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

migrating Thunderbird emails to new computer and newly installed Thunderbird

  • 7 replies
  • 1 has this problem
  • 11 views
  • Last reply by mikebroad

more options

I bought a new desktop Lenovo. I use Thunderbird for my email client in my old computer. I have 20 folders in my Thunderbird email client in my old computer with tons of emails for each folder for each client. I went on-line and followed the instructions on copying and pasting the data to a new drive. I then installed Thunderbird on my new computer and did as instructed to get the data from my old computer/Thunderbird imported to my new Thunderbird client on my new computer, however, when I then open up Thunderbird on my new computer, it doesn't recognize any of the data I imported. Any words of wisdom

I bought a new desktop Lenovo. I use Thunderbird for my email client in my old computer. I have 20 folders in my Thunderbird email client in my old computer with tons of emails for each folder for each client. I went on-line and followed the instructions on copying and pasting the data to a new drive. I then installed Thunderbird on my new computer and did as instructed to get the data from my old computer/Thunderbird imported to my new Thunderbird client on my new computer, however, when I then open up Thunderbird on my new computer, it doesn't recognize any of the data I imported. Any words of wisdom

Chosen solution

Copy the entire Thunderbird folder from the old computer to the new one:

https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/moving-thunderbird-data-to-a-new-computer

Read this answer in context 👍 0

All Replies (7)

more options
I went on-line and followed the instructions on copying and pasting the data to a new drive.

What instructions? Please post a link.

more options

Chosen Solution

Copy the entire Thunderbird folder from the old computer to the new one:

https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/moving-thunderbird-data-to-a-new-computer

more options

I did as the video suggested....but on the new computer, my newly installed Thunderbird doesn't pick up the Thunderbird folder that I copied and pasted from my old computer to my external hard drive...so I'm still with a new Thunderbird on my new computer without any of the data from my old Thunderbird client....Mike

more options

When you copy the Thunderbird folder onto the new computer, don't try to overwrite the existing Thunderbird folder. Delete the existing folder and then copy the other one into the same place.

Make sure the Thunderbird folder is a subfolder of C:\Users\username\AppData\Roaming not C:\Users\username\AppData\Local.

more options

The path you suggest to copy and paste the Thunderbird folder is not on my new computer (Widows 10)....you ask that I copy the Thunderbird folder to C:\Users\username\AppData\Roaming however, on my C drive, I only have C:\Users and when I click on Users I get two folders mikeb (I suppose that's me as I'm mike broad) and public...there is no "username" folder, no "AppData" folder, no "Roaming" folder. So I copied Thunderbird onto C:\Users and I opened up the Thunderbird folder to look for an .exe file to open the program. I looked in every folder and there was no .exe program??? Please adivse...thanks. Mike Broad

more options

The username is your Windows User Account name, in this case mikeb. The AppData folder is hidden by default; to show it see this post.

more options

I did what you asked ...got the hidden files shown...put my Thunderbird in the Roaming file...then I went online and downloaded Thunderbird..and the new installation picked up the copied file..many thxs for hanging in there with me..Mike