To view the content of the old Thunderbird emails, this article will help. We are going to use two methods to examine old Thunderbird emails in easy steps.
In today’s time, emails are used everywhere and all the time. Along with it, there are a number of email applications that are available. One of them is Mozilla Thunderbird. This free open-source email client is used in Windows, Mac, and Linux OS. In the program, you can open various file formats, like EML, MBOX, Maildir, etc., and also read the content in them. So, if you have old Thunderbird files that you want to examine or read, it is not difficult.
Here, we talk about the old MBOX file that you want to view. MBOX is a mailbox file format that stores multiple emails with their attachments. It is also one of the formats that can be used in Thunderbird. Some years ago, if you save important emails from Thunderbird and want to read old emails in Thunderbird, then the following are the ways, which are very simple.
Methods to Examine Old Thunderbird Emails
You can simply open the old files in the application using the import/export add-in and then read the content of the emails. This is easy, but there can be issues during the process. So, to avoid that, you can use a third-party tool to directly open and view the old files. Therefore, we have two ways to read the files.
- Manual method: import the old MBOX file in Thunderbird and see the emails.
- Third-party tool: directly open the old files and explore the data.
Read Old Emails in Thunderbird Emails Manually
If the old Thunderbird emails are in MBOX format, then you can easily import them by using the Import/Export Tools NG. Download the add-on from addons.thunderbird.net and then follow the steps below to examine old Thunderbird emails.
- After installing the extension, open Thunderbird.
- Click on the Tools option. Select Import/Export and add in.
- Select Import messages, and then choose one or more mbox files.
- Browse to the location of your saved MBOX file, and then click on Import.
Limitations of the Manual Method
After opening the file with the above method, you can see your file in Thunderbird. But it is not a reliable way, as a lot of issues happen.
- You can import one file at a time. So, if you have multiple files, then it will be a time-consuming process.
- It is difficult to analyze the files as there are no advanced options available.
- The data can be lost during the process.
So, this method has more drawbacks than benefits. But there is another alternative way to read old emails in Thunderbird.
Examine Old Thunderbird Emails using Third-party Tool
To read the old files, we use the expert MBOX Reader Software made by FreeViewer. It is free to download, and you can read multiple MBOX files at the same time. This way, you can view your old files without using Thunderbird. The tool will provide great results and has various features to help you in your work.
Features of Software
- Users not only examine old Thunderbird emails but also their attached contacts and calendars.
- It maintains email properties, and you can also view them.
- You can easily read Thunderbird files as well.
- There is no restriction on the file size you use.
- With this tool, you can analyze your data very easily.
Steps to View Old Thunderbird Emails
- Download and install the software.
- Click on File and select MBOX format.
- Select the file(s) or folder from the file system, then hit Next.
- For opening multiple files, click on Use Folder Mode and Maintain Folder Hierarchy.
- Browse your old MBOX file location and open it. Press Process.
- The tool loads your data and displays it in front of you.
- You can now preview them and see the content of the files.
Conclusion
Users who have old Thunderbird emails now don’t have to worry about how to examine old Thunderbird emails. We explain simple methods like read old emails in Thunderbird and viewing the old files without any program. Both are free, but before using them, you have to consider the limitations that make your work hard.
