Basically if you want to backup everything except for the imap account emails.

In Thunderbird Help > Troubleshooting Information Under 'Application Basics' click on 'Open Folder' - see image as guide

A new window opens showing contents of profile name folder.

Exit Thunderbird now

Go up three levels to the 'Roaming' folder - see image as guide

Copy the 'Thunderbird' folder to eg: desktop click on that copied 'Thunderbird folder to see contents click on 'Profiles' click on the profile name folder

I'm assuming you do not need to keep the Global database used for searches - this is one of those files that gets reproduced anyway, so deleting it is not a problem and it saves space. delete this: global-messages-db.sqlite file

click on 'ImapMail' folder click on an imap account name folder to see contents delete it's contents: these will be mbox files containing downloaded emails, mbox files have no extension any files with a .msf extension - they are indexing files any folders with .sbd extension as they contain any subfolders

repeat for other imap account name folders - basically keep the imap account name folder itself, but it is now empty.

You will now find that 'Thunderbird' folder is now significantly reduced in size ready for you to copy to an external location for safe use. If required you can use it in it's entirety as a backup and all imap accounts would resynch to get emails.

Thank you for efforts of explaining it, but finding a folder isn't issue for me. Besides, I didn't mention, but I'm using Linux Mint and actually I'm IT-specialist, educating fresh IT-specialists in university. Still your explanation would be useful for regular users, who still use MS Windows. Your explanation is actually OS-independent, as it gives precise instruction, how to determine the profile location, so good approach.

Basically you are saying, that we still don't know, what file(s) in profile are important, just delete email folder and then backup. Well, I cannot delete email folder, as I need to use Thunderbird also. I have IMAP folders in several gigabytes and it would be very painful to download and index them frequently. So, just backing up other files and exclude IMAP folders, would be the surgical workaround so far.

Basically I can backup to cloud storage every file, except IMAP folders inside Thunderbird profile. This is very general knowledge, what we already have and know. I am just wondering, why we still do not have normal export and import feature of different settings in Thunderbird. How hard it could be to implement? I'm not a programmer, so I'm not capable of doing it. I can write a script, that copies all files from Thunderbird profile to cloud storage and I can schedule that script via CRON or whatever scheduling software the used OS has. OR just create symlinks to cloud storage for profile files, except IMAP-folders. In Linux there are symlinks very common to use transparently. Although then files are not available, when there is no internet connectivity. So, using backup script and run it frequently seems better workaround so far.

So far, your answer doesn't help me at all, sorry. I asked, whether new version 91 of Thunderbird has something in backing up and restoring email accounts and also app settings itself. So far I understand, that despite euphorical announcement in Thunderbird's blog, such indispensable features like backing up and restoring email accounts at least, why not also app settings, are still missing unfortunately.

Besides, importing settings from other email programs we have. Now we need to create also export feature and allow to import from file also to import own, Thunderbird email and/or program settings, like currently is possible from other email programs (separately: address book, email account, news feed, program settings, email filter settings). Why not support also Thunderbird in such importing? Not from working Thunderbird, but from file, that was previously exported.

Asking here seems the only way to tell, that these features are desperately needed. Tried also in Thunderbird IRC-channels, but only response guided me to here to post my requests. Sounds like one last option is make feature request in Mozilla Bugzilla to engage developers attention, who barely will look here, but who knows.

Also is missing multi-ID GPG-keys support, but it is posted in separate article here. It is very pity, that we still cannot use Thunderbird for encrypted email, like we did on old good Enigmail days, when that extension worked with Thunderbird. What a huge regression...

Basically you are saying, that we still don't know, what file(s) in profile are important,

No you are being toldc the entire profile is important but the mail in the imap mail folder will regenerate so backing it up is not important. The same can not be said for most other things.

I have IMAP folders in several gigabytes and it would be very painful to download and index them frequently. So, just backing up other files and exclude IMAP folders, would be the surgical workaround so far.

That would work,

Basically I can backup to cloud storage every file, except IMAP folders inside Thunderbird profile.

As long as Thunderbird is not running when the backup occurs. Otherwise you will loose data and end up with many copies of some data.

I am just wondering, why we still do not have normal export and import feature of different settings in Thunderbird.

These bugs might enlighten you. https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=446444 https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=274840

How hard it could be to implement?

Based on the bugs, quite a problem child it would appear.

Perhaps you will get some idea reading the bugs and those associated with them. It is a pretty broad topic that has seen little attention in the past ten years.

So far, your answer doesn't help me at all, sorry. I asked, whether new version 91 of Thunderbird has something in backing up and restoring email accounts and also app settings itself. So far I understand, that despite euphorical announcement in Thunderbird's blog, such indispensable features like backing up and restoring email accounts at least, why not also app settings, are still missing unfortunately.

The profile backup feature was withdrawn at the last minute because the solution was limited to only a small size. (2Gb I think I remember reading.) not much use when many folders exceed that size.

Besides, importing settings from other email programs we have. Now we need to create also export feature and allow to import from file also to import own, Thunderbird email and/or program settings, like currently is possible from other email programs (separately: address book, email account, news feed, program settings, email filter settings). Why not support also Thunderbird in such importing? Not from working Thunderbird, but from file, that was previously exported.

Referenced bugs https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1720261 https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=271863

Asking here seems the only way to tell, that these features are desperately needed.

Enhancement requests, bugs and maintenance is all done through bugzilla. This a is solely a user support forum and it not monitored by developers or paid employees really.

Tried also in Thunderbird IRC-channels, but only response guided me to here to post my requests. Sounds like one last option is make feature request in Mozilla Bugzilla to engage developers attention, who barely will look here, but who knows.

Perhaps you should look at what is already filed in bugzilla before investing time in asking for something that will immediately be closed as a duplicate. As I have linked about. I don;t think yoou have raised a single issue that is not already covered by an existing bug.

Also is missing multi-ID GPG-keys support, but it is posted in separate article here. It is very pity, that we still cannot use Thunderbird for encrypted email, like we did on old good Enigmail days, when that extension worked with Thunderbird. What a huge regression...

My personal felling on PGP encryption aside (grossly expensive process that has achieved nothing for the vast majority (more than 95%) of Thunderbird users who are not even interested in PGP) This forum is not really a place to engage in discussion of the subject. Those that implemented native PGP it started their own forum here and I send all questions regarding it to that site because no one here really uses PGP much at all and those that do are also subscribed there.

I use s/MIME exclusively. So the quality of answers will be much higher there. As the list appears to be largely unix/linux users you might find kindred spirits.

re :Basically you are saying, that we still don't know, what file(s) in profile are important, just delete email folder and then backup. Well, I cannot delete email folder, as I need to use Thunderbird also........So, just backing up other files and exclude IMAP folders, would be the surgical workaround so far.

Perhaps you did not read all the information - it is quite a common and easy mistake for anyone to make even if they are IT-specialist. As an educator, I'm sure you have found students make the same error on occasions.

I did say to make a copy of 'Thunderbird' and make adjustments to the copy and then save the adjusted copy.

- quote

Copy the 'Thunderbird' folder to eg: desktop click on that copied 'Thunderbird folder to see contents etc

At no time did I say remove the emails from the original which you are currently using. That would not be helpful to you because it is the current profile you are using each day.

re :I didn't mention, but I'm using Linux Mint Believe it or not, that piece of information is quite important. As the majority of people asking questions use a Windows OS, all answers are by default going to be tailored for that OS unless the person asking the question informs people whether they are using a MAC or Linux or Windows.

Here is info on the default location where profiles are stored in Linux: http://kb.mozillazine.org/Profile_folder_-_Thunderbird#Linux_and_Unix e.g. ~/.thunderbird/<Profile name>/

whereas on Windows it is in: C:\Users\username\AppData\Roaming\Thunderbird\Profiles\<Profile name>

In Windows OS, the Thunderbird folder contains a Profiles subfolder and two .ini files. The Profiles folder contains the profile folder, <Profile name>.

Linux doesn't have a 'Profiles' folder, so all profile folders are subfolders of .thunderbird folder

However, if you follow the same instructions, Help > Troubleshooting Information you will find Troubleshooting Information still offers the same button to access the profile. Then you only go up directory two levels so you can see the .thunderbird folder - Exit Thunderbird now - this is important.

Copy the .thunderbird folder to desktop so you can work on it.

In the copied .thunderbird folder you will find the 'profile name' folder - typically it takes a similar format to this example: 12ab34fd.default and the profile name folder will contain the same as mentioned for windows OS.

You can safely delete this file - it is search a search record and is easy recreated: global-messages-db.sqlite click on 'ImapMail' folder click on an imap account name folder to see contents delete all the files with *.msf extension, delete all mbox files - they have no extension and contain emails and delete all folders with .sbd extension which contain subfolders.

The only file you want to keep will be the 'msgFilterRules.dat' file as this is the file containing the Message Filters for that account.

Repeat for other imap account name folders. Then save the copied version of the .thunderbird folder as a backup.

Please note the information I'm suggesting you use means you are just backing up all necessary files that are important and excluding IMAP folders, as per your request.

In Thunderbird, you can already export address books and calendars as a separate backup copy and if you have more important emails you can save emails as EML files in any location outside of Thunderbird.

To export an address book Open address book select an address book - not the 'All Address Books' as that is a virtual address book like a search file. click on Tools > Export Choose where to save, the name of file and type of file eg: LDIF or Text or CSV

Calendar Info: https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/exporting-and-sharing-a-calendar

To save emails in EML formate outside of Thunderbird: Right click on highlighted email(s) and use the Save as option.

Basically, to perform a backup ideally you just need to copy the .thunderbird folder - you can tweak contents as advised if required. REmember to exit Thunderbird before creating the backup.

At present, this is not a simple press a button option within Thunderbird to backup everything. If it was then I would have told you about it. However, it is quite a simple and quick process to manually backup once you know what folders are involved.

I have been using the export/import tool and now with 91 its gone. Its a pretty ugly procedure to have to copy a hidden folder to create a backup of the profile. So what I have done is install the portable version of Thunderbird and just copy the entire application as a backup. With the portable version its quite simple to extract the sub-folders from the profile folder and save them too. I think I will stay with the portable version as there is no downside and a number of advantages.

I have been using the export/import tool and now with 91 its gone.

It's in beta and due for release soon. See info. This is often the case when major release changes occur. Addon extensions can be a few weeks adrift as the authors are not employed by Thunderbird. Addons authors rely on donations to spend time updating software. Please support them. https://github.com/thundernest/import-export-tools-ng/issues/264

Its a pretty ugly procedure to have to copy a hidden folder to create a backup of the profile.

If all emails are fully downloaded it is so simple to create a backup. It takes seconds - literally. I cannot see what is so difficult.

1. Help > More Troubleshooting Information
2. Under 'Application Basics' - about 11th in list - click on 'Open Folder' - see image as guide
3. Exit Thunderbird now
4. Go up three levels to the 'Roaming' folder - see image as guide
5. Copy the 'Thunderbird' folder to External drive.

This saves everything - no need to extract sub folders separately or anything because it is all backed up. So you can extract anything because you backed up everything.

However, this specific question is not just about a backup. It is important to understand the specific needs of the person who asked this question. The original person who asked the question did NOT want to copy a load of emails - just everything else. So the information in this question is tailored. It is not just about creating a backup of everything. However, it should be noted that just having emails on server is not a backup. Lose emails off server and you are up the creek especially if you use IMAP and do not have a full backup.

Installed https://github.com/thundernest/import-export-tools-ng current v11.1 and tested profile export. It started to copy just about everything :( I could not even configure, what to export, presumably same applies to import. Even no progress window and I had just kill the Thunderbird in order to stop that process, because my profile has tens of years email.... Would be appreciated if profile settings could only exported and later imported. Besides, I've been posted such feature request already a year ago (for now) - https://github.com/thundernest/import-export-tools-ng/issues/183 - no response but issue still open. So, let's hope there will be at some point that functionality, that really works.

> tested profile export. It started to copy just about everything :( I could not even configure, what to export,

You selected to copy the profile, this means you had configured to export the entire profile. That means mail accounts, emails, address books, preferences - everything in the profile name folder.

A profile is not a mail account. The profile name folder is typical located in this location: C:\\Users\user name\Appdata\Roaming\Thunderbird\Profiles\'profile name' The 'profile name' folder tends to have this type of structure: xxxxxxxx.default, where the x's are various letters and numbers.

If you want to only export a folder then you have to choose that option. Right click on folder you want to export > ImportExportTools NG > Export Folder Choose the folder which you want to contain the exported folder and click on 'Select Folder' button Folder is exported to the selected folder as an mbox file.

Most people would also backup emails because the server is just one copy and imap accounts store emails on server and can only show what is on server. I have come across people losing emails off server in the past because they allowed an Anti-Virus access to scan their Thunderbird profile files and folders including emails upon startup, opening of files or download of emails. If AV product locates something and tries to fix the mbox file, it usually messes up because AV cannot detect the file contains several emails. If emails get deleted and folder syncs with server it could delete off server. Loss may also occur if the computer crashes whilst files are open. It is just a good idea to have a copy that is totally independent of an imap account and server.

Edited: I've already mentioned how to perform what you require.