How to Switch Mac Outlook to Mozilla Thunderbird | Expert Guide
Summary
Are you also using Outlook, and are you struggling with switching from Mac Outlook to Mozilla Thunderbird? If yes, you are at the right place. Here you will find a solution to your problem related to conversion. We observe that a lot of users face multiple technical obstacles while converting. In this blog, we will discuss various conversion methods, allowing users to choose the most suitable one according to their needs.
Overview-----Mac Outlook/Mozilla Thunderbird
Mac Outlook – Mac Outlook (2021, 2019, 2016 & 2011) is an email application that is a version of Outlook, and it works on Mac Computers. This is a software in which you can manage emails, calendar, contacts, and tasks. It works to send and receive emails, and it also manages Calendar integration, Contacts & tasks management, and Microsoft 365 integration. It saves data in OLM format.
Mozilla Thunderbird – Mozilla Thunderbird is a single-file format that saves all the data in one file in a text format. It is an open-source email client and it manages all the emails, contacts, and calendar. It is created by the Mozilla Foundation, and users can add Gmail, Yahoo, Outlook, or any other email account.
Why is User Switching from Mac Outlook to Thunderbird?
There are differences in formats.
Every email software has a different file type; Thunderbird has.
MBOX files, Outlook has.PST/.OLM files.
It needs to be converted before it can open immediately.
Open Format vs. Proprietary
The format used by Outlook is proprietary to Microsoft.
Apple Mail and Thunderbird employ an open format.
They are unable to comprehend one another.
Three Distinct Data Structures
Attachments, folders, and emails are all stored in different ways.
They are brought into a single framework by conversion.
Encoding Difference & Headers
Each application has its own message headers, typefaces, and encoding.
Converting shows everything accurately.
Switch of Platform
A format change is necessary when switching from Windows to Mac or another platform.
Indexing System
Outlook employs a different indexing system.
Thunderbird uses. Mbox instead of ost/.pst; conversion generates a new index
Contacts & Calendar Data
Outlook and Thunderbird save contacts and events in different formats.
Conversion syncs everything
Security & Encryption
Some clients use their own encryption/compression
It becomes readable only after conversion.
Backup & Archive Purpose
A universal format is required to keep data safe
This allows it to be restored to any system.
App Switch / Migration
When a user or company changes apps (e.g., Outlook → Thunderbird),
Emails won't open without conversion
Calendar & Contact Information
Contacts and events are saved in various formats by Thunderbird and Outlook.
Everything is synchronised by conversion.
Encryption and Security
Some customers employ their own compression and encryption.
It must be converted before it can be read.
Archive and Backup Objectives
Data must be kept in a universal format so that it can be restored to any system.
Techniques to Switch Outlook for Mac to Mozilla Thunderbird
Manual Method to Convert Mac OLM files to MBOX format
User can convert their data using this technique, but there is no guarantee of the data after the conversion, because it is not able to manage large data, which can corrupt the data, or many other problems are faced by the user in this Technique.
Steps to Convert OLM to MBOX | Using IMAP Sync
One way to export OLM is to open Mac Outlook, select File → Export, and then save the emails as an OLM file.
Go to Gmail → Settings → Forwarding & POP/IMAP → Enable IMAP → Save. This will enable IMAP in Gmail.
Install Gmail on a Mac Prospects:
Launch Outlook, then select Gmail (IMAP mode).
Transfer Emails to Gmail: Transfer all Outlook (OLM) emails and folders to the Gmail mailbox (online syncing).
Use Thunderbird to add Gmail:
Launch Thunderbird → Sync all emails by adding the same Gmail account.
Copy to Local Folders (MBOX): Drag Gmail folders to Thunderbird's Local Folders → Emails are immediately saved to your machine as.MBOX files
Automated Method to Convert Mac Outlook OLM to MBOX format
This is the most sophisticated and most used method by the users, which is DataVare OLM to MBOX Converter. This tool helps users convert their OLM data into MBOX format without creating any issues. It easily switches Mac Outlook to Mozilla Thunderbird, and users do not need to worry about the data; it will surely protect 100% of the data during the conversion. It has so many amazing features like bulk conversion, a User-Friendly interface, no need to install Outlook or any other application for conversion and provides a free demo for testing.
Steps to switch Mac Outlook to Mozilla Thunderbird
First, you need to install the application on your OS
Then select the data that you want to convert using the Add File or Add Folder option
Then, preview your data before conversion
Select the MBOX file format from the list
Choose the location where you want to save your data
Now, click on the Convert Button
Conclusion
Unlike Thunderbird, Outlook (Mac) uses OLM files and MBOX files to store data. Above, we mentioned the best techniques to convert Mac OLM to MBOX format to switch Mac Outlook to a Thunderbird Account. Now, it all depends on you which method is best and suits your needs.