MBOX File Location in Mozilla Thunderbird

author
Jamie Kaler   
Published: Oct 4, 2023 ~ How to

Locate MBOX File in Thunderbird: The clients choose different email applications to manage their business-related email accounts based on their requirements. To Locate MBOX File in Thunderbird, it is important to know how and where the email clients store the mail and other files.

Thunderbird:

Thunderbird is an open-source email client that allows users to manage business-related email accounts. It was developed by Mozilla Foundation. Also, it can manage multiple emails, news feeds, and newsgroup accounts. The major features like quick search, message filtering, and grouping make it easier to use. Also, in Thunderbird emails, contacts, and other items are all stored in a folder called profile. When you start using Thunderbird a default profile is created to store all the mails and other files to it.

MBOX File Format

MBOX is a format that is most commonly used for storing email messages on memory storage. The MBOX holds a large collection of files of email messages. Also, the MBOX stores the mailbox messages in their original internet message format. It stores all the messages in a single database. Every new message is appended to the end of the file.

Steps Involved in Locating MBOX File in Thunderbird

Want to move from Thunderbird to Outlook? Now easy! Know-How?

How to Locate MBOX files on Windows?

For Windows 2000 & XP Users:

  • Firstly, Select the start menu and choose a run option from it.
  • Enter the command “%appdata%” in the search bar and press enter.
  • After that, select the Thunderbird folder from the list of options displayed.
  • Lastly, select the profiles folder and click on the Mozilla thunderbird profile which looks like” %APPDATA%\Thunderbird\files\sample. default” which provides the location of mbox file.

In case the application data folder is hidden then first show the hidden folders. For this, open Windows Explorer and go to Tools → Folder Options → View → Click on Show hidden files and folders”.

You can directly locate the profile folder location of MBOX files by using the below path:

 c:\Documents and Settings\[user name]\Application data\Thunderbird\Profiles\[name].default\Mail\Local folders.

For Windows Vista, 7, 8, 8.1, and 10 Users

  1. Firstly, Click on the Start menu
  2. After that, in the search box there type %APPDATA%
  3. On the menu, click the “Roaming” item
  4. Lastly, choose Thunderbird → Profiles in the explorer window. Each folder that appears within the profiles folder is a profile on your computer.

To navigate directly you can follow the path shown below:

  • C:\Users\<Windows user name>\AppData\Roaming\Thunderbird\Profiles\<Profile name>\

Or you can also use the Thunderbird menu path

  • Help-> troubleshooting information->click on the “Show Folder” button.

How to Locate on Linux & UNIX Machines?

Locate the folders at

  • ~/.thunderbird/<Profile name>/

If you are using a third party build then they store your profile here:

  • ~/.mozilla-thunderbird<Profile name>.

Both are hidden folders and to show hidden files choose “View -> Show Hidden Files”.

How to Locate on Mac Machine?

  • Select the home folder and go to the library folder.
  • Also, select the profiles folder and click on the Mozilla thunderbird profile. It will look like” ~Library/Thunderbird/Profiles/sample. default” and provides you with the location of MBOX file.

Thunderbird is available for all types of Operating Systems so it is important to know the location of the Thunderbird profile in your machine.