Here are step-by-step instructions for backing up email, contacts, and calendar in Thunderbird on both Windows and Mac OS.

For Windows and Mac OS

1. Open Thunderbird:

• Open the Thunderbird application on your computer.

2. Find Your Profile Folder:

• Click on the menu button (three horizontal lines) in the top-right corner.

• Select "Help" and then "More Troubleshooting Information" (or "Troubleshooting Information" in older versions).

• Under the "Application Basics" section, look for the "Profile Folder" entry and click on "Open Folder" (Windows) or "Show in Finder" (Mac OS).

3. Backup Your Profile:

• Close Thunderbird to avoid any conflicts during the copying process.

• Copy the entire profile folder (e.g., a folder named something like xxxxx.default-release) to your backup location (external hard drive, cloud storage, etc.).

4. Backup Emails, Contacts, and Calendar:

• The profile folder contains all your emails, contacts, calendar data, and settings. By backing up the profile folder, you are backing up all this data.

Importing and Exporting Specific Data

If you want to export specific data like emails, contacts, or calendar events separately, you can use Thunderbird extensions to simplify the process.

Exporting Emails

1. Install ImportExportTools NG:

• Open Thunderbird.

• Click on the menu button (three horizontal lines) in the top-right corner.

• Select "Add-ons and Themes".

• In the search bar, type "ImportExportTools NG" and press Enter.

• Click "Add to Thunderbird" and follow the prompts to install the extension.

2. Export Emails:

• Right-click on the folder you want to export (e.g., Inbox) in the folder pane.

• Select "ImportExportTools NG" and then "Export all messages in the folder" and choose a format (e.g., "EML format").

• Choose a location to save the exported emails and click "Select Folder".

Exporting Contacts

1. Open Address Book:

• Click on the address book icon in the toolbar (or press Ctrl+Shift+B on Windows or Command+Shift+B on Mac).

2. Export Contacts:

• Select the address book you want to export (e.g., "Personal Address Book").

• Click on "Tools" in the menu bar and select "Export".

• Choose a file format (e.g., "CSV" or "LDIF") and a location to save the file.

• Click "Save".

Exporting Calendar

If you are using the Lightning extension (now integrated by default in Thunderbird) for calendar functionality:

1. Open Calendar:

• Click on the calendar tab (or press Ctrl+Shift+C on Windows or Command+Shift+C on Mac).

2. Export Calendar:

• Right-click on the calendar you want to export in the calendar pane.

• Select "Export Calendar".

• Choose a location and file format (e.g., "iCalendar format (.ics)").

• Click "Save".

Summary

• Profile Folder Backup: Back up the entire profile folder for a comprehensive backup of emails, contacts, and calendar data.

• Specific Data Export: Use the ImportExportTools NG extension for emails, the built-in export function for contacts, and the integrated calendar export option for calendars.

By following these instructions, you can back up your email, contacts, and calendar from Thunderbird on both Windows and Mac OS. Remember to store your backup files in a secure location.