Over the years, with the popularity of Microsoft Outlook growing exponentially, a lot of people have exported their existing email accounts to Outlook. But no one denies the fact that email migration is a tedious and challenging process to complete even when it involves two popular email clients like Thunderbird and Outlook
However, a problem with manual process is that you cannot import all mailbox items from Thunderbird to Outlook at once. And therefore, you need to perform multiple steps to import other mailbox items such as Thunderbird contacts into Outlook manually.
But sometimes you may want to know a method to only import contacts from Thunderbird into Outlook and add them to your Outlook contacts list.
In this post, we have discussed a few methods to import Thunderbird address book into Outlook. These methods will not only help you import address book from Thunderbird into Outlook but also help you import all other mail items at once.
Why Export Thunderbird Contacts to Outlook?
- Outlook is far superior to Thunderbird when it comes to features and compatibility with different platforms
- Managing users? personal information is much easier with Outlook
- Outlook is more user-friendly and flexible than Thunderbird
- Outlook allows configuring multiple email accounts within a single interface simultaneously
A Few Important Notes about Thunderbird to Outlook Migration
If you need to switch your emailing client due to any of the above reasons, here are a few points you should keep in mind:
- Thunderbird uses MBOX format data file to save mailbox contents whereas Outlook uses PST for the purpose. Hence, the best way to migrate or import Thunderbird address book into Outlook is to convert the MBOX file to PST format
- As there is no direct manual method to convert entire MBOX file to PST format, emails and contacts need to be exported separately
- To export Thunderbird contacts to Outlook manually, you must export the Thunderbird contacts to CSV file and then import the CSV into your Outlook account
Methods to Import Address Book from Thunderbird into Outlook
To know how you can import Thunderbird contacts into Outlook, follow these methods.
Method 1: Export and Import Contacts from Thunderbird to Outlook by using Import/Export Wizard
- Launch Mozilla Thunderbird and click on Address Book option from the menu bar
- When the Address Book screen opens, select the appropriate address book to be exported
- Click on Tools -> Export
- Pick a destination folder to save the exported address book
- Also, pick the format in which you wish to export the contacts (CSV/VCF/TXT/LDIF). In this case, select CSV
Note: Once the CSV file has been saved, you can proceed with importing it into Outlook.
- Launch MS Outlook
- Go to File -> Open and Export -> Import/Export
- From the screen that opens, select Import from another program or file
- Click on Next button
- Select Comma Separated Values (Windows) from the list that comes up
- Click on Next button
- Browse to select the CSV file you previously exported
- Select the radio button that says Do Not Import Duplicate Items
- Click on Next button
- Select the desired folder where you need to import contacts and click on Contacts
- Click on Next button
- Click on the Finish button to start the procedure
Limitations of the Import/Export Wizard Method
While the above-mentioned manual process to export Thunderbird address book to Outlook is simple enough to perform, it suffers from a few limitations. These are:
- The process takes a lot of time
- It may not export or import all contact details
- Incompatibility issues
- CSV import errors
- Data inconsistency
In order to overcome these limitations, we suggest that you use a much more efficient automated method to export contacts from Thunderbird to Outlook.
Method 2: Import Thunderbird Address Book into Outlook by using MBOX to PST Converter Tool
Stellar Converter for MBOX is an extremely powerful application that helps you export all mailbox contents like emails, attachments, contacts, notes, journal, etc. from Thunderbird (and other email clients which use the MBOX file format) to Outlook PST format.
The software is backed by advanced algorithms which make it the ideal choice for Thunderbird to Outlook migration and performing a procedure as complex as MBOX to PST conversion in a simple and efficient manner. Equipped with a highly interactive GUI, this software can help you import Thunderbird address book into Outlook in a few clicks with 100% consistency. It overcomes all the limitations that you may experience with manual import process.
And you can also use the tool to convert other Thunderbird mailbox items such as calendar, notes, etc. to PST format and import it into your Outlook by using Outlook Import/Export wizard.
Conclusion
When undertaking a procedure as complex and risky as email migration, you should always take a full backup of the file being migrated. Additionally, you should accustom yourself with the platform to which you are migrating. Though manual methods are almost always available, the safest and most hassle-free way to import Thunderbird address book into Outlook is by using a reliable software like MBOX to PST Converter by Stellar.
