How to Import PST File to Thunderbird Profile? Use Best 4 Ways

Are you one of those people who are looking for a solution to import PST file to Thunderbird without Outlook, then read this article carefully. In this article, we will use four solutions that will help you complete this process very easily.

If you are one of those users who were earlier using MS Outlook paid email client and now you have the default PST file of Outlook, but now you want to import PST file to Thunderbird. Then in this blog post, we will answer many of your questions related to this query.

As we all know Microsoft Outlook is an email client application developed by Microsoft Corporation. Furthermore, Outlook offers email management, contact and calendar management notes features, etc.

Large enterprises or organizations mostly use Outlook as the primary communication client. But Microsoft Outlook is a paid application. Therefore, users preferred free email client applications.

However, Thunderbird is a free email client application developed by Mozilla Corporation. It has been used as an email, newsgroup, and chat client. Thunderbird is the second favorite email client application by professional users.

If you are thinking to import PST file to Thunderbird directly, then you cannot do it. But to solve this query, after doing a lot of research in our lab, we have found the 4 best solutions which we will tell you below in this article. So, let’s start the article.

How to Import PST File to Thunderbird Account?

To move your data from PST file to Thunderbird, you can use two manual methods. Both methods require Thunderbird and Outlook installation on your machine. If you don’t have configured accounts, then you can go for the automated solution to import PST file to Thunderbird without Outlook installation.

Let’s start the process with manual methods one by one:

#1: How to Convert PST to Thunderbird? Using In-Built Option

Important Note: Both Thunderbird and Outlook must be connected with a similar machine for PST to Thunderbird conversion.

1. Launch the “Control Panel” on your machine.
2. Head to the “Programs” >> “Default Programs” option.
3. And then choose the “Set Your Default Programs” icon.
4. Choose “Outlook” from the list and then the “OK” button.
5. Now launch your Thunderbird account.
6. Hit on the “Menu (3 Vertical lines)” option.

   

7. Select “Tools” and then the “Import” button.

   

8. Enable the box of “Mail” >> “Next” icon.

   

9. Select “Outlook” and the “Next” option.

   

10. Hit the “Finish” icon to import PST file to Thunderbird account.

#2: How to Open PST with Thunderbird using GWMMO & Gmail?

In this method, first, we will import PST file to Gmail account through the GWMMO tool. After that, we will transfer Gmail emails to Thunderbird account.

Why GWMMO Tool? It stands for Google Workspace Migration for Microsoft Outlook which helps users migrate Outlook profile data to Gmail account easily. It is completely free and can easily upload data with filters.

Why Gmail? Because it is a web-based email service, that can easily be configured with a popular Thunderbird and Outlook account.

Step 1: Upload Data File to Gmail

1. Download the GWMMO tool.
2. Provide your Gmail account details.

   

3. Upload your data from your profile or data files.

   

4. Choose between the “Migrate All Data or Only New Data” option.

   

5. Check the box of needed data like the “Mail” option.

   

6. Hit on the “Migrate” button to start the live process.

   

7. After completing the process, check the resultant file on your Gmail account.

   

Step 2: Connect the Same Account to Thunderbird

1. Open your Thunderbird account.
2. Click on the “Tools” icon using the “Alt” key.
3. Choose “Account Settings” from the list.

   

4. Hit on the “Account Actions” >> “Add Mail Account” option.

   

5. Enter the login details of your Gmail like email address and password and hit on the “Continue” icon.

   

6. Choose “IMAP” and tap on the “Done” icon.

   

7. Finally, choose the “Finish” icon to open PST with Thunderbird.

   

If you are facing errors while connecting accounts, then you can use another method.

#3: How to Import PST File to Thunderbird using Google Takeout?

After uploading your data file to your Gmail account using the GWMMO tool, now you can export this file in .mbox format. And Thunderbird supports this format to upload data. This method is divided into two parts, firstly we will export PST files in MBOX format using Google Takeout. Then we will import this MBOX file to Thunderbird account. For a better understanding head to the manual steps:

Important Note: Import your .pst file to your Google account through the GWMMO tool. The steps are given above in the previous method. After that follow these steps.

Step 1: Export Files using Google Takeout

1. Go to your Google Takeout.
2. After that, click on the “Deselect All” option.

   

3. Check the “Mail” option and click on the “Include All Messages in Mail” check the uploaded .pst file from the list and hit on the “OK” button.
4. After that, tap on the “Next” button to import PST file to Thunderbird.

   

5. Select the “Delivery Method”, where you want to receive your download data.

   

6. After that, choose the “File Type & Size” as per choice.

   

7. Lastly, press on the “Create Export” option after configuring all settings.

   

After a few days or a few hours (depending on your data), you will receive a link to download your data locally. After downloading your data, you will get a .zip file, unzip it on your machine. And now your file is in .mbox format, we will import it now.

Step 2: Import PST File to Thunderbird without Outlook

1. Start your Thunderbird account.
2. Choose “Tools” >> “ImportExportTools” >> “Import MBOX Files” option.

   

3. Choose “Import Directly One or More Files” from the list and “OK” button.

   

4. Navigate the location of your exported file and “Open” button.

   

5. After uploading, you can see your .pst file data in the Thunderbird account.

   

After reading all the manual methods, it is also important to know about the restrictions and limitations, which you will know in an upcoming paragraph:

If you have damaged PST files to convert into a Thunderbird account, or you don’t want to install the Outlook application. Then you should go for the expert solution to open PST with Thunderbird.

Complete Guide to Open PST in Thunderbird Account

1. Firstly, download, install, and launch the software on any OS system.

   

2. After the launch, choose the “PST” file with dual selection mode.

   

3. The software analyses all the folders and then Selects the required email folder.

   

4. Now, choose the “Thunderbird” option in the list of saving options.

   

5. Go to Filter Options to enable advanced filter modes to import PST file to Thunderbird selectively.

   

6. The software automatically selects the default profile location of Thunderbird.

   

7. Finally, press the “Convert” button to start the importing process.

   

8. Lastly, launch Thunderbird to view all of the imported emails in all of their details.

   

People Also Ask these Queries

• Ques 1: Can Thunderbird natively open PST files without add-ons?

  Ans. Thunderbird does not natively support PST files. You’ll need to use add-ons to facilitate the import .pst files are a proprietary format used by Microsoft Outlook, which isn’t compatible with Thunderbird’s default file formats.

• Ques 2: What is the maximum size of a PST file that can be imported into Thunderbird?

  Ans. The size limit for importing via an add-on varies based on the add-on and Thunderbird version. These add-ons can often handle PST files up to a few megabytes in size. However, for specific size constraints, see the documentation of the add-on you’re using. If you wish to transmit an infinite number of files at once, you must utilize the professional solutions we recommend.

• Ques 3: Is it possible to import PST files with password protection in Thunderbird?

  Ans. Importing password-protected PST files into Thunderbird can be challenging. Thunderbird cannot handle these files well. It is recommended to remove password protection from the PST file before attempting the import to avoid compatibility issues.

  But if you use the professional software mentioned by us, then you do not need to remove the password. Because, with the help of this software, password-protected PST files can be imported into Thunderbird very easily.

• Ques 4: What should I do if there are issues in the manual procedure or if the PST import fails?

  Ans. Take into consideration the following solutions if you run into issues when importing PSTs:

  • Verify that there is no corruption in the PST file.
  • Verify that you are using the most recent add-on version.
  • See the documentation for the add-on for troubleshooting advice.
  • Seek assistance from the add-on’s forums or support community on certain error messages.

  According to specialists, you should employ automated tools if you are still having difficulties after this.

Conclusion

In this article, we have described three methods to import PST file to Thunderbird without Outlook. Here, we have reviewed two manual solutions and one automatic solution, any of which you can use. All four methods have been tested in the Turgs’ lab and are 100% working.

If you follow the expert’s opinion, then you should use the automatic tool because the manual process does not work in very specific situations due to which your file may get corrupted. In this article, we have tried to answer every question you need. If you still have any questions, you can get help from the support team.