How to Import Eudora Emails to Thunderbird? All Methods

How do you import Eudora emails to Thunderbird?

You import Eudora emails to Thunderbird with a free add-on, not a paid tool, whatever some older guides claim. The reason is the file format.

Eudora keeps every mailbox in an MBX file, and that’s just a form of MBOX, the plain-text format Thunderbird itself uses. A small .toc file sits beside it as an index. So the mail is already in a shape Thunderbird can read, you point the right add-on at it.

That add-on is ImportExportTools NG. It’s free, it’s the standard Thunderbird tool for mbox, and it drops your old mail into a folder under Local Folders. The one thing to watch is attachments, and there’s a section on that below.

People make the move because Eudora is long discontinued. It stopped at Windows and old Mac builds, it has no modern security updates, and Thunderbird is free, active and runs everywhere. Getting the mail across keeps years of messages searchable in a client that’s still looked after.

One bit of history fits here. Eudora’s final version, Eudora OSE, was built on Thunderbird back in 2010, so moving your mail across is in a sense bringing it back to the same engine.

“The claim that there’s no manual route is wrong. A Eudora .mbx is an mbox file, so ImportExportTools NG reads it straight into Thunderbird, free. The trap people hit isn’t the mail, it’s the attachments. Eudora stored those as separate files in an Attach folder and only linked them in the message, so a plain import can bring the text and leave the files behind. In my own migrations I always carry the Attach folder across, or run a converter that rejoins them, then I spot-check a few messages before trusting the lot.” Shubham Dixit, Data File reviewer (draft, pending approval)

Where does Eudora keep its mailbox files?

Before you import, find the .mbx files on the old machine. Eudora keeps them in its data folder, with the Attach folder of attachments beside them.

Copy those files to the computer running Thunderbird, somewhere easy like the desktop. Working on a copy keeps your original Eudora data untouched if anything needs a second run.

How do you import the Eudora MBX into Thunderbird?

You import the MBX with ImportExportTools NG, the free Thunderbird add-on for mbox. Modern Thunderbird has no built-in Eudora importer, so this is the route.

Here are the six steps.

1. In Thunderbird, open the menu, then Add-ons and Themes.
2. Search ImportExportTools NG, click Add to Thunderbird, then restart the app.
3. Rename your Eudora files from .mbx to .mbox, so the add-on lists them. You can instead switch the file filter to All Files in the next step.
4. Right-click Local Folders, choose ImportExportTools NG, then Import mbox file.
5. Select Import directly one or more mbox files, browse to your files, then open them.
6. Open the new folder under Local Folders and check the messages read correctly.

Every .mbx becomes its own folder in Thunderbird, so your In, Out and saved mailboxes stay separate. For a handful of files this takes a couple of minutes.

What happens to attachments and folders?

This is where the free import needs care, and it’s the part most guides skip. Your folders come across fine, attachments are the catch.

If your mailboxes are small and light on attachments, the free route is all you need. If years of mail lean heavily on attached files, the next section is for you.

When does a converter help?

The free add-on covers a normal move. A converter earns its place for a big archive, for many .mbx files at once or when attachments have to come across joined to their messages.

PCDOTS Eudora Converter reads your Eudora files on Windows and converts them to Thunderbird in bulk, rejoining the attachments from the Attach folder and keeping the folder names and dates. Follow these four steps.

1. Install and run the converter, then add your Eudora mailbox files.
2. Preview the folders and messages it reads from the data.
3. Select Thunderbird as the output, with the attachment option on.
4. Convert, then open the result in Thunderbird under Local Folders.

Related reading, our guides to convert Eudora emails to CSV and import EML files to Thunderbird. Want to read a mailbox without a client? See view email headers of an MBOX file.

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Which method should you use?

Use the free ImportExportTools NG route for a normal move, and a converter for a big archive or heavy attachments.

Not sure which row is you? Match your mail to the route below.

Frequently asked questions

Can Thunderbird import Eudora mail directly?
Yes, with the free ImportExportTools NG add-on. Eudora .mbx files are a form of MBOX, which Thunderbird reads, so the add-on imports them into Local Folders. Older guides that say there’s no way are out of date.

Why don’t my Eudora files show in the import dialog?
The add-on lists .mbox files, and Eudora uses the .mbx extension. Rename every file from .mbx to .mbox, or switch the file filter to All Files in the import window.

Do my attachments come across?
Not always. Eudora kept attachments as separate files in an Attach folder and only linked them in the message. Carry the Attach folder across and spot-check, or use a converter that rejoins attachments to their messages.

Where are the Eudora mailbox files?
On Windows, usually under C:\Users\YourName\AppData\Roaming\Qualcomm\Eudora. On Mac, in your Documents folder inside the Eudora Folder. Grab the .mbx files and the Attach folder.

Does Thunderbird have a built-in Eudora importer?
Modern Thunderbird doesn’t import Eudora on its own, so ImportExportTools NG is the free route. A converter is the alternative for bulk moves.

Will I lose my folder structure?
No. Every .mbx becomes its own folder under Local Folders, so your In, Out and saved mailboxes stay separate after the import.

Does this move my Eudora address book too?
No. Eudora keeps contacts in a separate address book file, not the mailbox, so this guide covers your mail. For contacts, export them from Eudora or use a converter that handles the address book.

So how are you bringing your old Eudora mail across?

Importing Eudora emails to Thunderbird is free, because the MBX files are a form of MBOX. Find the .mbx files and the Attach folder, install ImportExportTools NG, rename the files to .mbox, then run Import mbox file on Local Folders. Only a big archive or heavy attachments calls for a converter, which does it in bulk and rejoins the files. So how are you bringing your old Eudora mail across, the free add-on, or a converter for the bulk?