This site will have limited functionality while we undergo maintenance to improve your experience. If an article doesn't solve your issue and you want to ask a question, we have our support community waiting to help you at @FirefoxSupport on Twitter and/r/firefox on Reddit.

Search Support

Avoid support scams. We will never ask you to call or text a phone number or share personal information. Please report suspicious activity using the “Report Abuse” option.

Learn More

Just moved to Thunderbird, but unable to copy emails into local folder

  • 4 replies
  • 2 have this problem
  • 1 view
  • Last reply by Sunnycoast

more options

I was able to do this initially, but cannot now.

Not sure if this has anything to do with it, but I did change the path of the local folder so it is now sitting under my local documents. When I drag an email into local folder, nothing happens. Or if I try to drag a folder (with only a few emails in it), it displays a message "there is not enough disk space to download new messages" (but I have ample space on my PC)

I tried to find help searching on-line but could not find an answer. Whilst reading articles it said emails are stored in a folder called "mail" under C:\Users\User\AppData\Local\Thunderbird\Profiles\ip71qppd.default, but when I go to that file path there is not a folder called "Mail" - is that right? Not sure if this is connected to the problem I am having.

I was able to do this initially, but cannot now. Not sure if this has anything to do with it, but I did change the path of the local folder so it is now sitting under my local documents. When I drag an email into local folder, nothing happens. Or if I try to drag a folder (with only a few emails in it), it displays a message "there is not enough disk space to download new messages" (but I have ample space on my PC) I tried to find help searching on-line but could not find an answer. Whilst reading articles it said emails are stored in a folder called "mail" under C:\Users\User\AppData\Local\Thunderbird\Profiles\ip71qppd.default, but when I go to that file path there is not a folder called "Mail" - is that right? Not sure if this is connected to the problem I am having.

All Replies (4)

more options

yeah, it should have balked and told you no way....But if you edit the config file manually it will load it.

Thunderbird does not work if the path is into my documents, pictures, videos or any of the default library's in windows.. This is, by the way, by design. It is not an accident.

more options

Thanks Matt for the quick response and help with this.

I changed the path to C:\Users\User\AppData\Local\Thunderbird\Profiles\ip71qppd.default and I can now copy emails/folders to Local in Thunderbird.

However, the Local Folder in Thunderbird now looks like the screen print I have sent you. Have I changed the path correctly? Not sure it should include things like Cache.

I still don't have a "mail" folder under the file path above - should there be one there? Do I need to create it?

Thanks again for helping me out. It is very much appreciated.

more options

create a mail folder and create a Local folders folder in That.


like C:\Users\[username]\AppData\Roaming\Thunderbird\Profiles\ip71qppd.default\Mail\Local Folders

The Local Directory in account setting should then be changed to that directory.

more options

Hi Matt,

Thank you very much once again for all your help. It is very much appreciated.

I have done as you explained and all looks fine now.

Best wishes Shirin