Overview: This blog post will take you through the main factors behind the cause. Also, provide you with the expert solution when manual methods actually fail or are ineffective. If you are a regular Thunderbird user, then surely you have been using the ImportExportTools NG extension for importing and migrating your data.
But, many users have raised the issue of Thunderbird ImportExportTools NG extension not working. Like import fails, buttons not visible, or application becomes unresponsive.
Also Read: Thunderbird Inbox Emails Disappeared
Issues You Might be Facing
If ImportExportTools NG fails to work, people will see the following issues:
- The Import option in not visible from the right-click menu
- MBOX file import is not clickable half way through
- Thunderbird crashes while importing
- Imported folders show up empty
- You are unable to import big MBOX files with no message
Typically, these problems indicate that the add-on is not compatible or not taking the data properly.
Reasons Behind this Thunderbird Cause
There are a number of reasons behind Thunderbird ImportExportTools not working.
- Thunderbird updates can affect the add-ons and may not immediately comply with the latest versions
- ImportExportTools NG is entirely Thunderbird dependent, so it does not work properly
- The add-on can become unresponsive with large MBOX files containing many emails or attachments
- This can be due to corrupted Thunderbird profile or bad folder setup
- If Thunderbird has no read or write permissions, the import can fail without any error message
Try Manual Methods to Fix ImportExportTools Error
There are three possible solutions that can be tried, if the problem is minor.
#1. Use Older Thunderbird Versions
Some users have got positive results with older versions of Thunderbird and the add-on.
- First, backup your Thunderbird profile
- Install older versions of Thunderbird that are compatible with your extensions
- Again reinstall ImportExportTools NG
- Attempt to re-import the MBOX file again
Risk:
- Because of outdated version, you may not get new features
#2. Rebuild Local Folders
This is another way by which you can refresh your Thunderbird folder structure.
- Right-click Local Folders in Thunderbird
- Next, select Properties section
- Click Repair Folder
- Close Thunderbird and try the import again
Limitation:
This will not solve add-on compatibility issues
#3. Place MBOX Files Manually
This is a technical approach that doesn’t involve any add-ons.
- Close Thunderbird
- Next, open Thunderbird profile folder
- Then you need just to copy the MBOX File to > Local Folders
- Now, restart your Thunderbird and rebuild index files if necessary
Drawbacks:
- Folder structure not proper
- Some emails might be lost or unreadable
- Not ideal for higher size MBOX files
Thunderbird ImportExportTools NG Not Working – Smart Way
If the error is still not fixed, then you can go with SysTools Thunderbird Import Wizard that is a better alternative as they provide you reliable, quick, and accurate results without any error. You can open MBOX in Thunderbird, without relying on add-ons.
- Imports MBOX files directly into Thunderbird
- Can easily work with oversized and several MBOX items
- Preserves email format, attachments and folder structure
- Enables import of specific data only
- Compatible with all popular version of Thunderbird
Final Thoughts
ImportExportTools NG is sufficient for simple tasks, but it’s not built to handle big or complex imports. It can fix your error for temporary purposes, and the performance may go down. If you are experiencing ImportExportTools NG not working issues on a regular basis and need a clean and effective way to solve this, going for a professional tool becomes the preferred option. It eliminates any chance of error and makes sure your emails are imported perfectly the first time.
FAQs – User Oriented Questions
Q1. What if I stop ImportExportTools NG during import?
Ans. Emails may not be imported and doubled sometimes. It’s not safe for interrupted imports, as you can see above.
Q2. How do I know if my MBOX file is corrupt?
Ans. Open the file in the text editor. If the headers are missing or formatting has changed. Then, the file has been corrupted.
Q3. Is there a way to import the emails safely?
Ans. Yes, to prevent these unexpected errors one should use our professional tool. So, that no emails will be imported with errors.
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