To preserve Thunderbird accounts, messages, address books, settings, and other profile data, back up the entire profile—not just a few visible files. Thunderbird’s built-in Export tool creates a profile ZIP up to 2 GB; for larger profiles, close Thunderbird and copy the complete profile folder. OpenPGP secret keys need special care: they are stored in the profile, but Mozilla also recommends exporting a separate, password-protected key backup.
Choose the right backup for what you need to recover
A Thunderbird profile contains user data such as messages, passwords, and preferences. A complete profile backup is the practical choice when moving computers or recovering the overall setup. An exported OpenPGP secret key is a separate safeguard for restoring encryption capability, particularly on another device.
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- Profile is 2 GB or smaller: use Thunderbird’s Export tool to save a ZIP backup.
- Profile is larger than 2 GB: close Thunderbird and manually copy the complete profile folder or all its contents.
- OpenPGP: back up the personal secret key separately, protect the export with a strong password, and consider enabling Thunderbird’s Primary Password to protect keys in the local profile.
Mozilla’s Export instructions, last updated March 11, 2025, document a maximum ZIP size of 2 GB. Thunderbird Export
Back up the Thunderbird profile
Use Export for a profile up to 2 GB
- Open Thunderbird’s menu and choose Tools > Export (or ≡ > Tools > Export).
- Follow the Export flow to save the profile ZIP to separate storage, such as a USB stick.
- Keep the ZIP somewhere protected: the profile can contain messages and passwords as well as settings.
The Export tool saves the entire profile, including accounts, messages, address books, and settings. If the profile exceeds 2 GB, Mozilla directs users to make a manual copy instead.
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Manually copy a larger profile
- Close Thunderbird completely before copying.
- In Thunderbird, open Help > Troubleshooting Information.
- Under Application Basics, find Profile Folder or Profile Directory, then choose Open Folder, Open Directory, or Open in Finder, depending on the operating system and label shown.
- Copy the entire profile folder—or all of its contents—to separate storage. Do not select only a few files.
The in-app route is preferable to assuming a default folder location, because a profile can be stored in a custom location. Mozilla’s profile guide describes profile locations and copying. Treat a profile backup as sensitive data. Avoid treating cloud synchronization of a profile that is actively used on multiple computers as a default backup method.
Restore a profile on the same or a new computer
Close Thunderbird before replacing or copying profile contents. The restoration method depends on whether the backup folder name—including its random eight-character portion—matches the target profile folder name.
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When the profile folder names match
If the backup and existing target folder names match exactly, Mozilla’s guide says the backup can replace the existing profile folder. Preserve a separate copy of the target before replacing it if you may need to undo the change.
When the folder name or location differs
- Use Thunderbird’s Profile Manager to create a profile in the desired location, or use the profile created by Thunderbird on the new installation.
- With Thunderbird closed, copy the complete contents of the backed-up profile folder into the new profile folder, replacing files with the same names.
- Start Thunderbird and check that the expected accounts, messages, address books, and settings appear.
Mozilla also documents the Import tool as another route for supported profile backups. See Thunderbird Export for the Export and Import flow. The manual method is a whole-profile copy, not a selective transfer of a few obvious files.
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Back up and restore an OpenPGP secret key
Thunderbird stores OpenPGP keys in the profile, but a separate export is useful when setting up another device or protecting against loss of the profile itself. Exporting a public key is not a substitute for backing up the secret key: the secret key is the sensitive personal key material and should not be distributed.
Export the personal secret key
Use the OpenPGP Key Manager to back up the secret key, or use the key’s actions in Account Settings > [account] > End-to-End Encryption. Labels may vary with Thunderbird version. Store the exported file in a protected location and set a strong password for the backup. Mozilla’s OpenPGP in Thunderbird – HOWTO and FAQ covers key backup and handling.
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Import the key on another device
- Copy the protected secret-key backup to the other device through a secure means.
- Import it into Thunderbird’s OpenPGP key management.
- Set a Thunderbird Primary Password to protect OpenPGP secret keys stored in that Thunderbird profile.
Mozilla’s end-to-end encryption introduction recommends using one personal key, backing it up to a file protected with a strong password, and importing it on the other device. Mozilla’s OpenPGP FAQ says Thunderbird removes protection from secret keys during import; the Primary Password protects keys stored locally afterward. These passwords serve different purposes: the export password protects the backup file, while the Primary Password protects secret keys in the Thunderbird profile. Without a Primary Password, Mozilla says, OpenPGP keys in the profile directory are unprotected.
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What this covers—and what it does not
These key steps concern OpenPGP. S/MIME uses a separate certificate and private-key configuration; the instructions here do not establish a complete S/MIME certificate backup and restore procedure. If your email encryption depends on S/MIME, do not assume an OpenPGP key export covers it.
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