Written by Jennifer Walsh. Reviewed for technical accuracy by Shubham Dixit, Independent Expert in Email Forensics and Data File Conversion.
Shubham is an independent external reviewer and not an employee of PCDOTS.
Quick answer. Windows Live Mail keeps every message as a plain .eml file, and Thunderbird reads .eml natively, so this move is free and simple. To import Windows Live Mail to Thunderbird, export the mail to a folder from Live Mail, then use Thunderbird’s ImportExportTools NG add-on to import that folder, keeping your folder structure intact.
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Why this is easier than it sounds?
Good news before you start. Windows Live Mail is Microsoft’s old desktop client, retired years ago, and the way it stores mail works in your favour here. Every message it holds is saved as a plain .eml file on disk, and Thunderbird reads .eml natively. So this is not really a conversion at all, it is handing Thunderbird a pile of files it already understands. That means the whole move is free, keeps your folder structure, and needs nothing more than one Thunderbird add-on. No special format, no paid step required.
Live Mail already saves .eml files, and Thunderbird opens them as they are.
“This is one of the friendliest migrations there is, because Windows Live Mail already keeps everything as .eml, which is exactly what Thunderbird wants. Export the mail to a folder, point ImportExportTools NG at that folder with subdirectories turned on, and the whole tree lands in Thunderbird intact. I would not reach for a paid tool for this specific move, the free import does it cleanly. Where a converter earns its place is when the same Live Mail data needs to become a PST for Outlook, or Live Mail will not launch anymore and you want it read straight off disk in one pass.” Shubham Dixit, Email Migration reviewer (draft, pending approval)
Step one, export from Windows Live Mail
First, get the mail out of Live Mail as .eml files in a folder you can find. Open Windows Live Mail, open the menu, and choose Export email, then Email messages. Pick Microsoft Windows Live Mail as the format and click Next, then Browse to an empty folder to hold the export. Choose the folders you want, or all of them, and finish. Live Mail writes your messages into that folder as .eml, mirroring your folder layout.
Export email, then Email messages.
Browse to an empty folder for the .eml files.
Step two, import into Thunderbird
Now hand that folder to Thunderbird. Install the free ImportExportTools NG add-on from the Add-ons and Themes screen, then right-click Local Folders, or a new folder you make for this, and choose ImportExportTools NG, then Import all messages from a directory. Point it at your exported folder and, when it asks, include the subdirectories so the whole tree comes across. Thunderbird reads the .eml files in place and your Live Mail folders appear, messages and attachments intact. That is the entire job, done for free.
ImportExportTools NG, Import all messages from a directory.
Export to a folder, then import that folder, subfolders and all.
If Windows Live Mail will not open
Since Live Mail is discontinued, it sometimes refuses to launch on a current Windows, which would block the export step. You are not stuck. Live Mail keeps its store in a hidden folder at C:\Users\your-name\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows Live Mail, and the .eml files sit right there in subfolders named for your accounts and folders. Turn on hidden items in File Explorer, copy that whole folder somewhere safe, and point Thunderbird’s Import all messages from a directory straight at it. Same result, no need for Live Mail to open at all.
When a tool is worth it
For Windows Live Mail into Thunderbird, the free route above is the answer, so do not pay for that alone. A converter earns its place in a few specific cases. If you also need the same mail as a PST for Outlook or an MBOX for another app, if Live Mail is broken and you want it read straight off disk in one pass, or if you want a preview and filters before importing, the PCDOTS Windows Live Mail Converter reads the store and writes to Thunderbird, PST, MBOX and more on Windows. It has a free preview that handles the first ten items. For a plain move to Thunderbird, though, reach for ImportExportTools NG first.
The tool route, handy when Thunderbird is not the only destination.
Here are the tool steps with the screens.
Step 1. Install and run the software on Windows, then open the menu.
Step 2. Choose Desktop Email Client, then Windows Live Mail, and load the account or folder.
Step 3. Open Export and choose Thunderbird, or PST or MBOX if you need those.
Step 4. Pick a destination and save.
Related reading, our guide to import an MBOX into Thunderbird and to convert PST to EML. To check the exported messages first, the free EML viewer opens .eml files without any client.
The methods compared
Match the route to your goal.
| Method | Best for | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Export plus ImportExportTools NG | The move to Thunderbird | Free, keeps folders |
| Import straight from AppData | Live Mail will not open | Free, reads .eml off disk |
| Live Mail Converter tool | Also to PST or MBOX | Windows, one pass, preview |
Frequently asked questions
How does Windows Live Mail store my email?
As individual .eml files in folders under your AppData directory. Because Thunderbird reads .eml, moving them across is straightforward.
Can I import Windows Live Mail to Thunderbird for free?
Yes. Export the mail from Live Mail to a folder, then use Thunderbird’s free ImportExportTools NG add-on to import that directory, subfolders included.
Will my folders and attachments be kept?
Yes. Exporting in Windows Live Mail format preserves the folder layout, and importing with subdirectories rebuilds it in Thunderbird with attachments in place.
Windows Live Mail will not open on my PC, now what?
Copy the store folder from C:\Users\your-name\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows Live Mail, then point Thunderbird’s Import all messages from a directory at that copy.
Do I need the paid converter for this?
Not for a plain move to Thunderbird, the free import handles it. A converter helps if you also need PST or MBOX, or Live Mail is broken.
Can I import only certain folders?
Yes. Choose specific folders during the Live Mail export, or import a single subfolder of the exported directory into Thunderbird.
Go ahead and move it
There is no reason to overthink this one. Export your Live Mail messages to a folder, install ImportExportTools NG in Thunderbird, and run Import all messages from a directory with subfolders turned on, that is the whole migration, and it costs nothing. If Live Mail refuses to open, grab the .eml from its AppData folder and import that instead. Set aside a few minutes, follow the two steps above, and your old Live Mail will be sitting in Thunderbird with its folders intact.
