Switching from Thunderbird to Apple Mail
Both macOSXHints and mozillaZine carry the same tip for importing email messages into
Contacts can be exported from
You can then import them into OS X’s Address Book using its native import feature or using a third-party app like Address Book Importer (which is free for a “one-off” use).
UPDATE: In the comments to this entry, Andreas Amann points out some problems with the tip on masOSXHints and MozillaZine. He notes that Eudora Mailbox Cleaner now handles the importing of Thunderbird mailboxes as well (and better). Thanks.
Going the other way? (Shame on you!) CosmicSoft’s emlx to mbox converter looks promising for Mail 2.0 users on the way out. Use it, then follow the second half of the instructions for importing emails from kmail in the Thunderbird FAQ.
Tags: Address Book, Apple Mail, converter, CSV, emlx, mail.app, mbox, switching, thunderbirdRelated posts
October 24th, 2005 at 5:10 pm
Unfortunately, this will have several problems:
* Messages which have been deleted in TB might show up in Mail
* All messages will show up as unread
* Some messages might be strung together in a single message in Mail (TB can use EOLs different from what Mail expects, even changing within a single mailbox and/or message)
There is another option to import TB mailboxes to Mail though - use “Eudora Mailbox Cleaner’ (which has been expanded to add this conversion as well):
http://homepage.mac.com/aamann/
October 24th, 2005 at 5:16 pm
Why would you want to switch? What’s the use?
October 24th, 2005 at 10:57 pm
“Why would you want to switch? What?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s the use?”
Thunderbird is a nice program, especially on windows/Linux. OS X Mail however is a better choice for most Mac users. Smart Mailboxes, Keychain support, Address book support, and things like being able to drag messages into closed nested folders come to mind. But there is a lot more.
Keychain support is the biggest reason for me personally not to use it. I will not use a password manager that is not system wide. If they provided that and Address book support I would seriously consider Tbird.
October 24th, 2005 at 11:04 pm
Here is another reason, I just sent the URL of this page to myself. Thunderbird failed to parse it correctly. Mail did it right.
November 2nd, 2005 at 2:26 pm
[...] It follows a method uncannily close to the one suggested in a Hawk Wings tip on 23rd October. [...]
December 1st, 2005 at 8:40 am
[...] Never did Eudora Mailbox Cleaner (which also works on Thunderbird mailboxes) seem so attractive. See Andreas’ comments in the Switching from Thunderbird entry. [...]
December 31st, 2005 at 2:55 am
[...] Switching from Thunderbird to Apple Mail. With help from Andreas Amann, this post collected some helpful ways to make the break from Thunderbird. [...]
January 5th, 2006 at 12:18 am
[...] Now moving over to Thunderbird should be as painless for your contacts as switching from Thunderbird to Mail.app. Technorati Tags: Address Book, Gmail, Thunderbird, vCards, CSV, LDIF, Mail.app [...]
June 22nd, 2006 at 9:11 pm
When trying to import Mailboxes in the mbox format (which were originally exportet from Outlook to Thunderbird on my windows machine) in Apple Mail, the app slows down OS X and in the end only imports one message. Thunderbird on Mac OS imports the same mbox files without a problem (using MboxImport) … anyone knows what’s going on?
June 22nd, 2006 at 9:18 pm
Benedikt, I would give it a try with Andreas Amann’s Eudora Mailbox Cleaner
. It’s a very clever app.
June 22nd, 2006 at 10:08 pm
Thanks man! It worked perfectly.
I really wonder why Apple doesn’t provide more solid importers for their apps (iTunes, Mail, …) for all those willing Windows switchers. I mean it took me 3 days of googling to get all my Windows data onto my Mac.
June 23rd, 2006 at 4:57 pm
That’s good news, although you should thank Andreas not me. :)
I remember that the actual transfer of data was a bit of a pain when I switched three years ago. Yes, it is a puzzle.
June 23rd, 2006 at 8:08 pm
I will certainly do that. It’s just that without your little hint I’d never thought that an app called “Eudora Mailbox Cleaner” would help me to import Mails from Thunderbird to Apple Mail.
November 8th, 2006 at 9:20 pm
[...] Anyone reading this and teetering on the edge of a better email life, might like to know that Eudora Mailbox Cleaner also does a terrific job for people coming over from Thunderbird. [...]
July 13th, 2007 at 2:53 pm
What about Thunderbird filters into apple Mail rules?
I use thunderbird as my email client, and I plan on continuing that I think.
The reason I wish to import my filters as rules, is that the apple mail settings are syncd to my new iPhone from work. But when mail comes to me via iMap on my phone rather then in thunderbird on any mac I have the emails are not properly filtered into the right folder, and then even on thunderbird unless I manually apply filter to folder it stays in the inbox.
December 20th, 2007 at 7:31 am
I see no one’s replied to Rich’s comment: this is the only reason I haven’t made the switch–because I can’t import my numerous filters on Thunderbird into Apple Mail.