Learn How to Import/Open PST File to Thunderbird: Easy Solutions

Admin • November 12, 2024 • 5 Minutes Reading

Outlook is one of the best and most famous email clients in the whole world. Thunderbird provides open-source free email client services on multiple platforms on Windows, MacOS, Linux and Ubuntu. So, if you are looking to access your PST file then the Thunderbird is perfect solution for you.

In this blogpost, we are proceeding to discuss both manual and paid methods to open PST file in Thunderbird. You just need to follow all the steps and perform accordingly.

Causes to Open PST File in Thunderbird

Opening PST Files in Thunderbird can be done for several reasons. PST files are mainly supported in Microsoft Outlook to store email messages, contacts, and calendar items. There are multiple reasons which are going to be mentioned below:

  • Migrating: If you are going to plan to migrate your Outlook to Thunderbird as a primary email client, then importing your PST allows you to transfer the emails with complete information.
  • Compatibility Issues: Sometimes, users may face compatibility issues between Outlook and Thunderbird. Importing allows users to use Thunderbird without losing the existing email.
  • Backup and Recovery: If a user wants to take a backup of their Outlook data or recover data email files.
  • Paid to Free Email Client: Thunderbird offers free of cost email management services instead Outlook is not free so some users want to migrate to Thunderbird because of their free email management service.

Manually Import PST to Thunderbird Using Outlook

There are multiple difficulty in Importing PST to Thunderbird because Thunderbird has no any feature to provide direct transfer from Outlook to Thunderbird. So, we need to convert the PST file to MBOX first so in this method, we are using some techniques to complete the whole process. Follow these mentioned steps to perform the method correctly

  1. Open your control panel >> Programs >> now set your default program.
  2. Then, choose Outlook as the default program tab and ok to save changes.
  3. Now, open your Thunderbird and click on the Display Thunderbird Menu Option.
  4. Navigate to Tools >> Import >> Import Tool >> choose Import from Outlook.
  5. Click continue, your PST File from Outlook will be successfully imported to your Thunderbird.

Manual Method to Import PST File to Thunderbird Using Google Takeout

Using Google Takeout to import PST file to Thunderbird is not easy because you need to follow several steps to perform it. Before you are going to perform this method you must make sure you are following the right steps mentioned in this method. Learn perfectly to process the importing PST files to Thunderbird follow the steps given below in this section:

First Step: Enable IMAP in Gmail

  1. Login to your Gmail Account.
  2. Click on the Gmail account Setting.
  3. Then, Click Forwarding and POP/IMAP.
  4. Lastly, click to Enable IMAP.

Second Step: Configure Gmail Account to Outlook

  1. Open your Outlook Account.
  2. Click on File >> Add Account and press enter.
  3. Now enter your Gmail Login Credentials and hit enter.
  4. Outlook is configured with the Gmail account.

Third Step: Import your File to Outlook

  1. Open your Outlook.
  2. Click to File >> Open & Export >> Import/ Export.
  3. Then, Click to Import from another program or file and click Next.
  4. Now, choose Outlook Data File (.pst) and tap next.
  5. Choose the file to import and click next.
  6. Now choose the folder you want to import and click next.

Fourth Step: Download the MBOX File from

  1. Login to your Google takeout account with Gmail Credentials.
  2. Select Mail and Deselect the rest applications of Google.
  3. Click Next Step, choose Export once and MBOX format.
  4. Google will email you when your export is ready.
  5. Follow the link in your email to download the ZIP file, then extract it to get your MBOX file.

Note: After downloading the MBOX file you have to Import MBOX File to Thunderbird then the whole process will complete.

Limitation of Manual Method

  • Difficulty: Manual methods especially the Google Takeout method are too time-consuming and also you have to follow multiple steps. Both manual Methods are not user-friendly.
  • Risk of Data Loss: There’s the risk of data or file corruption, especially when exporting and converting the files manually.
  • Not Effective: There’s no direct way to import PST file in Thunderbird you should follow the whole process to import.
  • Technically not Easy: Performing the manual method is technically not easy for those users who are non-technical.

Advanced to Add PST File to Thunderbird

This is the most advanced and easy method to add PST files to Thunderbird. This method does not require any external software you can directly transfer the PST file data to your Thunderbird. For users who want to access their PST file directly without any email client and paid software then we are suggesting you 4n6 PST File Viewer. Using this online software you freely access PST file directly through the browser. For now, to attempt the paid method to add the PST file to the Thunderbird you have to follow the given steps:

 Download Now

  1. Download and Install the Software.
    download and install the software
  2. Click to open and tap to Outlook account also you can choose folder instead.
    choose the file
  3. Now click on the export option on the software and choose Thunderbird.
    Import PST File to Thunderbird
  4. The software automatically detects the Thunderbird file location and then clicks save.
    click save

More About the Paid Method

  • Users can export PST files in bulk using the paid software.
  • Through the software, user can export the PST file in multiple email file formats such as EML, MBOX, PST, PDF, HTML, TEXT, VCARD, CSV, ICS, GMAIL, Office 365, IMAP, and Thunderbird.
  • The tool comes with multiple Smart features such as Email, Phone, attachments, and contact photos. These features are smart and unique.

Wrapping-Up

We have discussed multiple methods to Import PST file to Thunderbird such as multiple manual methods and paid methods. Manual methods are too hard it is not easy to perform by the normal user. Instead of this, we have also discussed the paid method using this paid method user can easily import the file in just a few clicks and also it saves the user from taking longer than the manual method. Overall the paid method is easy, fast and time-saving instead of the manual method.