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Message Filter Backup

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  • Last reply by MiaKai

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Can someone please point me to an add-on that works for exporting and importing Message Filter rules? Or, maybe there is a folder of files and I can back up and restore, for example, I just did a new Windows install and had to re-create all of my Message Filters for each folder. Any help appreciated...

Can someone please point me to an add-on that works for exporting and importing Message Filter rules? Or, maybe there is a folder of files and I can back up and restore, for example, I just did a new Windows install and had to re-create all of my Message Filters for each folder. Any help appreciated...

Chosen solution

Message Filters are stored in a file called msgFilterRules.dat, which is in your mail account in the Profile Name folder.

You can backup the entire profile or any individual file or folder.

Make hidden files and folders visible:

In Thunderbird

  • 'Help' > 'Troubleshooting Information'
  • click on 'Open Folder' button

a new window opens showing contents of your 'Profile Name' folder.

  • Close Thunderbird now.

To backup the entire 'Profile Name' folder: Go up the directory and copy paste the 'Profile Name' folder usually called 'xxxxxxxx.default' where the x's are letters and numbers onto an external storeage device.

To backup only the Message filters for each mail account: If pop mail account:

  • click on 'Mail' folder

If imap mail account

  • click on 'ImapMail' folder
  • click on mail account name folder
  • copy paste msgFilterRules.dat file to external storage device.

Note: each mail account has its own Message Filters, so repeat for each mail account.

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Chosen Solution

Message Filters are stored in a file called msgFilterRules.dat, which is in your mail account in the Profile Name folder.

You can backup the entire profile or any individual file or folder.

Make hidden files and folders visible:

In Thunderbird

  • 'Help' > 'Troubleshooting Information'
  • click on 'Open Folder' button

a new window opens showing contents of your 'Profile Name' folder.

  • Close Thunderbird now.

To backup the entire 'Profile Name' folder: Go up the directory and copy paste the 'Profile Name' folder usually called 'xxxxxxxx.default' where the x's are letters and numbers onto an external storeage device.

To backup only the Message filters for each mail account: If pop mail account:

  • click on 'Mail' folder

If imap mail account

  • click on 'ImapMail' folder
  • click on mail account name folder
  • copy paste msgFilterRules.dat file to external storage device.

Note: each mail account has its own Message Filters, so repeat for each mail account.

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Thank-you!  :)