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How to Convert Thunderbird Email to PDF on Mac OS Manually?

Jaspreet Singh | Modified: 2022-09-13T06:43:59+00:00
Convert Thunderbird Email to PDF

Summary: This article describes the methods to convert Thunderbird email to PDF on Mac system. A step by step guide for Mac is available for you to take advantage of.

Mozilla Thunderbird is a cross-platform desktop email client available for Mac, Windows and Linux Operating system. As we all know that it uses MBOX file format to store the email messages.

But there can be users who don’t require the MBOX files for their task. Particularly for legal compliances, PDF format is preferred over the default MBOX file. Hence, users look for a way to export MBOX to PDF on Mac in order to export Thunderbird email to PDF Mac.

A user query:

convert thunderbird email to pdf user query

For the same, there are similar user queries all over the internet. There are many reasons for users to desperately search for a method to save emails in PDF format. Some of them are as follows:

  • Mobility and versatility: PDF files are independent of the Operating system. There are no compatibility issues with these files and hence are the best format for sharing and accessing data over multiple devices.
  • Standard Business format: PDF files have become the standard documents for many businesses. It is a secure format that can be password protected. Also, its versatility makes it the common standard for various business transactions.
  • Legal Compliance: PDF files are the accepted file format for legal compliance. If you need to showcase some emails in court, then handing over the emails in PDF documents is the best way.

Now, let us move to the Thunderbird to PDF Mac conversion methods.

How to Convert Thunderbird Email to PDF on Mac OS?

There are 3 different ways to export emails from Thunderbird to PDF on Mac OS.

  1. Manual Method Using Native Means for Conversion
  2. Using Mozilla Thunderbird Add-on Manually
  3. Thunderbird to PDF Converter to Export Emails with Attachments

So, read all the methods and choose the suitable one as per your requirements.

Print Command to Export Thunderbird Emails in PDF File

There is no dedicated option in Thunderbird for saving emails to PDF. However, there is a workaround that uses the Print command. But it only saves one message at a time.

  • Open Thunderbird, and select the message you want to convert to PDF
  • Go to File menu and click Print option.
  • Choose PDF from the bottom-left corner and click Save to PDF.
save to pdf for freee
  • Give a name to the PDF file and set the location where you want to export it.
  • Click Save and the message will be exported to PDF on Mac.

Mac Thunderbird Add-on for Converting Emails to PDF

There is a free add-on that adds multiple import and export functionalities to Thunderbird. You can download “ImportExportTools” add-on for your Mac application. Only after that, follow the below mentioned instructions. Do note that it won’t save attachments. However, it will export all/selected emails from Thunderbird to PDF in bulk.

  • Restart Thunderbird on Mac after installing the add-on.
  • Select all the email messages that you want to convert to PDF.
  • Right-click and select Save selected message, then click PDF Format.
  • Set the location and save the files.
  • All the emails will be saved in separate PDF files (No attachments).

Professional Automated Thunderbird to PDF Converter on Mac OS

None of the manual methods ensure that your attachments will be preserved with the emails. This is a common problem for users who look for free methods to convert Thunderbird email to PDF. If you don’t have the requirement of attachments, thee free methods are more than enough to cater to your needs.

But, if attachments are necessary, then MBOX to PST Converter for Mac is a must. Don’t be alarmed with the name. Use this automated tool and learn to save Thunderbird emails to hard drive on Mac OS. Moreover, it is a simple tool for exporting Thunderbird to Excel Sheet on Mac.

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This conversion utility has several export formats that includes PDF, PST, MSG, EML or EMLX, CSV, TXT , HTML, etc. It is an all-around tool for Mac Thunderbird users, hence, it is quite easy to migrate Thunderbird to Outlook on Mac

Special Highlights of the Automated Method for Conversion

There are multiple special features that makes it a popular choice among Mac users, such as-

  • Keeps attachments intact in the Adobe PDF files after conversion.
  • Naming convention option
  • Date-range filters
  • Page Margins for top. bottom, right, left page sides
  • Page Size such as A4, A3, Letter, etc.
  • Paper Orientation i.e., Portrait and Landscape
  • Page Numbers or Date on each Page

Guide to Convert Thunderbird Email to PDF File on Mac

Default Location of Thunderbird MBOX files: ~/Library/Thunderbird/Profiles/<Profile name>/”

  • Launch the software for Thunderbird to PDF conversion on Mac system.
thunderbird to pdf converter
  • Use Add File/Add Folder to select Thunderbird MBOX files(s) and click Next.
import thunderbird files
  • Select PDF from the software and click Advance Settings.
convert thunderbird email to pdf
  • Apply Advance Settings such as layout settings, filters, etc. and click Save button.
set advance settings for pdf
  • Select Change to choose the destination to securely preserve the output file and click OK.
select location
  • Click Export to begin converting Thunderbird email to PDF.
convert thunderbird email to pdf

Conclusion

Whether its for presentation, sharing, business transactions or legal compliance, PDF is the standard format for them all. It has global acceptance due to its cross-platform compatibility and security. Therefore, it is quite common for users to look for methods to convert Thunderbird email to PDF. But you won’t find methods for Mac system users that easily. Hence, in this article, we have encompassed some simple methods to export Thunderbird to PDF on Mac. After reading the article, you can choose and implement any of the given methods as per requirement. However, we would suggest you to choose the Thunderbird to PDF Converter solution for exporting emails with attached files on Mac.