How to Import Emails From a Full cPanel Backup to Thunderbird at Hostinger

Importing emails from a full website backup to Thunderbird

Updated 2 weeks ago

If you have a full backup of your website hosted on cPanel, you can easily import emails to Thunderbird with the help of the ImportExportTools NG extension. To do so, follow the steps below 👇

Step 1 – Install an Email Import Extension in Thunderbird

In Thunderbird, click on the triple bar ≡ in the top-right and select Add-ons and Themes from the menu:

Thunderbird menu with Add-ons and Themes highlighted

Search for the extension ImportExportTools NG:

Thunderbird add-ons search box with “importexporttools” typed in and highlighted

Click on Add to Thunderbird:

Thunderbird Add-ons search results with Add to Thunderbird button highlighted for ImportExportTools NG

Finally, confirm the addition:

Thunderbird extension permission dialog with Add button highlighted

Step 2 – Start the Import Process

In Thunderbird, find the email account into which you wish to import emails. Right-click on Inbox and select ImportExportTools NG Import EML MessagesIndividual EML Messages:

Thunderbird ImportExportTools NG menu highlighting Individual EML Messages import option

Step 3 – Find Email Files in the Full Backup

Now, within the full backup, locate the email backup folder. First, open the homedir folder:

cPanel backup folder list with homedir folder highlighted

Then, open the mail folder:

cPanel mail folder highlighted in file manager

Select the folder that has the domain name of the backup in question:

Windows File Explorer folder domainname.com highlighted in cPanel backup mail folders list

Select the name of the email you want to import:

Windows File Explorer showing the highlighted contato folder

Finally, go to the cur folder of that email:

Windows File Explorer showing cPanel mail folders, with the cur folder highlighted in red

Step 4 – Finish the Import Process

The cur folder will be empty. To view files within, select All files (instead of Emails files) here:

Thunderbird file type dropdown set to Email files, with All files as another option

Now, select the email files and then click on Open:

Thunderbird file picker with the Open button highlighted for importing a backup file

Finally, the extension will import all emails, and they will be synchronized via IMAP on the server:

Thunderbird inbox with Inbox folder selected and email import messages listed

And that’s it – now you know how to import emails from a full cPanel backup to Thunderbird!