How to Read All Mails in Thunderbird?

In this article, we will explain how you can read all mails in Thunderbird and a way to view Thunderbird mails without using the program.

Thunderbird is one of the email programs that runs on Mac, Windows, and Linux systems. It is a free and open-source email client developed by Mozilla. One of the best features of Thunderbird is that it comes with add-ons where users can import and export, manage Google Calendar, sync their data to a cloud account, and much more. Users can download them from addons.thunderbird.net or from the options in the software.

The MBOX file is one of the file formats Thunderbird uses; it is used to store several emails in one file. That’s why it is called a Mailbox file, short for MBOX file. You can read or export Thunderbird using this file. Not only that, you can also view the file in Apple Mail, Entourage, or you can use the software to read all mail from Thunderbird.

Instructions to Read All Mails in Thunderbird

To view Thunderbird mails, we use the Import/Exports Tools NG add-on. There is no direct option to open your mail. Therefore, first we download the add-in, import the emails, and view them.

1. If you have not downloaded the add-on, go to the Thunderbird program.
2. Click on the menu option and then the Tools option. Select the Extension tab.
3. Choose the Addon option, then Import/Export Tools NG. Download the addon.
4. Now, we open the MBOX file to read. Go to the Tools option.
5. Select the add-on that you downloaded and click on the Import option.
6. Click on the Import Mailbox file, then the Import directly option, and OK.

With that, you can read all mails in Thunderbird. Now, we explained how you can view your data in Thunderbird. However, if you want to read the Thunderbird mails without using the program.

Reasons to View Thunderbird Mails on Different Platforms

Before we discuss the method to read the MBOX file, let’s see why we need to use another program to view the file.

• You have Thunderbird files but have not downloaded the email client.
• To read, we use add-ons. There can be issues while downloading the extension.
• If you want in-depth analysis of the mail, another program is very helpful.
• So, these are some common reasons why you need to read all mails from Thunderbird.

Ways to View Thunderbird Mails

We already state that Thunderbird uses an MBOX file, which you can use with other programs like Apple Mail. Apple Mail is used in Mac programs. So if you have Thunderbird files on the Mac system, then you can use this method. But if you want to read all mails from Thunderbird into Windows, then software will help you with this. So, we provide two different methods to view the file for both Mac and Windows users.

• Read your MBOX files in Apple Mail.
• View the file with the help of software.

Read MBOX Files in Apple Mail

This method works on Mac OS, and it is free to use. If you have Thunderbird mail on your computer, you can directly import the files.

1. Open the Apple Mail program and go to the File option.
2. Select Import Mailboxes and click on MBOX format.
3. After that, click on Import, and now you can view the content of the files.

Read All Mails in Thunderbird using Software

The above method is for Mac users. If you want to view Thunderbird emails on Windows, then we use software because you can directly read the files without any problems. There are a number of tools available, but here we use the FreeViewer MBOX File Viewer Tool. This tool is the best, as it can let you view normal or corrupted MBOX files from any email program. The software has two edition programs as well: Pro and Pro Plus, which let you export the file as a PDF or print it. In addition, it offers various features.

Features of Software

• This software allows users to read MBOX emails and their associated contacts, calendars, etc.
• You can scan your files in the software for any corrupted issues.
• It has advanced search options for in-depth analysis of the files.
• Users can download the software for Windows 11 and below.
• Along with Thunderbird mail, you can read the files from different email clients, such as Apple Mail, Entourage, Eudora, or even Google Takeout.

Steps to Read All Mails in Thunderbird

1. Download and install the software. Click on the Add File option.
2. Select Mozilla Thunderbird from the list of email applications and click on select file(s)/folder from file system. Hit the next button.
3. Now, browse the location of your Thunderbird files and open them. Click Process.
4. If you have a folder containing multiple files, then click on the Use Folder mode and Maintain Folder Hierarchy options, then browse the files and click Process.
5. After that, your Thunderbird MBOX files are displayed in the software.
6. Preview the files in various modes. If you want, you can also change the mail view to landscape or vertical.

Conclusion

This article provided you with the steps to read all mails in Thunderbird and also two methods that you can use to view Thunderbird mails both on Mac and Windows OS. Along with that, we also explained the reasons why users need to read the files without opening them in Thunderbird.