In this article, we will provide all the possible ways to examine all email messages in Thunderbird. The methods would be easy to use and have their own benefits and limitations. So, read this article to the end.

Thunderbird is one of the email clients that are used on various platforms, like Windows, Mac, and Linux. It is a free program developed by Mozilla to manage your emails, calendars, and contacts. There are other services it provides, such as RSS feed readers, chat clients, and news clients. To save your emails and other data in Thunderbird, it uses many file formats, like MBOX, EML files, etc.

A MBOX file is a file format that stores a group of files in one file. It is also known as a Mailbox file, and it is used in many programs like Thunderbird, Apple Mail, Entourage, etc. The file stores any type of data, whether they are emails, contacts, calendars, etc. To read MBOX messages in Thunderbird, there are some methods available.

Methods to Examine All Email Messages in Thunderbird

When you open any file in Thunderbird, you have to use an addon. Because there is no in-built option to import. This add-on is an extension of Thunderbird that has various features, like Import/Export Tools NG, used to import your files. So, here, we use this extension to import the files. If you have a problem using this method, then a third-party tool will help you; this software is used without using Thunderbird. So, there are two options to view all emails in Thunderbird.

  • Manual method: import MBOX files into the program by addon.
  • Professional method: use the software to open and analyze your MBOX files.

Manual Method to Read MBOX Messages in Thunderbird

In this method, we first have to install the addon. In the browser, search addons.thunderbird.net. Go to this website and find the Import/Export Tools NG. Click on Add to Thunderbird. Then, follow the steps to import and read MBOX emails.

  1. Open the Thunderbird program and click on the Tools option.
  2. Select Import/Export options. Click on the Import MBOX Files option.
  3. Then, import directly one or more mbox files. And then, browse your files. Select the files and click on OK.
  4. To view the emails, go to the inbox folders of Thunderbird and see the messages.

Limitations of the Manual Method

To view all emails in Thunderbird, the above method is the manual way. But this method is not a good choice, as it has many drawbacks, such as.

  • For a few files, this method is good. But if you have multiple files, then importing them would be difficult.
  • You cannot view attachments in it. The add-on only opens the email messages.
  • This method is only applicable if you have Thunderbird; you cannot use it if you have not installed the program.

So, the manual method has more limitations than benefits. To avoid those issues, the next method will help you.

Professional Method to Examine All Email Messages in Thunderbird

In this method, the tool we use is one of the best-used MBOX File Viewer developed by FreeViewer. This is the best tool because you can use any type of MBOX file, whether it is healthy or corrupt. By using this, you can open and view without the use of Thunderbird or the addon. The steps of this method are very easy, as you have to just browse the location of the files and then view the content in them. There are also additional features provided to the users.

Features of Software

  • By using this method, you can either open single or multiple MBOX files in file and folder mode.
  • There are multiple preview modes available to view the files in HEX, HTML, MIME, RTF, attachments, etc.
  • It offers a complete preview of your emails and their attributes, like to, from, subject, etc.
  • You can scan your file for any corruption issues.
  • The software can be installed on many Windows versions, like 11, 10, 8, etc.

Steps to Read MBOX Messages

  1. Download and launch the software.
  2. Click on Add File and select the MBOX file option. Click on Select File(s)/folder from the file system and press the Next button.
  3. Select the Browse button and go to the location where your files are stored.
  4. If you want to open multiple files, click on the Use Folder Mode and Maintain Folder Hierarchy options. Press the process button.
  5. Now, your files load into the software, and you can now see them in the center of the tool.
  6. You can now preview your files and see the properties of the emails by clicking on the options at the top of the list of data.

Conclusion

In this article, we talk about how you can examine all email messages in Thunderbird. We discuss two methods for reading the emails. The first one is manual, where we import the files in Thunderbird using the addon. The second is professional, where we use the software to view the files. All the methods are good, but the software method is a great one as it has fewer limitations than benefits.

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