How to Back Up Emails in Mail Clients (Outlook, Thunderbird, etc.) Print

Backing up your emails locally ensures you never lose important messages. Here’s how to do it in major mail clients:

Microsoft Outlook

1. Click File > Open & Export > Import/Export
2. Choose Export to a file > Outlook Data File (.pst)
3. Select the email account and folders to export
4. Click Finish to save

Thunderbird

1. Install the ImportExportTools NG add-on
2. Right-click your inbox > ImportExportTools NG > Export all messages
3. Select destination folder to save

Reminder: Backups are local and won’t protect against PC failure. Also consider server-level backups.