Need to transfer Mozilla Thunderbird to a new computer? This tutorial will show you how to do just that.
Our goal, of course, is not to just install Thunderbird on the new computer. The goal is to have Thunderbird on the new computer look and behave exactly as on the old one.
To do that, we need to copy your Thunderbird profile, along with emails, folders, profile customizations, archives, accounts, passwords, email settings, extensions, themes and so on – a complete transfer.
There are two primary ways to copy Thunderbird to another computer – manual copy and automatic copy. We will cover both in this guide, although if you prefer to just skip to the easier, automatic option, you can click here for automatic transfer of Mozilla Thunderbird from one computer to another.
If you prefer to attempt a manual transfer of your Thunderbird data, as opposed to just doing an automatic transfer of Thunderbird and other apps, you can do that using a USB stick or a USB drive. It’s not the easiest way to do it, and you won’t be able to get app customizations, themes and so on, but it is free, and – with some experience – you can at least transfer your old emails.
To transfer Thunderbird emails manually, do the following:
Pros:
Cons:
Keep in mind that Mozilla Thunderbird, as any other Windows application, relies on registry entries, internal settings, app data, and lots of other hidden components that cannot be transferred via manual file copy. You can only transfer data and specific file like that, but not applications or settings.
In conclusion, while this method is a great way to transfer smaller files from one device to another, it is not the best way to transfer the programs you use and rely on.
To transfer actual applications and settings, and to transfer everything you have – not just specific files – use the instructions below to automatically transfer Thunderbird, along with other apps and files you have, to a new computer.
The easiest way to transfer Thunderbird from one computer to another is to use a dedicated transfer tool – Zinstall WinWin.
It can transfer not just your Thunderbird, but all other apps you have as well, along with your profiles, accounts, personalization, and all files from your old computer – automatically.
And it does not just copy files or profiles; apps get installed automatically on the new computer, and configured just like on the old one. You don’t need to install them yourself and you don’t need to configure them yourself.
It requires no technical knowledge to use, too. If you know how to download a file from the internet, you know how to use it – and can save a lot of time and avoid a lot of frustration when you transfer files to a new computer.
That’s it!
Once the transfer is done, Thunderbird will be all set on the new computer, with your emails, archives, accounts, profiles, passwords, configurations and settings already in place – just like on the old computer.
And not just Thunderbird – this transfers your other apps, profiles, settings and files as well.
The new computer will feel just like home.
