Best when
Your mail already lives in Thunderbird and you want a cleaner PDF archive without changing how that archive is stored first.
Step-by-step Thunderbird export guide. Thunderbird guide
Export Thunderbird to PDF
The cleanest Thunderbird workflow is: use ImportExportTools NG to export the mail you want as .mbox, then open that export in MailboxPDF and choose the PDF layout that fits your archive.
Fast path
If you just want the short version, do these four things:
- 1. In Thunderbird, decide whether you want one folder or a whole folder tree.
- 2. Use
ImportExportTools NGto export that mail to.mbox. - 3. Find the exported mailbox file or folder on disk.
- 4. Open it in MailboxPDF and export one PDF, one per email, or one per conversation.
You need
Thunderbird on your computer, the ImportExportTools NG add-on for the easiest export path, enough disk space for the mailbox export, and MailboxPDF for the PDF conversion.
End result
One or more PDFs created from a Thunderbird mailbox export, ready to file, review, or hand off.
Why this guide uses MBOX first
ImportExportTools NG can export directly to PDF, but the MBOX route is usually the better archival path. It keeps the mailbox reusable, it is much slower to generate PDFs directly in the add-on, direct PDF export does not keep attachments in the same PDF, and it gives you far less flexibility than MailboxPDF for shaping the final archive.
It preserves a reusable mailbox export
Once you have an .mbox, you can rebuild the PDF later without going back into Thunderbird and repeating the export.
It keeps the PDF step flexible
MailboxPDF lets you choose one PDF, one per email, or one per conversation after you already have the mailbox export.
It is the better path for larger archives
Direct PDF export can be fine for a quick one-off job. For bigger archival work, MBOX first gives you more control and a better long-term source file.
Step by step
Read just the bold parts if you want the short path. The extra notes under each step are there for the first-time user who wants more context.
- 1
Pick one folder, several folders, or a whole folder tree
Before you export anything, decide how much mail should move together into the PDF stage. Smaller exports are easier to check. Larger exports are better when the whole folder tree belongs together.
- Choose one folder if you only need a single mailbox, such as one account archive or one project folder.
- Choose a folder tree if the parent folder and subfolders should stay grouped in the same export job.
- Choose multiple folders if you want a selected set without exporting the entire account structure.
- 2
Open Thunderbird and use ImportExportTools NG
Install
ImportExportTools NGfrom Thunderbird Add-ons if you do not already have it, then right-click the folder or folders you want to export and open the add-on export options.- The add-on is the easiest path because it exposes MBOX export directly in Thunderbird instead of making you dig through profile files first.
- If you already have mailbox files on disk from a previous backup, you can skip the add-on step and go straight to MailboxPDF later.
- 3
Export to MBOX, not directly to PDF
Choose the MBOX export path for the folder or folders you selected. This gives you a clean mailbox export that can be opened again later if you need to regenerate the PDF.
- For one folder, export just that folder.
- For a folder tree, use the option that includes subfolders so the structure stays together.
- For multiple folders, export the set you selected if your current add-on version offers that option.
- 4
Find the exported mailbox on disk
Save the export somewhere easy to find, then confirm you are looking at the actual
.mboxfile or export folder before you switch tools.- Keep the export in one place so you do not have to hunt for it again if you want to rebuild the PDF later.
- If the export contains more than one mailbox, decide whether you want to convert them one at a time or as a grouped archival job.
- 5
Open MailboxPDF and choose the PDF shape
Load the exported mailbox, preview the result, and then choose whether the archive should become one PDF, one PDF per message, or one PDF per conversation.
- Use preview first to catch the wrong folder or the wrong export size before saving.
- Choose the grouping based on the archive: one file for compact storage, or split files for easier filing and handoff.
Common questions
These are the decisions that usually matter most when someone is exporting from Thunderbird for the first time.
Can ImportExportTools NG export PDF directly already?
Yes. It already offers direct PDF export. This guide still recommends the .mbox route because the add-on path is much slower for PDF generation, it does not keep attachments in the same PDF output, and it gives you far less control over the final archive layout.
What if I already copied an old Thunderbird profile?
If you already have the mailbox files from a copied profile or backup, you do not need to re-export them. Go straight to the .mbox files and open them in MailboxPDF.
Should I export one big archive or several smaller ones?
Use smaller exports when you want easier checking and naming. Use a larger folder-tree export when those folders belong together as one archive record.