Thunderbird: Recover lost emails
I use Thunderbird for my Earthlink email account (imap). I have not changed any configuration options. I was checking my email and I noticed that I only have mail that goes back to May 21, 2021. I used to have older mail in my Thunderbird mail account. I do have a backup of my Thunderbird directories that may contain the old emails. But, when I load / restore the MSF and email files from the backup, it still deletes the older emails.
Is there a way to recover these emails from a backup? The emails where in the main inbox and not subfolders.
Chosen solution
re: Earthlink email account (imap)......Inbox... only have mail that goes back to May 21, 2021. So those emails are not on the server, whcih means you need to use your backup to get them back on the server.
re :. I load / restore the MSF and email files from the backup, Only the 'Inbox' mbox files (no extension) contain the emails, so the .msf files are not required.
re: it still deletes the older emails.
but where are you putting that 'Inbox' mbox file ? You can only put it into the 'Local Folders' mail account. When you start Thunderbird it can only show you whatever is on the server, as the file you used from backup does not match the server, you will find all those emails will just be deleted again.
do the following:
- Rename your backup 'Inbox' mbox file to 'OldInbox'.
- Copy that 'OldInbox' mbox file'
In Thunderbird In the imap account create a new folder ready to receive emails or several folders as this is a good time for sorting and storing. I would not bother putting emails back into the Inbox because the Inbox is really designed for new received emails that have not been put into suitable folders for long term storage. It also means you have a lot of emails in just one text file.
Then locate the Profile folders...
- Menu app icon > Help > Troubleshooting Information
- about 8th in list - Profile Folder - click on 'Open Folder'
New window opens showing contents of 'profile name' folder
- Exit Thunderbird now - this is important.
- Click on 'Mail' folder
- click on 'Local Folders' folder to see contents
- Paste the 'OldInbox' mbox file into the 'Local Folders' mail account folder.
Start Thunderbird.
In the 'Local Folders' mail account, you should see a new folder called 'OldInbox'.
You can leave those emails in that 'OldInbox' folder as you now have perfectly good copies on your computer in Thunderbird. Alternatively............ You can now start to get 'copies' of emails put back onto the server. Highlight a batch of emails in the 'OldInbox' folder. Right click on highlighted emails and select 'Copy to' and choose the imap account and name of suitable folder. Repeat this action to gradually get 'copies' back on to the server. Be patient, it will take a while. Some servers have a limit on how many emails can be uploaded onto a server within a given period.
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Chosen Solution
re: Earthlink email account (imap)......Inbox... only have mail that goes back to May 21, 2021. So those emails are not on the server, whcih means you need to use your backup to get them back on the server.
re :. I load / restore the MSF and email files from the backup, Only the 'Inbox' mbox files (no extension) contain the emails, so the .msf files are not required.
re: it still deletes the older emails.
but where are you putting that 'Inbox' mbox file ? You can only put it into the 'Local Folders' mail account. When you start Thunderbird it can only show you whatever is on the server, as the file you used from backup does not match the server, you will find all those emails will just be deleted again.
do the following:
- Rename your backup 'Inbox' mbox file to 'OldInbox'.
- Copy that 'OldInbox' mbox file'
In Thunderbird In the imap account create a new folder ready to receive emails or several folders as this is a good time for sorting and storing. I would not bother putting emails back into the Inbox because the Inbox is really designed for new received emails that have not been put into suitable folders for long term storage. It also means you have a lot of emails in just one text file.
Then locate the Profile folders...
- Menu app icon > Help > Troubleshooting Information
- about 8th in list - Profile Folder - click on 'Open Folder'
New window opens showing contents of 'profile name' folder
- Exit Thunderbird now - this is important.
- Click on 'Mail' folder
- click on 'Local Folders' folder to see contents
- Paste the 'OldInbox' mbox file into the 'Local Folders' mail account folder.
Start Thunderbird.
In the 'Local Folders' mail account, you should see a new folder called 'OldInbox'.
You can leave those emails in that 'OldInbox' folder as you now have perfectly good copies on your computer in Thunderbird. Alternatively............ You can now start to get 'copies' of emails put back onto the server. Highlight a batch of emails in the 'OldInbox' folder. Right click on highlighted emails and select 'Copy to' and choose the imap account and name of suitable folder. Repeat this action to gradually get 'copies' back on to the server. Be patient, it will take a while. Some servers have a limit on how many emails can be uploaded onto a server within a given period.
Thank you! Resolved with these perfect instructions!