Migrating from Thunderbird to Windows Live Mail Desktop
As you know, I've been using Windows Live Mail Desktop (beta) for a while now instead of Mozilla Thunderbird (my previous email client). I'm quite happy with it now, apart from a few niggles (the ridiculous amount of time it takes to "catch up" a newsgroup, for example), so I've decided to switch for good.
The means, of course, that I want to get my saved messages in Thunderbird across to WLMd. After a bit of searching around, I've worked out a relatively easy way to do it. It should be much easier than this, but Thunderbird has no "Export", and WLMd's "Import" doesn't include Thunderbird. Bad form.
Anyway, here are the steps you need to follow. Because we're saving messages as ".eml" files here, this technique should also work with Outlook, Outlook Express and Vista's Windows Mail.
- Download and install the Thunderbird AutoSave extension from AusDilecce Extensions. Restart Thunderbird when you're done.
- Select the messages you want to move to WLMd.
- Right-click and select "Export Selected Msgs|Individually", and choose the folder to which you would like to save the messages. Each message will be saved as a single .eml file.
- Open the folder you just exported your messages to using Windows Explorer.
- Open one or more of the .eml files you just exported. Assuming you have set WMLd to be your default mail client, each message will open in WLMd's message-reading window.
- Hit Ctrl+Shift+V, which is the keyboard shortcut for "File|Move to folder...", and select the folder you want to move the message to.
- Rinse and repeat. You either want to go back to step 2, or to step 5, depending on whether you've finished sucking all those exported .eml files into WLMd.
Comments
# Euan
24/02/2007 12:51 PM
What a coincidence. I have just got back from my holiday and I have a LOT of email to catch up on. So I fired up the PC and noticed I had been playing with WLMD so I opened that up (I installed it when you started playing with it) and started checking my mail. Then I thought to myself... I might check Mad Props to post a comment on the old post to see if your still using it. And what do you know? A new post!
# mabster
24/02/2007 3:59 PM
Welcome home, Eu!
Interesting to hear that you're trying WLMd out too. I'll be very keen to hear what you think about it.
# Euan
24/02/2007 8:20 PM
Thanks Matt (For all those interested check out http://www.briodyandeuan.com).
So far (of the little testing) I really like the layout and simplicity. The only thing I dislike is the advertising. While I understand most things survive through advertising. When adverts are animated it can be quite distracting from the programs original purpose - reading email.
# Norbert
2/08/2007 5:35 PM
There is a much more better way to accomplish this goal. Live Mail saves all mails in the Local Settings folder which is hidden by default. The mails are stored in .eml format, so you haven't to open the exportet eml-files with Windows Live Mail. Copy the files into the inbox-folder of your mailbox, restart Live Mail and you are happy ;-)
# mabster
2/08/2007 6:04 PM
Good point, Norbert! Thanks!
# Luigi
21/11/2007 6:33 PM
And accounts could be migrated??
Thanks in advance!
Luigi
# mabster
21/11/2007 7:25 PM
I never really considered accounts as something that needed a migration tool, Luigi. I only had two email accounts and two newsgroup accounts, so it was a small task to re-create those by hand in WLM.
How many do you have?
# Luigi
21/11/2007 9:41 PM
I've already installed Thunder Autosave for
Thunderbird 2.0.9 for exporting mail.
And now i've 10 mail accounts to exports!
Thanks mabster!
Ciao!
# Oberon
25/11/2007 11:56 AM
You can also drag and drop the eml files into the Live folder you want to store them into.
# Mario
5/03/2008 4:07 PM
Maybe the orignal post on this page should be edited to include the much easier way of simply dragging all .eml files in go! You can't get simpler than that! ha
# Dave
28/08/2008 5:11 PM
Thanks for this. how do you do it for thunderbird 2.0.0.16 however? the add-on won't install for this version...
# Avner Falk
25/04/2009 2:41 AM
Hi Matt, as Dave says, AutoSave is incompatible with Thunderbird 2.0.0.21 nor with any TB version higher than 1.0. So how do you export all your TB data into WLM? Thanks.
# Charlie
16/08/2009 6:40 PM
If you have a newer version of Thunderbird, you must use Import/Export tools instead.
# macarioson
14/01/2014 7:02 PM
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# John
14/02/2014 8:42 AM
I suppose I am too stupid to use Windows live, for some reason Microsoft feels that it is necessary for their Windows Live Mail to require hundreds of options which may very well be suitable for NASA but someone like myself a idiot that uses the program for very simple E Mailing along with a very few options which seem to be added to or changed after each update.
# mabster
14/02/2014 8:45 AM
You might prefer the Windows 8 Mail app, John, which Microsoft has taken in the opposite direction. It's very minimal but more than enough for day-to-day use. I rather like it.