Chapter 6 · 6.1
From Outlook to Thunderbird
Switching from Outlook to Thunderbird? How much work it takes depends on where your mail is now.
First: where is your mail?
| Your situation | What do you do? |
|---|---|
| Your mailbox is with WebOké and Outlook uses IMAP | Your mail is already on our server. Add your address in Thunderbird (see Adding your email address automatically). All your folders and mail will appear automatically. You don't need to import anything. |
| Outlook uses POP3, or you have mail in a local file (.pst) | That mail is only on your computer. Bring it along with the import tool below, or put it on the server first. |
| Your mail is with Microsoft (Outlook.com, Hotmail or Microsoft 365) | Move your mail to your WebOké mailbox with Migrate email in My WebOké (see Migrating email via My WebOké). |
Importing from Outlook (Windows)
Thunderbird can take over accounts, address books and mail from the classic Outlook for Windows. It must be installed on the same computer. Thunderbird cannot import from the new Outlook.
- In Thunderbird, click the menu button, then Tools and Import.
- Choose Import from Application and then Outlook. Click Continue.
- Choose what you want to import: Accounts and Settings, Address Books and Mail Messages.
- Click Continue and follow the steps.
Thunderbird does not overwrite any existing data. Imported mail goes into Local Folders, on your computer. Then drag the folders to your WebOké email address. That puts them on the server, so you also see them on your phone and in webmail.
Please note: Dragging large amounts of mail takes time and counts towards your mailbox storage (see Storage per mailbox and what happens when it is full). Do it folder by folder and let Thunderbird finish before you close it.
Your calendar and contacts from Outlook
Don't put your calendar and contacts in Thunderbird itself, but in your WebOké Nextcloud. That way you also have them on your phone. Export them from Outlook and import them into your Nextcloud (see Transferring your calendar and contacts from Google, iCloud or Outlook (ics and vCard)). Then connect them to Thunderbird (see Adding your Nextcloud calendars and task lists and Adding your Nextcloud contacts). Coming from Microsoft 365? Then read From Microsoft 365 to WebOké: files, documents, mail and calendar.
What you do differently than in Outlook
| In Outlook | In Thunderbird |
|---|---|
| Rules | Message Filters (Message filters: sort your mail automatically), or filters in webmail |
| Automatic Replies | An out-of-office message on the server (Setting up an out-of-office message) |
| Signature | A signature per address (Setting up your signature) |
| Junk Email | Spam (Spam: the Thunderbird filter and the server filter) |