How to Open MSG File in Thunderbird Easily in Bulk? Guide

  

Rollins Duke   
Published: February 16th, 2026 • 9 Min Read

Summary: Are you switching from Outlook to Thunderbird and wondering how to open MSG file in Thunderbird email client? This blog explains why users need to import MSG files into Thunderbird, challenges with manual methods, and how to overcome them using a reliable automated solution. You will learn the differences between Outlook and Thunderbird compatibility, step-by-step instructions to convert MSG to Thunderbird, and how a professional MSG to Thunderbird importer tool can make the process easy and error-free without any other software.

Does Thunderbird Open MSG in Thunderbird?

Yes, but not directly. Thunderbird does not support MSG files directly, as MSG is an Outlook format. But Thunderbird works great with EML files, which can store your email content in a much simpler and structured form. Therefore, you can either use the ImportExportTools NG add-on, convert MSG to EML, and then open it in Thunderbird, or choose an automated way, which is more effective and time-saving.

Reasons to Open MSG File in Thunderbird

• Users who are moving from Microsoft Outlook to Thunderbird need to transfer their saved MSG email files to continue accessing important messages in their new email client.
• Thunderbird is a free and open-source email client. Users prefer it over Outlook because it doesn’t require a license or subscription, which makes it a cost-effective choice.
• Thunderbird runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux. Import MSG files into Thunderbird helps to access their emails across different operating systems.
• MSG files are Outlook-specific and cannot be opened directly in Thunderbird. Convert MSG to Thunderbird allow to view and manage Outlook messages without needing Microsoft Outlook installed.
• Export MSG files to Thunderbird to organize and store email backups in a more accessible and searchable format, especially for long-term email retention.
• Thunderbird offers flexible folder management, advanced filtering, and add-ons. Open MSG file in Thunderbird will allow users to reorganize and manage old emails more effectively.

Limitations of the Manual Method to View MSG File in Thunderbird

Once you have decided to open MSG file in Thunderbird and are trying to do so with manual approaches, it becomes a tough task! Users face multiple issues when they want to import MSG files into Thunderbird using Manual methods.

• Both MS Outlook and Thunderbird email clients are required to do the file conversion.
• The entire conversion process is quite lengthy and time-consuming.
• Sometimes MSG file with its respective attachments is not converted during the process.
• The standard solutions do not guarantees 100% accuracy and safe data migration.
• These manual tactics are helpful when there are countable MSG files for moving into Thunderbird.

So, in order to overcome these limitations, an alternate professional solution is the right path if you don’t have Outlook with you. The most helpful part of this software is that you don’t need to have Outlook to open MSG files in Thunderbird. It will smoothly and swiftly open .msg in Thunderbird within seconds.

Simple Steps to Open MSG file in Thunderbird

There are situations when users don’t have Outlook with them. In that case, MSG files can’t be opened easily. So, you need an authentic product to open MSG files in Thunderbird. Just follow this process, and you will get to know the complete information.

1. Firstly, download the setup file of the software to start the process. Install & run it properly on your Windows machine. Then, choose single or multiple MSG email files from the database.
   
2. Thereafter, analyze the preview of the message files with attachments before moving towards the next step.
   
3. Navigate towards the saving formats provided in the GUI and pick Thunderbird as the file saving format.
   
4. Now, enter a target path where you want to save the resultant output data.
   
5. Hit the Convert tab to start the process. Once the Conversion is done, the tool will show this message on the screen: “Conversion Completed Successfully.”
   
6. After file migration, the software will automatically show the default storage location where your MSG emails are saved. Lastly, start the Thunderbird email client to open MSG File in Thunderbird.
   

Bonus Point: You can also just view the MSG files through the MSG file viewer tool. Without the installation of any application like Outlook or Thunderbird, you can directly open and view MSG files in bulk.

Final Words

There are two techniques to open MSG file in Thunderbird with or without Outlook’s existence. However, it is highly requested to trust the best workable solution. For this, you can work with the above-mentioned software and procedure to open Outlook MSG file in Thunderbird. Since data integrity is our top-most priority, this tool provides complete assurance to meet customer demands. If you still have any further queries, you can contact our technical support team, which is available for you 24*7.

FAQs

1. How can I import MSG files containing emails into Thunderbird?
   If you want to import and open just the MSG emails, you can directly convert MSG to MBOX and open it. Thunderbird supports the MBOX format directly.
2. Can I open MSG without Outlook?
   Not directly, but yes. MSG is an Outlook-based format, so opening it without it may take a lot of time and research. Manually, it is possible, but not recommended, as it is not safe for your data. You can use the dedicated software to open and view the MSG files.
3. Will my metadata and data attributes be preserved while opening MSG manually?
   No, there is no guarantee or support for your data security. Manual ways are risky, whereas an automated approach provides users with a guarantee of data security and 24/7 customer support.