How to Archive Thunderbird Email? Complete Guide

Why Thunderbird Archive All Emails Matters?

For the following reasons, it becomes necessary that Thunderbird archive emails older than a particular period:

• Email retention is extremely important the and archiving keeps you ready for an audit.
• Thunderbird will load faster when the active mailbox is lighter and there are no irrelevant emails in the mailbox.
• Email can be auto-grouped by year, sender, or folder when it is archived. This makes retrieving archived emails from years older seamless.
• Local archives grant you a backup copy that lives separately from your mail server.

After understanding the reasons to archive Thunderbird email, let’s proceed with the solutions. But first, learn where Thunderbird’s archive is located.

Where is the Thunderbird Mail Archive Location?

By default, archived messages will remain stored in your Thunderbird profile folder.

How Does Thunderbird Archive Old Emails?

There are different ways in which you can archive the mailbox data in Mozilla Thunderbird. We will see both the free ways and a professional tool for the same.

Also, we have mentioned a few tips to keep the data for a long time without difficulty. Let’s begin with the manual way first.

1. Manually Archive Thunderbird Email

Follow these steps to directly archive your emails within the application:

1. Begin by launching Mozilla Thunderbird.
2. Then, navigate to Menu >> Tools >> and click Account Settings.
3. Once that screen is up, go to the account you wish to archive.
4. Afterward, navigate to Copies & Folders and click Archive Messages on the right.
5. From there, pick where you want the messages to be archived (yearly, by folder structure, etc.).
6. Further, select the emails located in your inbox or folders.
7. Lastly, press Archive or key A on your keyboard.

The messages selected will move to the Archive folder located on your local system or mail server. It depends on the collection settings you have.

2. Alternative for Thunderbird Archive Emails Locally

Other than the above way, you can try these free ways too to ensure your emails stay in your mailbox or at a safe space for a longer term.

1) Within Local Folders

1. First, right-click Local Folder in Thunderbird and choose New Folder.
2. Next, enter a name and click OK.
3. After that, select all the emails within your inbox with Ctrl + A.
4. Right-click, choose Move To >> New Folder under local folders.

2) Archive Thunderbird Email

Simply press Ctrl + A, right-click, and choose Archive.

3) Through Local Directory

1. Move to the Mozilla Thunderbird profile directory.
2. Then, locate the Mail folder within it and open the same.
3. Now, select the files you want to archive. (Ensure they are without extension.)
4. Finally, drag and drop the file to the destination where you wish to archive it.

Note: Delete the archive file from the Thunderbird folder to avoid clutter.

Pro Tips for Thunderbird Archive All Emails

• Thunderbird automatically archives emails older than 6 to 12 months with the Auto-Archive feature.
• Archive emails locally to have access to copies in the case your mail server becomes unavailable.
• Open archived emails from time to time to make sure they remain intact and accessible.
• Remove Duplicate Emails in Thunderbird to create a cleaner and lighter archive.

Shortcomings of the Manual Method

• Novice users may find it difficult to understand settings and locate directories and folders.
• Manual archives can skip attachments or lead to data loss.
• Emails cannot be directly archived in the original hierarchy.
• Lost or deleted emails from Thunderbird cannot be restored.

Best Method: Archive Thunderbird Email Automatically

If you are the owner of 1000s of emails across accounts, a professional SysInfo Thunderbird Email Backup Tool makes everything easier. With it, archive mailboxes in bulk, save emails in EML, PST, PDF, or MBOX files, and use filters to archive and keep data intact for business continuity. This is especially for enterprises with large user bases.

What is the Process of Thunderbird Automatic Archiving?

Follow these steps for automatic archival:

1. Launch the Thunderbird Backup Software and select your profile. Click Next.
2. Then, your list of folders appear. Check them from the preview panel.
3. Further, choose those you have to archive and click Next to save.
4. After that, choose the desired format in which you want to secure the data.
5. Also, apply filters and set a Path to Save for your resultant archive files.
6. At last, click Convert to complete the archive.

Conclusion

The ability to archive Thunderbird emails is more than just a storage solution. It’s about efficiency, compliance, and control over your data. In the case of individual users, Thunderbird’s built-in archiving solution works well. However, businesses that manage large accounts need an automated tool to provide bulk archiving, faster data access, and safer offline storage.

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About The Author:

Suman Rawat

Suman Rawat is a technical content writer and expert in the fields of email migration, data recovery, and email backup. Her passion for helping people has led her to resolve many user queries related to data conversion and cloud backup.