Importing eml files into Thunderbird

Sep 25, 2026 Last reply: 1 month ago 12 Replies
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BertCoules

Thanks to everyone for the comments. The import/export add-on, though very comprehensive, didn't cover exactly what I was doing, so in the end I moved everything manually and then went through each folder deleting any duplicates. There was probably a better and more efficient…

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I'd be grateful for any thoughts on this:



I have a considerable number of email messages, saved as eml files, rescued from a now-defunct PC and now in a "Rescued emails" folder on my new desktop machine.



I'd like to add these messages to various folders in Thunderbird (v128.9.1) on my new PC, and I know that I can do this by simply dragging and dropping (or presumably cutting and pasting, though I haven't tried that yet).



Unfortunately the listed files all have names on the lines of



64361245-00000027.eml which means the only way I can identify them is by opening them one at a time and then moving them to their appropriate new homes. This is going to be a lengthy and laborious task.

I've looked for an offline eml reader which lists messages using the actual headings and maybe other details, but I haven't had any success. Does anyone know if such a utility exists?



Many thanks.



Bert



Might be worth looking at the TB add-on called: ImportExportTools NG That claims to import eml files.

Thanks for that. I'll have a proper search tomorrow but a quick look tonight didn't turn up a version that's compatible with my Thunderbird

128.9.1.

Is my installation startlingly out of date?

Bert

Yup...

Even the ESR version is up to 153.2.0

Thanks. My version offers the option to "update to 128.14 Oesr". Should I do that and then update again (and again, etc?) or can I get completely up to date in one swoop?

Bert

After three (or was it four? I lost count) sequential upgrades I've arrived at version 153.3.1 esr, which is reported as the latest. Now to check out ImportExportTools NG...

Are you on an old version of Windows (or MacOS or whatever)?

Theo

Shouldn't be ... only TB 115esr supports pre-Win10

Windows 10. The Thunderbird update to the latest version seems to gone without a hitch.

Thanks to everyone for the comments. The import/export add-on, though very comprehensive, didn't cover exactly what I was doing, so in the end I moved everything manually and then went through each folder deleting any duplicates.

There was probably a better and more efficient way to achieve the same ends, but it wasn't too laborious.

So many times in my life I have spent more time looking for short cuts than I spent on doing it the manual way.

There is a duplicate remover add on - that works well, I used it quite often

Its called :

Remove Duplicate Messages

Sometimes a message filter can be pressed into service to do repetitive stuff...

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