Saving Email to Local Folders

This document details the configuration specific to backing up your email to a local computer using Mozilla Thunderbird for Windows and Mac.

Note: Before learning how to backup your email to a local folder on your computer, you need to first configure Thunderbird to send and receive email. For instructions on how to configure Thunderbird, please see the documentation on configuring Thunderbird.

The images taken in this instruction set are from the Windows version of Thunderbird, but the interface and visuals are similar to those of the Thunderbird for Mac client.

Backup Your Mail to Local Computer

Thunderbird provides you with a set of default local folders after you set it up to check email using IMAP. These local folders should be located below your IMAP folders, where your messages are stored on the email server. In this example, the IMAP folders are located under the account name "USC Email Account".

1. To create a new folder locally, right-click Local Folders, then select New Folder:
   
2. Type in a name for the new folder. The dropdown menu allows you to choose where you would like to put this new folder; make sure to choose Local Folders. In this example, we chose "Local Inbox" as the name for the new folder to which Inbox messages will be saved.
   
3. Click Create Folder.
4. Repeat the previous step to create as many local mailboxes as you need. You will see the local mailboxes you created under the Local Folders subsection.
5. Click the IMAP mailbox you would like to back up, then select as many messages as you would like by holding down Shift while clicking the messages. If you want to select all the messages, click Edit from the menu bar, then choose Select - All.
6. You can then drag selected messages into the corresponding local folder to move them offline. Or, if you would like to make copies of them to your local folder, right-click the highlighted messages, and select Copy To. Click Local Folders.
7. Repeat these steps if you would like to back up more messages or entire mailboxes.

Getting Help

Thunderbird has online help guides to assist you with its additional features. To find it look under the Help menu or visit the Thunderbird project website at: http://www.mozilla.org/products/thunderbird.

If you have any questions or need assistance with configuring Thunderbird, please contact the ITS Customer Support Center at 213-740-5555 or email consult@usc.edu.