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PCDOTS Team ~ Published: 07-Aug-2023 ~ Open ~ 5 Minutes Reading

How to Open MBOX Files in Thunderbird?

Do you want to open MBOX files in Thunderbird?  Do you have no idea how to go about that? If yes, keep continue with this informative article. It answers the frequently asked question “Can Thunderbird open MBOX files”. Start sliding the page to find best answers to your questions.

MBOX is the file type used all over the world. This file format is supported by email clients such as Mozilla Thunderbird, Opera Mail, Eudora Mail, Netscape Mail, and many others. If you have any of these email account, then it will be easy to access MBOX, however, if you don’t have one, then you may have trouble accessing the email.

Can Thunderbird Open MBOX Files?

Yes. You can easily open MBOX files in Thunderbird account. There are certain steps to follow to import MBOX to Thunderbird. We have listed all the steps in detail below and suggest you to check them out. If you haven’t have Thunderbird on device, download and install it first.

  1. Launch Thunderbird account on your Windows machine
  2. Select “Account Settings” from the grid symbol in the upper right corner.
  3. In the bottom left sidebar, select Add-ons & Themes.
  4. In the top search field, type Import and press Enter.
  5. Select “ImportExportTools NG” and then click the “Add to Thunderbird” button.
  6. Return to the main Email tab by clicking Add and then OK in the dialog box that appears.
  7. Click the “Local Folders” tab and then “New Folder” option.
  8. In the Name field, type a name (for example, New MBOX) and click Create Folder.
  9. Click the newly created folder then “ImportExportTools NG“, and Import mbox file.
  10. From the dialog box, select “Import directly one or more mbox files” and click OK.
  11. Browse to the folder that holds your MBOX files, choose one or more files, and click Open.

So, this is how you can open MBOX files in Thunderbird. This manual process seems long and technical. You may also have to install Thunderbird add-ons to import MBOX files. If you want a more simple way to import MBOX files to Thunderbird, consider the following method.

How to Open MBOX Files in Thunderbird? A Simple Technique

MBOX Converter Software is the most reliable way to import MBOX file to Thunderbird. This method does not allow you to go through many technical stages to open MBOX file in Thunderbird. It is completely standalone and can export your files directly without using Thunderbird or installing multiple add-ons. You may get the software for free from the given download link.
Download Now

It is relatively easier to use than the manual approach. We will go through all the stages of using this manual MBOX import to Thunderbird solution.

A Step-by-step Manual to Import MBOX File to Thunderbird

  • Download, install and run the software to open MBOX file in Thunderbird.
    download tool to open mbox files in thunderbird
  • Click Open in the menu bar and select MBOX files from the drop-down list.
    select mbox files or folders
  • Browse and import MBOX files to the tool you want to open in Thunderbird
    browse mbox files to open in thunderbird
  • You will now see that all the selected MBOX files in the tool have been loaded.
    loaded mbox files
  • Now, click the Export button and select Thunderbird account from the drop-down menu.
    select thunderbird option
  • Select a location to save the files, then click the Save.
    open mbox file in thunderbird

So, these are the only steps you need to follow to open MBOX files in Thunderbird. Now it is clear that the automatic method is simpler than the manual method. If you want to know more about this automated software, we suggest that you read its features below.

Read More about the Automated Software

(1) This application is easy to use. It has a simple and friendly user interface which makes it useful for non-technical users as well.

(2) It allows you to import multiple MBOX files to Thunderbird in one action. It does not restrict exporting one or a few files at a time.

(3) This application also works as an MBOX viewer tool. You can analyze all MBOX files before importing them into Thunderbird permanently.
view mbox before open in thunderbird

(4) Allows you to open MBOX files in multiple modes. You can also check the Hex and Raw values of MBOX files to perform deep email forensics.
check hex values

(5) It has a search bar that allows you to find specific email or other attributes. You may find emails or attachments of a specific time period, size or name using this tool.
advance search option

(6) It is Windows based and can also open MBOX files in Thunderbird on Windows 11, 10 and other versions with ease.

(7) It is a tried and tested product. It maintains the folder structure and gives you the best possible results.

In Conclusion

We have answered the most popular query “Can Thunderbird open MBOX files”? We have described two basic ways to open MBOX files in Thunderbird. The first approach is manual, technical and time consuming. The other is automated which directly imports the MBOX file into Thunderbird in a few simple steps without the need for technical knowledge of the users parts. We suggest that you check both approaches and use the one that works best for you.