Thunderbird Address Book Import and Export

This article walks through importing and exporting email Address Book entries to and from Mozilla Thunderbird.

Export from Thunderbird: Use this process to create a CSV Address Book file which can be imported into TOAST.net Webmail or any other email client like Outlook Express.

  1. Open the Thunderbird Address Book 
  2. Save the file in LDIF format.
     A. Click on Tools and choose Export.
     B. Choose the Save in folder (at the top) like Desktop or My Documents. 
     C. Type in a name for the transfer file in File name
     D. Leave the Save as type set to LDIF.
     E. Click Save.
  3. Open your Windows Address Book. 
     A. Click on Start Run.
     B. Type in WAB and click OK.
  4. Click File and > Import > Other Address Book.
  5. Choose LDIF - LDAP Data Interchange Format and click Import.
  6. Locate the LDIF file that you saved from Thunderbird and click Open.
  7. Close the Address Book Import Tool.
  8. Save the file in CSV format. 
     A. Click on File > Export 
    Other Address Book. 
    B. Choose Text File (Comma Separated Values) and Click Export
     C. Click 
    Browse. 
    D. Choose the Save in folder (at the top) like Desktop or My Documents. 
     E. Type in a name for the transfer file in File name
     F. Set the Save as type set to Comma Separated Values.
     G. Click Save
     H. Click Next
     I. Make sure all check boxes are checked and then click Finish
     J. Close the Address Book Export Tool

Import to Thunderbird: TOAST.net Webmail exports its Contacts list in a CSV file format which then needs to be converted to Windows Address Book, WAB format in order to import into Thunderbird. 

  1. Login to your TOAST.net Webmail account. www.toast.net/mail
  2. Export your Contacts to a CSV file (make sure to note the file's location). For detailed instructions click here.
  3. Open your Windows Address Book. 
     A. Click on Start Run.
     B. Type in WAB and click OK.
  4. Now click on File and choose Import then Other Address Book.
  5. Choose Text File (Comma Separated Values) and click Import.
  6. Click Browse and locate and click on the CSV file that you saved from Webmail.
  7. Click Open, and then click Next.
  8. Make sure all checkboxes are checked and then click Finish.
  9. Close the Address Book Import Tool.
  10. Open Thunderbird and open the Address Book. 
  11. Click on Tools and choose Import
  12. Select the Address Books option and click Next.
  13. Select Outlook Express and click Next.
  14. When the import process is complete click Finish