I exported my Gmail with Google Takeout and got an .mbox file. How can I read it in Thunderbird?
How do I import an MBOX file into Thunderbird?
Resolved
Email & Outlook
ON
Owen Nguyen October 31, 2026
2 replies
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Reviewed by moderators
2 participants
Two ways.
Easy: install the free ImportExportTools NG add-on. In Thunderbird open Tools > Add-ons and Themes, search for it and install. Then right click Local Folders, choose ImportExportTools NG > Import mbox file, and select the file.
Manual: close Thunderbird, open your profile folder (Help > More Troubleshooting Information > Open Folder), go to Mail > Local Folders and copy the .mbox file in. The file must have no extension, so rename All mail.mbox to All mail. Start Thunderbird and the folder appears under Local Folders.
For a large Takeout file the add-on is gentler because the manual way makes Thunderbird index the entire file at the first start.
Add-on worked. 11,000 messages imported, folders look right. Thanks.