How to Import Outlook Contacts to Thunderbird

In this article, we will explain smart solution to import Outlook contacts to Thunderbird application. Microsoft Outlook is a renowned email application that manage all contact and address book details. Based on changing circumstances, users may need to switch from Outlook to more cost-effective email clients like Mozilla Thunderbird. There are manual techniques that can convert PST to MBOX. In this blog, we will discuss manual and professional Outlook PST Converter solution.

Why need to import MS Outlook contacts to Thunderbird?

There are several reasons to migrate Outlook address book to Thunderbird email client. Here we clearly mention the reasons and advantages of Thunderbird over Outlook to have a better understanding to users.

Thunderbird is a desktop email client that users can access on Windows, Mac, Linux operating systems. It supports data in .mbox format that can be read in other email clients like Apple Mail, The Bat, Entourage, Spicebird, etc. Outlook offers multiple functions but it is a paid service. Thunderbird is free of cost with easy to use interface & customized features therefore users prefer it.

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Manual method to import Outlook contacts to Thunderbird

To transfer Outlook contacts into Mozilla Thunderbird, the process is divided into two stages:

• Export contacts from MS Outlook
• Import contacts to Thunderbird

Part 1: Export contacts from Microsoft Outlook

1. First, open MS Outlook and click on File option.
2. Select Options from the appeared list.
3. Click on Advanced from the options window.
4. Now, click on the Export option in which Outlook display Import and Export wizard.
5. Click on Export to a file in Import & Export wizard. Click Next.
6. Now, click on Comma Separated Values (Windows) from the list.
7. Select Contacts folder from Select Folder to Export From section.
8. Now, choose the destination location to which exported files will be saved.
9. Click on the Browse button and mention the path. Then, click OK.
10. This will start the export procedure
11. Once it is completed, click Next and then click on Finish button.

Part 2. Import contacts to Thunderbird

With the above-mentioned steps, users will be able to export contacts from MS Outlook. Now, in second stage, we will import the exported files into Thunderbird account.

1. Open Thunderbird account and click on Tools menu.
2. Select Import window from the list.
3. Now, click on radio button associated to address books under Import window to import contact files. Click Next.
4. In the list of options, click Text file (LDIF, TAB, CSV, TXT)
5. Once it is done, click Next.
6. Browse and mention the location where exported files are saved.
7. Double-click on CSV file and click the checkbox corresponding to first record contains field names.
8. Now, click on Move up and down button to check Outlook contacts fields as that of Thunderbird contact fields.
9. Finally, click OK and then click on Finish button to complete the process.
10. Thus, the above process explains how Outlook contacts can be easily imported to Mozilla Thunderbird.

Professional method to sync Outlook contacts with Thunderbird

Users can perform the manual approach by following the above-discussed steps. It may happen that converted files is not appropriate to original data. It means manual method does not maintain data integrity. If the process gets failed, it can corrupt Outlook PST file.

Apart from that, non-technical users find this approach difficult. Due to all these reasons, vCard to Outlook Exporter is introduced. It is a reliable tool that swiftly migrate Outlook contacts to Mozilla Thunderbird.

Some of the key features of Outlook PST contacts to Thunderbird Exporter Tool:

• Directly export Outlook address book to Thunderbird supported format.
• Perform instant scan and preview of the file is generated.
• Helps to maintain data integrity and metadata intact.
• It can work without installation of MS Outlook in the system.
• Create vCard files that can be used in android devices.

Conclusion

This article features various aspects of Thunderbird due to which users migrate from other email clients like Outlook to it and need to import Outlook contacts to Thunderbird. A manual approach for transferring PST contacts to Thunderbird is discussed which is not found suitable if user is not technically trained. So to import Outlook contacts to Mozilla Thunderbird easily, a professional software is suggested to use which we mentioned above. This tool helps to quickly sync Outlook contacts with Thunderbird.