable option.

Where Mailbird Stores Your Email

Mailbird keeps all of your messages, contacts, and account data in a single SQLite database called Store.db. On Windows it sits at C:\Users\[username]\AppData\Local\Mailbird. Thunderbird cannot read this file directly, which is the real reason a plain copy and paste never works. Every method below is just a different way of getting your mail out of Store.db and into a format Thunderbird understands, usually EML or a resynced IMAP account.

Knowing this also tells you which method fits your case. IMAP accounts keep a copy of the mail on the server, so Thunderbird can pull it back down. POP accounts and any mail you moved into local folders live only inside Store.db, so those need an export or a converter.

Method 1: Re add Your IMAP Account in Thunderbird

If your Mailbird accounts use IMAP, this is the quickest path and it stays free. You are not copying files, you are letting Thunderbird download the same mail from the server. I tested this with a Gmail IMAP account and the full folder tree came back in a few minutes.

1. Confirm IMAP is enabled for the account in your mail provider settings.
2. Open Thunderbird, click the menu (three lines), and choose Account Settings.
3. Click Account Actions at the bottom left, then Add Mail Account.
4. Enter your name, email address, and password, then click Continue.
5. Choose the IMAP option when prompted and click Done.

The trade off. This only brings back mail that still exists on the server. Anything stored locally as POP mail, or messages you deleted from the server but kept in Mailbird, will not appear. For those, use Method 2 or 3.

Method 2: Mailbird Export Tool Plus ImportExportTools NG

Mailbird now ships with its own Export Tool, which the older guides on this topic miss. It pulls mail straight out of Store.db and saves it as EML, the single message format Thunderbird imports cleanly. Pair it with the free ImportExportTools NG add on and you have a no cost route that also moves local POP mail.

First, export from Mailbird:

1. In Mailbird, open Menu and find the Export Tool.
2. Pick the account or folder you want to move.
3. Choose EML as the output and select a folder on your computer to save the files.
4. Run the export and wait for it to finish.

Then import into Thunderbird:

1. In Thunderbird, install the ImportExportTools NG add on from the Add ons manager.
2. Right click the local folder where you want the mail to land.
3. Choose ImportExportTools NG, then Import messages or Import all messages from a directory.
4. Point it at the folder of EML files you exported from Mailbird.

This keeps the work free and handles both IMAP and POP mail. The catch is that very large mailboxes can take a while, and you import folder by folder, so a deeply nested structure means more clicks.

For a very large archive, a mix of accounts, or a Mailbird profile that only holds POP mail, reading the Store.db database directly is the most reliable option.

Steps to Convert Mailbird to Thunderbird

1. Run the tool and click the Open icon in the top left corner.
2. Select Desktop Email Client and pick Mailbird.
3. Let it auto detect your Mailbird profile, or browse to the folder that holds Store.db.
4. Click Export and choose Thunderbird from the list.
5. Pick a save location and start the export, then watch the live progress.

FAQs

Can I copy Mailbird’s Store.db straight into Thunderbird?
No. Store.db is a SQLite database that only Mailbird reads. Thunderbird needs EML, MBOX, or a live IMAP account, so the file has to be exported or converted first.

Does re adding my IMAP account move everything?
It moves only what is still on the mail server. Local POP mail and anything you removed from the server but kept in Mailbird will not come across that way.

Is ImportExportTools NG free?
Yes. It is a free Thunderbird add on and it is the current version that replaced the older ImportExportTools.

Where do I find Mailbird’s Export Tool?
Inside Mailbird under the main Menu. It exports your POP3 or IMAP account mail to a chosen format such as EML.

Will the folder structure stay the same?
Re adding an IMAP account rebuilds the server folders. With the EML route you import folder by folder, and a converter that reads Store.db keeps the full hierarchy in one pass.

Final Thoughts

The right method comes down to where your mail lives. IMAP users can simply re add the account and let Thunderbird resync. For local or POP mail, Mailbird’s Export Tool plus ImportExportTools NG keeps it free, and a Store.db converter saves time once the mailbox gets large. Which of these matches your setup, an IMAP account you can resync, or a local archive sitting in Store.db?