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Import MBOX to AOL Mail Account with Attachments: 2026 Guide

  Mark Regan
Mark Regan
Published: April 13th, 2026 • 5 Min Read

In order to import MBOX to an AOL Mail account, you can either use Mozilla Thunderbird with the ImportExport NG tool as a free solution. Or you can also rely on a dedicated MBOX to AOL mail import tool for bulk transfer and to ensure data integrity while restoring the MBOX backup. This guide lays out the exact steps you need to follow to do so.

Table of Contents Hide
  1. Reasons for importing data
  2. Things required before starting
  3. Using the Thunderbird method
  4. Drawbacks of the manual approach
  5. Using a professional tool
  6. Benefits of an automated solution
  7. Common user questions

AOL Mail, or America Online Mail, is a US-based email service. It enables you to create a free account. Widely popular for an enormous 1 TB (1000 GB) of free space and its exceptional attachment categorization based on “Photos”, “Documents”, etc.

While MBOX or Mailbox is a widely accepted email container format accepted by Thunderbird, Apple Mail, Google Takeout, and many more used to store multiple emails with attachments in a single file.

Why Do Users Import MBOX to AOL Mail Account?

There can be various reasons why a user may need to add old MBOX data in the AOL Mail account:

  • Better cloud data security advantages.
  • Restore AOL mail data in MBOX format to the account.
  • To migrate or centralize another mail or email client with an AOL account.
  • Helps free up local storage.

Pre-Requisites to Upload MBOX Files to AOL Mail

  • Thunderbird is installed on your desktop (Mac or Windows).
  • Stable internet connection.
  • AOL mail account credentials.

Method 1: Import MBOX to AOL Using Thunderbird

It lets you upload an MBOX file from your computer to your AOL Mail account for free. Here are the steps to follow:

Step 1: Add ImportExport NG in Thunderbird

  1. Open Thunderbird.
  2. Go to Menu >> Themes & Add-Ons.
    Add ons & themes option in Thunderbird
  3. Search for ImportExport NG Tools.
  4. Click Add.

Step 2: Connect AOL Account to Thunderbird

  1. Go to the Menu in Thunderbird.
  2. Click on New Account >> Mail.
  3. Enter your Name & AOL mail ID and press Continue.
  4. Authenticate by entering your AOL mail password.
  5. Choose IMAP as the configuration type.
  6. Press Continue to finish the setup.

There will be many cases when you cannot configure an AOL account in Thunderbird; thus, it is suggested to use manual configuration. Here are the settings for manual configuration:

  • Incoming mail server (IMAP): imap.aol.com Port No: 993-SSL
  • Outgoing mail server (SMTP): smtp.aol.com Port No: 465-SSL
  • Use a normal password to authenticate.

Step 3: Import Orphaned MBOX in Thunderbird

  1. Go to local folders.
  2. Right-Click and choose New Folder.
  3. Name the folder as (AOL-MBOX) and press Create Folder.
  4. Right-Click on the AOL-MBOX custom folder.
  5. Choose Import Export NG Tools.
  6. Choose import MBOX files and import MBOX from a directory.
    Import MBOX In Thunderbird to be migrates to AOL mail
  7. Choose the MBOX file from your PC.
  8. Press Open and wait for sync to get completed.

Step 4: Import MBOX to AOL Mail account

  1. Go to your AOL Mail account.
  2. Right-click and choose New Folder.
  3. Name the folder as MBOXImport.
  4. Finally, create a folder.
  5. Right-click on the initially created AOL-MBOX local folder.
  6. Choose Move To.
  7. Select the newly created folder as the destination.

You have successfully transferred the local MBOX to the AOL Mail account.

Limitations of Manual Way to Upload MBOX to AOL Mail

  • Useful for MBOX filers less than 4GB.
  • Using ImportExport NG tools leads to a loss of folder hierarchy & attachments.
  • Prone to failure and dependent on IMAP sync.
  • Time-taking as the process is extremely manual.
  • You can only import a limited number of MBOX emails to AOL due to the threshold.

Professional Way to Bulk Import MBOX Files in AOL Account

BitRecover MBOX Converter is a dedicated software to upload multiple MBOX files on Mac, Windows, or external drives to your AOL mail account. It lets you skip the manual hassle of account configuration and ensures complete data integrity of email, formatting, attachment, and metadata. A free version of the tool is also available to download and transfer 25 MBOX emails per folder to an AOL mail account.

How to Restore the MBOX File to AOL Mail Using Tool? Working Steps

  1. Install the BitRecover MBOX to AOL Mail import tool.
    BitRecover MBOX to AOL mail import tool interface
  2. Click on Select Folders or Files.
    select folder option
  3. Choose the MBOX files or folders that you want to import into your AOL Mail account.
  4. Preview the folder structure and selectively choose the folders.
    folder preview option to selectively choose older to be imported in AOL
  5. From the Saving options, choose IMAP.
    IMAP saving option
  6. Enter your email address, password, and IMAP host.
    enter details of aol mail account
  7. Press Next to start importing.

Major Advantages of Using Professional Software

  • Let’s you quickly bulk import multiple large MBOX files to your mail account without error.
  • Advanced tool with modern authentication method – your password or any email data is not stored inside the application.
  • Offers smart filters that selectively import MBOX emails to AOL Mail based on date, sender/ receiver address, or subject keywords.
  • The tool has an easy-to-use interface and works on all Mac and Windows devices. It lets you skip the manual and technical issues of email import.

Frequently Asked Questions by Users

Q1: Does AOL webmail have any direct way to import MBOX?

Although AOL webmail offers various advanced mailbox settings, filters, and export mail options. There is no way to natively import mailboxes.

Q2: How to import MBOX to AOL mail on Mac?

You can use Apple Mail on Mac to add old MBOX data to your AOL Mail account:

  1. Open the Mac Mail application.
  2. Click on Mail >> Add Account.
  3. Confuse your AOL Mail account.
  4. Choose File >> Import Mailboxes.
  5. Open saved MBOX files on your PC.
  6. Drag & drop the email to your AOL mail account.

Q3: Is it safe to import MBOX files into an AOL Mail account?

Yes, with the professional tool, there is no risk of corruption, and your data remains completely secure.


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