Import Apple Mail to Thunderbird

Importing mail from Apple’s Mail.app isn’t built into to Thunderbird. That’s a major oversight I think, however the work-around isn’t that bad. There are a dozen steps or so, but really, it’s not hard.

This works for folders that are considered ‘On My Mac’ in Apple’s Mail.app aka ‘Local Folders’ or inboxes, outboxes, sent boxes whatever. Remember, that if you have IMAP mail, or your mail is all stored on a server somewhere, this is all not necessary. Set up Thunderbird and it’ll import all that stuff on the server. This tutorial imports email from local folders that are saved on your actual hard drive.

First things first, back up your mail! This is very important because loosing anything sucks. Second, get Thunderbird and get you account all set up.

All set up? Wonderful! Now there are two things to consider. Are you importing the inbox? Or a folder? Each way is similar, just slightly different. If importing the inbox, sent, or other main boxes, you won’t have to create folders. Just basically follow the instructions below. If you need help, let me know.

Lets import a folder. For the example my folder is called George

1) Create new local folder in Thunderbird called George
2) Quit Thunderbird
3) Go to Home -> Library -> Mail -> Mailboxes -> George
4) Right Click on the file named George.mbox and choose ‘Show Package Contents’
5) Find the file named just mbox, copy it to the desktop and re-name it George

6) Open a new finder window
7) Go To Home -> Library -> Thunderbird -> Profiles -> [your profile] -> Mail -> Local Folders
Find the file called George (no extension) and overwrite it with the George file from step #5

9) Start Thunderbrid.
10) Done

When you click on the George folder all the emails will appear. They’ll all be marked read so you’ll have to sort though that. However, they’ll all have their attachments still there which is nice!

I think that covers it. Let me know if you have questions or issues.

Note: This worked fantastic for me on 10.3.9 and Thunderbird 1.0.x. Should work in 10.4.x also.

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25 Comments

Posted Wednesday, July 20th, 2005 @ 12:42 pm | Inside: Apple, General, Software, Thunderbird | Comment Feed | Leave your thoughts. | Reliable, Affordable, Friendly Web Hosting

25 Comments to Import Apple Mail to Thunderbird

As I understand it, this won’t work with the latest version of Mail for Tiger, because it no longer uses the mbox format. Each individual email is stored separately on the disk.

- Robert July 22nd, 2005 at 9:16 am
Mozilla Firefox 1.0 - Mac OS X

You’re right. What a crock.

- Thomas July 22nd, 2005 at 5:05 pm
Mozilla Firefox 1.0.6 - Mac OS X

Check this out:

http://www.apple.com/downloads/macosx/unix_open_source/emlxtomboxconverter.html

I have not used it but wish I had before bringing all my backup mail hoping to open it with Thunderbird on my business trip :S

- Christian Saborio August 6th, 2005 at 11:38 am
Mozilla Firefox 1.0.6 - Windows XP

Thanks for the tip!

- Thomas August 6th, 2005 at 5:17 pm
Mozilla Firefox 1.0.6 - Mac OS X

How does one go about doing this these days with Mail 2.0.7?

Thanks

- Eric May 27th, 2006 at 9:53 am
Mozilla Firefox 1.5.0.3 - Mac OS X

Check out Mozilla’s forms. I bet there is an answer there.

- Thomas May 30th, 2006 at 10:46 pm
Mozilla Firefox 1.5.0.3 - Mac OS X

Recently migrated to Thunderbird using the program on this link:

http://www.apple.com/downloads/macosx/unix_open_source/emlxtomboxconverter.html

Use this to convert emxl to the mbox format that it talks about in the instructions above. The only thing I would change is the creation of folders before the fact. It is not necessary to create and overwrite the folders like it says in the instructions. Just rename the mbox file and pop it in the Local Folders and Thunderbird will recognize it and give it’s own folder automatically when it restarts.

- Larry June 22nd, 2006 at 7:21 pm
Opera 9.00 - Mac OS X

Great tip Larry!

- Thomas July 3rd, 2006 at 6:41 am
Flock 0.7.1 - Mac OS X

I want to migrate from apple mail v2.1 to a flash drive with U3 technology that I have installed Thunderbird Mail v1.5 for U3 on windows platform. Will theses tips on converting the emlx files to mbox files on an apple platform will work?

I’ve looked everywhere for support for the U3 tech and can’t find any.

- Stefania July 20th, 2006 at 9:11 am
Mozilla Firefox 1.5.0.2 - Windows XP

I am having a problem with the emails just disappearing after import them. I used the converter mentioned above. The box appears in the local folder. But when I apply filters or move emails they vanish.

(note: but if I open the file in thunderbird/profiles/mail/local I can see the emails…)

Ideas? Suggestions?

- cathy September 6th, 2006 at 8:04 am
Mozilla Firefox 1.5.0.6 - Mac OS X

Christian, Larry etc.: the link to emlxtomboxconverter seems to be broken, and I can’t find this program on Apple’s site. Any ideas where it’s gone, or if there is some new way to import Mail mailboxes into Thunderbird?

- Duncan October 19th, 2006 at 10:10 pm
Camino 1.0 - Mac OS X

It’s at “http://www.cosmicsoft.net/emlxconvert.html”

- Ether October 19th, 2006 at 11:26 pm
Mozilla Firefox 1.5.0.7 - Mac OS X

Hi. I am trying to figure how, or if it is possible, to import Apple Mail mailboxes into a WINDOWS version of Thunderbird (or any other windows email program, for that matter.) Does anyone have any suggestions?

Gratefully yours,

Alan

- Alan December 31st, 2006 at 2:56 pm
Mozilla Firefox 2.0.0.1 - Windows XP

Alan, I’d suggest installing Thunderbird or Entourage and converting them to that first on the Mac. Then those files will probably be more PC compatible than Mail.app files.

- Thomas January 8th, 2007 at 9:25 pm
Mozilla Firefox 2.0 - Mac OS X

Thanks Thomas. Your suggestion makes sense. Unfortunately, I am now back in a land (South Asia) where there are almost no Apple machines, so I’ll have to wait a while before I can do the initial transfer to Thunderbird that you suggest. But when I discover an Apple machine to work with, I’ll give your idea a try.

- Alan January 8th, 2007 at 10:36 pm
Mozilla Firefox 2.0.0.1 - Windows XP

Alan, I’d also suggest checking out macosx.com or Apple’s support forums.

- Thomas January 10th, 2007 at 9:02 pm
Mozilla Firefox 2.0 - Mac OS X

Alan,
I was able to use the cosmicsoft converter posted right above your question, to convert the backed up mail files to mbox, and then follow the directions in the main post. Worked really well, which was a relief since I had backedup my entire MacBook drive and then formatted it cause I had to send the machine back to my former employer. Thunderbird is the closest option to Mail.app, but I hadn’t backed up my boxes, so I was stuck with the individual EMLX files. Man that was getting frustrating. Thanks to everyone who posted information, btw..

- markie March 30th, 2007 at 11:53 pm
Mozilla Firefox 2.0.0.3 - Windows XP

[...] Then I selected “Tools / Import” from the menus, selected the “Mail” radio button, clicked “Next”…and discovered that Thunderbird doesn’t know how to import mail from Mail.app. Oh great. A little Googltime later, I had import instructions from TwisterMC (be sure to check the comments for info needed if you’re running the latest MacOS X), had my copy of emlxconvert, and started converting mail folders…of which I have about a googol. [...]

- Transition from Mail.app to Thunderbird (custom compiled) » Alpha Gecko April 20th, 2007 at 4:39 pm
WordPress 2.1.3

Another way to convert mail.app file is detailed at the mozilla thunderbird faq site: http://www.mozilla.org/support/thunderbird/faq#mail.app.

Basically, you select all the messages. say file save as and save as raw messages. this will save all the selected files in the mbox format.

- Czarrar April 26th, 2007 at 12:50 am
Mozilla Firefox 2.0.0.3 - Mac OS X

Thanks Czarrar! Nice to see updated info from Mozilla.

- Thomas April 26th, 2007 at 8:44 pm
Mozilla Firefox 2.0.0.3 - Mac OS X

[...] How to mport Apple Mail to Thunderbird [...]

- 10 must-have Thunderbird Addons (+ 25 more) » MakeUseOf.com May 15th, 2007 at 2:32 pm
WordPress 2.0.5

[...] Apple Mail > Mac Thunderbird [...]

- Thunderbird, Apple Mail: import /eksport | ZU blog November 30th, 2007 at 7:28 pm
WordPress 2.3.1

This link is down: http://www.apple.com/downloads/macosx/unix_open_source/emlxtomboxconverter.html . I would really like to get a copy of this converter. Can someone send me a copy? or tell me where I can get it.I am having problems with using SSL with Apple Mail (2.1.1) and want to switch to Thunderbird. I am using OSX10.4.11

- Liam O'Brien December 14th, 2007 at 4:53 am
Mozilla Firefox 2.0.0.11 - Mac OS X

http://www.cosmicsoft.net/emlxconvert.html
Ether published that further up in this thread, it didnt appear as link for some reason. worked fine, I checked.

- schmunzelmonster January 13th, 2008 at 5:55 pm
Safari 523.12 - Mac OS X

Hi, thanks for info ! Worked great !!!!!

Best regards from Spain

Carlos

- carlos April 27th, 2008 at 8:41 am
Mozilla Firefox 2.0.0.14 - Mac OS X

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