Written by Jennifer Walsh. Reviewed for technical accuracy by Shubham Dixit, Independent Expert in Email Forensics and Data File Conversion. Updated 18 September 2026.
Shubham is an independent external reviewer and not an employee of PCDOTS.
Quick answer. Eudora stores mail in MBX files, which are a form of MBOX, and CSV is a spreadsheet of the email fields. There’s no Eudora to CSV button, so you import the MBX into Thunderbird and export it to CSV with ImportExportTools NG, or read it with a short Python script. A converter does it in bulk. The same routes also export Eudora to EML or MBOX.
On this page
What format does Eudora store mail in?
Eudora saves mail in MBX files, which are a variant of the MBOX format, plain text with one file per folder. A matching .toc file holds the index. Eudora, made by Qualcomm, is a discontinued client, so most people now want the mail out in a modern format.
CSV is a spreadsheet of the email fields, the sender, recipient, subject and date. Because the MBX is really MBOX, you don’t convert Eudora to CSV in Eudora itself. You bridge through Thunderbird or a short script, and the same bridge also exports Eudora to EML or MBOX.
To find the files, open Eudora, then Tools, then Account Settings, then Message Storage. That’s where the .mbx files live. The routes below start from there.
The Eudora MBX is an MBOX, so a bridge turns it into CSV, EML or MBOX.
“The trick with Eudora is that its MBX files are just MBOX under the hood, so you’re not stuck. Point Thunderbird at them with ImportExportTools NG, and once they’re in a folder you export straight to CSV. Because the MBX is really MBOX, I skip Thunderbird and let Python’s mailbox module read the file, then write only the columns I want. CSV keeps the fields, the sender, date and subject, not the attachments, so if you need the full emails, export to EML or MBOX from the same spot. For a big old archive, a converter that reads the MBX directly saves the setup.” Shubham Dixit, Data File Conversion reviewer (draft, pending approval)
How do you convert Eudora to CSV for free with Thunderbird?
You convert Eudora to CSV for free by bridging through Thunderbird. You import the MBX as an MBOX file, then export the folder to CSV with the free ImportExportTools NG add-on. No paid software is needed.
Here are the five steps.
- Find the Eudora .mbx files, in Eudora under Tools, Account Settings, Message Storage.
- In Thunderbird, open the menu, Add-ons and Themes, add ImportExportTools NG, then restart.
- Right-click Local Folders, open ImportExportTools NG, then Import mbox file, then select the .mbx.
- Right-click the imported folder, open ImportExportTools NG, then Export all messages in the folder, then CSV (Spreadsheet).
- Save the CSV. To keep the full emails instead, export to EML or MBOX from the same menu.
If the .mbx doesn’t show in the file picker, rename a copy to end in .mbox, and it loads the same way. You can confirm the add-on on Thunderbird’s add-on site.
The CSV holds the email metadata, the sender, recipient, subject, date and message body, and it opens in Excel or Google Sheets to sort, filter or report on. Two things to watch, ImportExportTools NG exports one folder at a time, and non-English text can turn to garbled symbols, so open the CSV and check it reads cleanly.
Find the MBX, import it as MBOX, then export the folder to CSV.
How do you convert Eudora MBX to CSV with Python?
You convert Eudora MBX to CSV with a short Python script, because the MBX is an MBOX file. Point the script at the .mbx and pull out the columns you want.
Python’s built-in mailbox module reads the MBX like any MBOX, and the csv module writes a row per email. Read mailbox.mbox('In.mbx'), loop the messages, and write the From, To, Subject and Date fields to a .csv. It’s a few lines, and you control the exact columns.
How do you batch convert Eudora emails to CSV with a tool?
You batch convert Eudora emails to CSV with a converter that reads the MBX directly. It loads the files with no Eudora and no Thunderbird, then exports a CSV in one pass.
PCDOTS Eudora Converter opens your Eudora files, or auto-loads them if Eudora is installed, then exports them to CSV. It keeps the sender, recipient, subject and date, saves attachments to a separate folder. It runs on Windows. The free trial exports a sample first. Follow these four steps.
- Install and run PCDOTS Eudora Converter, then open the menu.
- Open Email Data Files, then Eudora, then select your files or a folder.
- Preview the loaded Eudora mail in the panel.
- Open Export, select CSV, then a destination, then save.
The tool route, Eudora MBX files exported to CSV at once.
Here are the same four steps with the screens.
Step 1. Install and run PCDOTS Eudora Converter.
Step 2. Open Email Data Files, then Eudora.
Step 3. Select your Eudora files or folder.
Step 4. Preview the loaded mail, then export to CSV.
Related reading, our guides to convert EML files to CSV and import Eudora to Yahoo Mail. Because the MBX is MBOX, the free MBOX viewer opens a Eudora file to check it first.
CSV keeps the fields and the body, not the attachments.
Which method should you use?
Use Thunderbird for a free export with a window, Python for exact columns and a converter for a big archive with no setup.
| Method | Best for | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Thunderbird, ImportExportTools NG | A free export | Import MBX, export CSV |
| Python mailbox | Exact columns | Free, MBX reads as MBOX |
| Eudora Converter | A big archive, no setup | Windows, reads MBX directly |
Key takeaways
- Eudora stores mail in MBX files, which are a variant of MBOX, so the mail is easy to move.
- Import the MBX into Thunderbird, then export the folder to CSV with ImportExportTools NG.
- Python reads the MBX as MBOX, so a short script writes the columns you want.
- CSV keeps the sender, date and subject, not attachments, so export to EML or MBOX for full emails.
Frequently asked questions
Does Eudora have a built-in CSV export?
No. Eudora has no CSV export. You import its MBX file into Thunderbird and export CSV with ImportExportTools NG, or read the MBX with a Python script.
Where does Eudora store its mail files?
In MBX files, one per folder, with a .toc index. Open Eudora, then Tools, Account Settings, Message Storage to find the folder.
Is a Eudora MBX file the same as MBOX?
It’s a variant of MBOX, plain text. So MBOX tools, Thunderbird and Python’s mailbox module all read a Eudora MBX file.
Do attachments go into the CSV?
No. CSV holds the fields, the sender, recipient, subject and date. A good converter saves attachments to a separate folder, and EML or MBOX keeps the full message.
Can I export only some Eudora emails to CSV?
Yes. In Thunderbird you export a chosen folder, and a converter lets you filter by sender, date or subject before the export.
Can I export Eudora to EML or MBOX instead of CSV?
Yes. The same Thunderbird and converter routes export Eudora to EML or MBOX, which keep the full emails with attachments.
So how are you getting your Eudora mail out?
Converting Eudora to CSV is simple once you know the MBX is really an MBOX. For a free export, import the MBX into Thunderbird and export the folder to CSV. For exact columns, a short Python script reads the MBX and writes them. For a big old archive, a converter reads the MBX directly with no setup. Remember, CSV keeps the fields, so use EML or MBOX for the full emails. So how are you getting your Eudora mail out, through Thunderbird, a script or a converter?
