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.

Avatar for Username

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

Le thread ibilondoloziwe. Nceda ubuze umbuzo omtsha ukuba ufuna uncedo.

i uninstalled Thunderbird in 2016 and reinstalled it today. why did all my old emails from 2014 and 2016 appear

  • 1 phendula
  • 1 inayo le ngxaki
  • 2 views
  • Impendulo yokugqibela ngu christ1

jfl212
jfl212
more options

I had verizon as my email server but used MS Outlook 2003 as my third party email service. I then started using Thunderbird as my third party email software. Eventually I uninstalled Thunderbird in 2016. Verizon then discontinued their email service and switched to aol which still allowed verizon customers to use a third party email service. Today I downloaded and reinstalled Thunderbird and all my old email messages etc.. starting in 2014 that were in Thunderbird when I uninstalled it reappeared in the newly installed version. How can this be? The messages were never saved on the Verizon email server

I had verizon as my email server but used MS Outlook 2003 as my third party email service. I then started using Thunderbird as my third party email software. Eventually I uninstalled Thunderbird in 2016. Verizon then discontinued their email service and switched to aol which still allowed verizon customers to use a third party email service. Today I downloaded and reinstalled Thunderbird and all my old email messages etc.. starting in 2014 that were in Thunderbird when I uninstalled it reappeared in the newly installed version. How can this be? The messages were never saved on the Verizon email server

All Replies (1)

christ1
christ1
  • Top 25 Contributor
more options
How can this be?

Profile files are stored separately from the Thunderbird program files. The program files are static and do not change (except when you upgrade the Thunderbird application version). Because we store profile and program files separately, you can uninstall Thunderbird without losing your messages and settings, and if something goes wrong with a Thunderbird update your information will still be available. It also means that you don't have to reinstall Thunderbird in order to delete your information or troubleshoot a problem.

https://support.mozilla.org/kb/profiles-where-thunderbird-stores-user-data