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

Èròjà atẹ̀lélànà yii ni a ti fi pamọ́ fọ́jọ́ pípẹ́. Jọ̀wọ́ béèrè ìbéèrè titun bí o bá nílò ìrànwọ́.

Changing web-hosts, do I need to save email files on computer, before the MX records get switched?

  • 2 àwọn èsì
  • 3 ní àwọn ìṣòro yìí
  • 1 view
  • Èsì tí ó kẹ́hìn lọ́wọ́ tmo

more options

Hi, Recently I changed web-hosts and still have my email accounts set up with my old web-host, with the MX records pointing to the old servers.

I set up Thunderbird accounts and opened my existing email accounts through IMAP, it shows all current email and files, that I want to keep.

My questions are-

Do I need to save my email files on my computer first or on Local Folders on TB? Once the MX records are pointing to new web-host, then add back the files?

Thank you for help!

Hi, Recently I changed web-hosts and still have my email accounts set up with my old web-host, with the MX records pointing to the old servers. I set up Thunderbird accounts and opened my existing email accounts through IMAP, it shows all current email and files, that I want to keep. My questions are- Do I need to save my email files on my computer first or on Local Folders on TB? Once the MX records are pointing to new web-host, then add back the files? Thank you for help!

Ọ̀nà àbáyọ tí a yàn

Providing you can still access the old server and emails are still there. Synchronise your mail folders to get a copy of the server folders onto your computer. Then stop synchronising. go into Offline mode. Move emails into Local Folders. emails in Local Folders will be stored on your computer. When all emails are safely in Local folders, then you can delete the mail account.

Be aware that if the emails have been removed from the server and you synchronise with the 'empty' server, then your Thunderbird folders will get updated to match the server and you will lose those emails.

Also in Offline mode you could create a backup of those emails. Use this addon:

How to install addon:

To use, right click on folder to see ImportExporttool options See image below.

Note: you can also use this tool to import backedup emails into Local folders as another method of getting them into Local Fodlers.

Ka ìdáhùn ni ìṣètò kíkà 👍 0

All Replies (2)

more options

Ọ̀nà àbáyọ Tí a Yàn

Providing you can still access the old server and emails are still there. Synchronise your mail folders to get a copy of the server folders onto your computer. Then stop synchronising. go into Offline mode. Move emails into Local Folders. emails in Local Folders will be stored on your computer. When all emails are safely in Local folders, then you can delete the mail account.

Be aware that if the emails have been removed from the server and you synchronise with the 'empty' server, then your Thunderbird folders will get updated to match the server and you will lose those emails.

Also in Offline mode you could create a backup of those emails. Use this addon:

How to install addon:

To use, right click on folder to see ImportExporttool options See image below.

Note: you can also use this tool to import backedup emails into Local folders as another method of getting them into Local Fodlers.

more options

Thanks! Followed your very helpful instructions and worked perfectly. Thanks again for your help!