If you decide to switch from Outlook to Thunderbird, Thunderbird will do most of the work for you. We’ll show you how to make the switch.
Switching from Outlook to Thunderbird: the preparations
Switching from Microsoft Outlook to Mozilla Thunderbird is a popular option for users looking for a free, flexible and privacy-friendly alternative. Before you start the switch, you should make sure that all the necessary requirements are met. Good planning makes the process much easier.
- Thunderbird is free, open source and available across multiple platforms. It offers a simple user interface and numerous customization options through add-ons.
- Check the system requirements: For Windows, you need at least Windows 7 or newer, a 1 GHz processor, and 1 GB RAM (2 GB for the 64-bit version). Make sure you have at least 250 MB of free hard disk space, plus additional space for your emails.
- Make a full backup of your Outlook data, including emails, contacts and calendars. This will protect your information from possible loss during the migration.
- For a smooth import, it is important that Outlook is temporarily set as the default email program. To do this, go to “Settings” ☻ “Apps” ☻ “Default apps” in Windows 11 and select Outlook as the default email app.
- Visit the official Mozilla website and download the latest version of Thunderbird. Make sure you choose the right version for your operating system.
Importing emails to Thunderbird
Importing your data is the most important step when switching from Outlook to Thunderbird. You can transfer e-mails, contacts and calendar data. Thunderbird offers various methods for doing this, which can be customized depending on your initial situation. This is how you proceed with e-mails:
- Open Thunderbird.
- Click on the menu icon (three horizontal lines) and select “Tools” ☻ “Import”.
- Select “Mail” and click “Next”.
- Then click the “Next” button and select “Outlook” from the list of programs.
- Thunderbird will now import the e-mails and display a confirmation when the process is complete. Check in Thunderbird to make sure that all e-mails are correctly displayed in the appropriate folders.
Import your contact details: Here’s how
Of course, you can also transfer your contact details. Follow these steps:
- Open Outlook and go to “File” ☻ “Open and Export” ☻ “Import/Export”. Select “Export to a file” and click “Next”.
- Click “Comma Separated Values (CSV)” and then click “Next”. Select the “Contacts” folder and specify a location for the CSV file.
- Start Thunderbird and click on “Tools” ☻ “Import”.
- Select “Address book” and click on “Next”. Next, select “Text file (.csv, .txt)” and click on “Next” again. Browse to and select the saved CSV file.
- Check the “First record contains field names” checkbox. Review and adjust the field mapping. For example, “Last Name” from Outlook should match the “Display Name” in Thunderbird.
- Select the destination address book in Thunderbird (usually “Personal Address Book”). Click “OK” and then “Finish” to complete the import.
