How to Restore Deleted Emails in Thunderbird Windows & Mac?

Mark Regan
Published: June 10th, 2026 • 6 Min Read

Summary: You can restore deleted email in Thunderbird caused due to accidental deletion and even due to unintended errors to re-access your data. In some cases you can manually retrieve deleted Mozilla Thunderbird emails via the Trash folder (if not emptied), repairing MSF and even from cached data in profile. However to get back recover permanently deleted – after compacting you require a professional solution.

What Happens Upon Deleting a Thunderbird Email?

Mozilla Thunderbird handles the deletion of emails from a configured IMAP or POP account or in a Local Folder differently. Additionally the process & chance of Thunderbird deleted email recovery is influenced by “Folder Retention Policies.”

When a user deletes a Thunderbird message, it stays in their Deleted Folder for 30 days (generally) up until emptied.
Even when it is emptied from the Trash, you can still restore deleted emails in Thunderbird unless compacted as they still exist as “Ghost Emails”. Although it does require additional technical expertise – often done by forensic experts.
Once the data is compacted it becomes extremely difficult to recover trashed emails from Thunderbird manually. But, in cases you are dealing with an IMAP account and have C:Drive, time machine or Thunderbird backup – recovery is possible using BitRecover’s specialized software.

Key Pointers Before You Start To Restore Deleted Thunderbird Emails

Copy the entire profile before proceeding with any further steps.
Avoid comparing Thunderbird folders to make recovery possible.
Initially check under archived folders and remove message filters to verify loss.
Do not force close or reinstall Thunderbird.

Best Way to Recover Deleted Thunderbird Emails With Accuracy

BitRecover Thunderbird Restore Tool helps you get back deleted emails, contacts, & calendar in Thunderbird to get the workflow back on track. Trusted by 20,000+ home users, businesses, IT-admin & forensic experts globally. It is the most effective and reliable way for Thunderbird shift delete recovery.

Get back permanently deleted emails in Thunderbird Windows 11, 10, and below version. Download now, and take advantage of free-trial limited to 25 emails only.

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Note: The software is only for the user with available backup or copy or non compacted data even in the active profile.

With Pro Version there is no restriction on the number of emails that can be retrieved.
Compatible with all latest Thunderbird releases – ESR, Monthly Release, Beta & Daily Release – All versions below 151.X.
Avoid manual hassle of locating Hidden files with emails with auto-profile detection feature.
Selective email restore with precision of advanced filters based on date, sender & receiver address and subject titles.
Has an ability to handle corrupted data that can’t be restored manually.

Need Help With Bulk Restoring Deleted Email Thunderbird?

Get in touch with the BitRecover support team available 24/7 globally for seamless assisted recovery. Reach out via the Live Chat for any tool related queries or to request additional features in our customizable solution.

Manual Troubleshooting to Recover Deleted Emails from Thunderbird

Although one can restore accidentally deleted email in Thunderbird. They differ in the following ways based on the type of account.

Factor	IMAP	POP
Email Storage	Local Header Cache Only	Complete Storage on PC
Data Location	Profile > ImapMail folder	Profile > Mail folder
Recovery Possibility	Re-sync emails from mail server	Difficult if server copy removed
Restore Method	Reconnect and sync account	Restore from backup
Trash Folder Availability	Auto Created	Not created automatically
Deleted Email Recovery	Recoverable from server copy	Limited unless kept on server

Keep the above factors in mind before starting to restore the deleted Thunderbird folder. The method listed here does not if the folders are compacted.

Method 1: Restore Deleted Thunderbird Emails from Trash

Note: Will only work if you have not yet emptied the trash folder. The POP folders where the deleted folder is not set up require the professional approach or if you are technically equipped then you can try Method 3 listed below.

In your Mozilla Thunderbird, open the Deleted folder under the required account.
Select the required deleted Thunderbird mail to be recovered. You can use Ctrl or Shift for bulk selection.
Right-Click >> Move To.
Choose in which Thunderbird folder where you need to restore deleted messages.

Best For: New users who accidentally deleted their messages.

Method 2: Get Back Deleted Thunderbird Messages Due to Unknown Error

If your Thunderbird inbox messages disappeared and you are considering them deleted. It is likely due to corrupted MSF data. Repair Thunderbird folders to restore emails deleted in Thunderbird:

Open Mozilla Thunderbird and right click on the folder from which you have deleted Thunderbird emails.
Choose Properties & Repair Folder.

Note: This is just a suggestive measure and not a 100% effective solution in most cases.

Method 3: Recover Deleted Thunderbird Emails from Profile Folder

This approach is effective for all POP & cloud based users. Although it can be technical. However it is best suited for POP accounts as limited header data is cached for IMAP accounts.

Click on Menu (three-lines) on top-right in Thunderbird.
Choose Help >> Troubleshooting Information.
Go to the Profile Folder and click on the “Open Folder” button. [Helps skip enabling Show hidden files option on Windows]
Close Thunderbird.
Open Mail (if having a POP account) or IMAP Mail (with IMAP).
Go to the respective folder (Inbox, Sent, Draft) from which you have deleted emails.
Then, Open the folder with Notepad or any other text editor.
Search for X-Mozilla-Status: 0009 and replace with X-Mozilla-Status: 0000.
Afterwards, restart Thunderbird.

Tips to Keep in Mind Post Recovering Trash Thunderbird Emails

Save Thunderbird emails in MBOX for future restoration needs.
Increases the number of days in the retention policy of the folder.

FAQ: Mozilla Thunderbird Undelete Message

Q1: Can deleted & compacted emails be recovered in Thunderbird mail?

Yes but only when you have a source of recovery (like backup copy, local drive, time machine backup etc). It is not possible manually using generic troubleshooting steps.

Q2: Where are deleted emails stored in Thunderbird?

Deleted Thunderbird emails are located in Mail/[account]/Trash or IMAPMail/[account]/Trash until the folder is compacted.

Q3: Does the tool help with Thunderbird shift delete recovery?

Yes, the tool can help recover Thunderbird emails that were permanently deleted using the Shift + Delete option. But only with backup resources.