[3 Simple Ways] How to Backup Thunderbird Profile

Backing up your Thunderbird profile is extremely important if you want to keep all your emails, passwords, contacts, and settings safe from accidental deletion or system crash. This guide will show you three simple ways to back up Thunderbird profiles for safekeeping with steps.

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Updated by Daisy on Feb 22, 2023
Written by Larissa

Key Takeaways of Backup Thunderbird Profile:

  • Thunderbird profile is a folder that contains your emails, passwords, contacts, settings, etc. 
  • Backing up your Thunderbird profile means you can restore your data in case of emergencies or system crashes. 
  • Three simple backup methods for Thunderbird profiles are backup copies, backup with the export tool, and backup automatically with third-party software.

Mozilla Thunderbird is an open-source email client that lets you access multiple email accounts, calendars, tasks, notes, and more within one interface. It is a powerful application that is highly customizable, secure, and easy to use. Millions have used it over the years. 

The Thunderbird profile is a folder that Thunderbird created on your computer, which saves all the data from your email accounts, passwords, contacts, settings, and other configurations. So, the Backup Thunderbird profiles are essential for keeping your important emails, passwords, contacts, and settings safe. 

backup thunderbird profile

In case of a system crash or accidental data deletion, backup Thunderbird profiles can be used to restore lost data. Without backup copies, you will have to manually re-enter your emails and passwords one by one if something goes wrong, which will be very time-consuming.

It will be too late to back up Thunderbird profiles once you lose data, so backup regularly and in multiple ways to ensure your data is safe and sound. This post covers three simple ways to tell you how to back up Thunderbird profile.

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How to Locate Thunderbird Profile

Before backup Thunderbird profiles, you need to find the specific location of the profile folder. Here is a guide on how to find where your Thunderbird storage location on different systems.

Windows 11/10/8/7:

C:\Users\AppData\Roaming\Thunderbird\Profiles\

windows thubderbird profile location

Mac OS:

~/Library/Thunderbird/Profiles/

~/Library/Application Support/Thunderbird/Profiles/

~/Library is the home folder of Macintosh systems

mac thunderbird profile location

Linux:

~/.thunderbird/

linux thunderbird profile location

(3 Simple Methods) Backup Thunderbird Profiles

Many people may immediately think of copy and paste when it comes to effectively backing up Thunderbird's profile. Of course, copying and pasting is an effective way to save a copy of your data. In addition, we have two other simple methods that can help you back up your Thunderbird profile easily.

Workable Solutions Step-by-step Troubleshooting
Method 1: Backup via Copy and Paste - Manual locate your Thunderbird profile folder on your computer hard drive...Full steps
Method 2: Backup with Export Tool - Manual Start Thunderbird and select "Tools" from the top menu bar....Full steps
Method 3. Backup with Backup Software - Automatically(Recommend)  To initiate a backup, click the Select backup contents option....Full steps
Tip
It is best to store the backup on an external storage device or a Cloud server. Even if your computer has a problem and the data is lost, you can quickly restore the data.

Method 1: Backup via Copy and Paste - Manual

This method is the most straightforward way to back up Thunderbird profiles. All you need to do is locate your Thunderbird profile folder on your computer hard drive, copy it and paste it to a safe backup location such as an external hard drive or cloud storage. 

Method 2: Backup with Export Tool - Manual

Another backup method is to use the Thunderbird built-in Export tool to export the profile folder to a ZIP file. It allows you to back up your profile information, including accounts, emails, settings, etc.

Warning
This way is only applicable for a profile smaller than 2GB. If your folder is larger than 2 GB, try method 1 and method 3. 

Follow the steps to back up your Thunderbird profile with the Export tool:

Step 1. Start Thunderbird and select "Tools" from the top menu bar.

Step 2. Click the "Export" option, and it will show "Export accounts, messages, address books, and settings to a ZIP file." You need to click the blue Export button.

expport profile

Step 3. Choose a location where you want to save the backup of your Profile folder, and give it a name. 

Step 4. Finally, click "Save" to finish the backup process.

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Thunderbird Export Email – Create A Backup of Thunderbird Email

Do you want to know about the Thunderbird email export process in detail? We are going to show you here how you can get a backup of your emails using this built-in function. We will also guide you about the best alternative to this program. 

thunderbird export emails

Method 3. Backup with Backup Software - Automatically

Both above two are manual solutions to save a copy of your Thunderbird profile saves. 

If you want a more convenient backup solution, then automatic scheduled backup software can be helpful. 

EaseUS Todo Backup Home is a Windows backup and recovery software that provides backup and restore functions for your computer system, files, folders, partitions, and disks. You can set a daily, weekly, monthly, or upon an event scheduled plan to backup Thunderbird profiles. It supports multiple backup locations, including internal & external hard drives, Cloud services, NAS, and security zone.

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Here is the guide on how to backup Thunderbird profile with EaseUS Todo backup:

Step 1. To initiate a backup, click the Select backup contents option.

create file backup step1

Step 2. There are four data backup categories, File, Disk, OS, and Mail, click File.

create file backup step2

Step 3. On the left, both local and network files will be shown. You may extend the directory to pick the backup files.

File backup

Step 4. Follow the on-screen instructions and choose a location to store the backup.

File backup step4

Click Options to encrypt the backup with a password in Backup Options, then click Backup Scheme to specify the backup schedule and start the backup at a certain event. There are also other additional choices you may choose to tailor the backup process to your requirements.

Backup options

Step 5. The backup may be stored on a local disk, EaseUS' online service, or NAS.

file backup step4

Step 6. EaseUS Todo Backup enables customers to back up data to a third-party cloud drive as well as its own cloud drive.

If you want to back up data to a cloud drive provided by a third party, choose Local Drive, scroll down to add Cloud Device, and then add and log in to your account.

Backup to cloud
You can also choose the EaseUS cloud drive. Sign up for an EaseUS Account, then click EaseUS Cloud and log in.

backup to easeus cloud

Step 7. Click Backup Now to begin the backup process. The backup job will be presented as a card on the left side of the panel after it has been finished. Right-click the backup job to handle it further.

File backup step7

The Wrap Up

Now you should have a more clear backup plan for your Thunderbird profiles. Whether you want to back up manually or with backup software automatically, these three simple methods can help you back up Thunderbird profile in no time. Remember to store the backup somewhere safe and check it regularly! 

EaseUS Todo Backup Home will save you lots of effort and time to back up Thunderbird profiles. It is an all-in-one backup and recovery solution that helps protect your data from being damaged or lost. Download and give it a try!

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FAQ on Backup Thunderbird Profile

Can I copy the Thunderbird profile to a new computer?

Yes, you can. Find the Thunderbird profile location on your computer according to the post's instructions and copy it to an external storage device, like a USB. Then connect the USB to the new computer, and paste the Thunderbird Profile to the new computer.

How do I back up and restore Thunderbird?

To backup Thunderbird, you can use copy and paste, the Thunderbird export tool, or EaseUS Todo Backup Home. For restore, you need to locate the backup file on your computer hard drive or external storage device, then click "Import" in the Tools menu of Thunderbird. Select "Export Accounts, Messages..." and choose the backup file to finish restoring.

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Updated by Daisy

Daisy is the Senior editor of the writing team for EaseUS. She has been working in EaseUS for over ten years, starting from a technical writer to a team leader of the content group. As a professional author for over 10 years, she writes a lot to help people overcome their tech troubles.

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Written by Larissa

Larissa has rich experience in writing technical articles. After joining EaseUS, she frantically learned about data recovery, disk partitioning, data backup, and other related knowledge. Now she is able to master the relevant content proficiently and write effective step-by-step guides on computer issues.

Read full bio

Product Reviews

TrustScore 4.7 | 47 reviews
  • Taking everything into consideration, we can say that EaseUS Todo Backup Home can offer you a little extra sense of security with a set of advanced tools. The interface provides quick adaptation, every process guiding you all the way through so you don't get stuck or further damage your system rather than keeping it safe.

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  • EaseUS Todo Backup Free lets you create backups of your important files or your entire computer through its streamlined interface. Just choose the backup type you'd like to get started, and let the program do the reset.

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  • EaseUS includes all the features I expect from backup software like versioning, incremental backups, and scheduling. For more advanced users, EaseUS allows you to install a pre-boot environment onto your hard drive so you can use it to restore files without burning a CD or putting it on an external USB drive.

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