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How to Migrate Betterbird Email Account Safely and Securely

  author
Published By Karen Chard 
Rollins Duke
Approved By Rollins Duke
Published On December 17th, 2025
Reading Time 12 Min Read

Overview: Migrating a Betterbird email account can be done manually using third-party add-ons such as ImportExportTools NG or through a professional migration tool. This guide explains both approaches, highlights their limitations, and helps you choose the safest and most efficient method for transferring Betterbird emails.

Betterbird was introduced in 2021 as a soft fork of Mozilla Thunderbird, aiming to offer better bug fixes, improved user experience, and enhanced compatibility. However, due to its similarity to Thunderbird, ongoing support concerns, and related limitations, many users are seeking ways to migrate Betterbird email accounts.

Like Thunderbird, Betterbird supports exporting options via the ImportExportTools NG add-on, but it has significant limitations. To address these challenges, this blog provides both manual and professional solutions for migrating Betterbird emails. Review each section and choose the method that best suits your migration requirements.

The Why and Who Behind Betterbird Email Migration

Users switch from, back up, or import Betterbird data for various personal and professional reasons. Have a quick glimpse of the key reasons to do so.

  • Enterprises concerned about long-term reliability often migrate Betterbird emails to Thunderbird or Outlook.
  • Non-technical users prefer simpler email clients due to Betterbird’s technical interface.
  • Mobile-first users seek alternatives because Betterbird is a desktop-only client.
  • Most of the corporate users rely on Microsoft 365 for their tasks, and that makes them migrate Betterbird emails to Outlook desktop, Outlook for Mac, or Outlook web, accordingly.
  • Privacy and work-concerned organizations that disallow soft-fork applications, demand security guarantees, or a single vendor across web, desktop, and mobile, also migrate from Betterbird.

Prerequisites to Transfer a Betterbird Email Account

  • Locate the local Betterbird profile path and create a backup.
  • Ensure sufficient disk space and mailbox size availability.
  • Install the latest version of Betterbird and update all add-ons.
  • Verify stable internet connectivity.
  • Test the process using a small data set first.

Classic Way to Migrate Betterbird Email Account

There is no such direct option to move Betterbird profile data to other email clients. However, by converting into acceptable file formats or by the drag and drop method, one can successfully save Betterbird emails to various file extensions and email clients. To learn more about this, read the below shared sections.

Solution 1: Convert Betterbird Emails to File Formats

Betterbird has almost all the features and interface like Thunderbird, and so do the add-ons. Thus, by installing the ImportExportTools NG, one can easily save Betterbird mailboxes to EML, HTML, PDF, Plain Text, and CSV. The steps for the same are as follows:

Phase 1: Install the Add-On and Plugin. 

  1. Firstly, run Betterbird and click on the Tools option.
  2. Then, click on Add-ons and Themes.
  3. Now, search for ImportExportTools NG.
  4. Next, click on Add to Betterbird option.

Phase 2: Export Betterbird Mailbox

  1. Right-click on the folder that you want to convert.
  2. From the drop-down menu, choose ImportExportTools NG.
  3. Then, click on the Export All Messages In Folder option.
  4. Now, from the given file formats such as EML, HTML, PDF, Plain Text, and CSV, choose any one.
  5. Once done, browse and select the saving location to store the output.
  6. Finally, click on Select Folder to start the Betterbird conversion process.

Note: Now, you can keep these files as a backup/archive or import them into a supportable email client.

Drawbacks: The ImportExportTools NG can handle limited email volumes but may struggle with large mailboxes. When handling large mailboxes, the add-on may slow down significantly and, in rare cases, incomplete exports can occur due to system or storage limitations.

Solution 2: Migrate Betterbird Email to Another Account

One of the other ways to transfer Betterbird emails from here to another email account is via the drag-and-drop method. As Betterbird supports multiple account configurations, one can easily add their second account and do the migration swiftly. The steps to add your Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo, Zoho, etc. account in Betterbird are as follows:

Phase 1: Configure Destination Account in Betterbird Only

  1. Run Betterbird on your device.
  2. Now, from the bottom of the left options panel, click on the Settings icon.
  3. Next, click on the Account Settings option and select the “+ New Account” option.
  4. Further, from the drop-down, choose Account Type and fill in the requested credentials.
  5. Wait to let the synchronization complete.

Phase 2: Drag and Drop the Desired Betterbird Files/Folders

  1. Now, both of your email accounts with the respective folders will be visible on the panel.
  2. Thus, right-click on the destination email folders and choose the New Folder option.
  3. Next, name it accordingly. For example, New or Imported.
  4. Then, simply drag the desired email or the entire folder from the Betterbird account.
  5. And drop it to the destination email ID.
  6. Finally, wait a while and cross-check the Betterbird migration to Gmail, Thunderbird, Yahoo, Outlook, Zoho, or any other email account that you configured there.

Where the Manual Betterbird Migration Falls Short?

The traditional way to convert Betterbird emails may seem simple and cost-free at first glance. However, it comes with several limitations and potential risks. Review the drawbacks below and consider whether it’s worth compromising your time, data security, and convenience by choosing this approach.

  • The user must have technical knowledge to follow these methods to migrate Betterbird emails.
  • Both conventional solutions are slow when it comes to bulk Betterbird conversion.
  • There is no option for direct transfer of mailboxes to other email clients.
  • There is also a risk of data loss or corruption when using the classic method to save Betterbird emails.
  • The user cannot preview the conversion process and has no such option for specific data selection.
  • These solutions do not preserve the folder hierarchy of the Betterbird mailboxes.
  • The team of Betterbird is not responsible for or does not give required support for any human error throughout the conversion process.

Given these limitations, users handling large or critical datasets often look for a more automated and dependable migration approach.

All-in-One Solution for Betterbird Email Conversion

To overcome all the manual drawbacks and provide the user with an efficient Betterbird email migration, one can rely on the RecoveryTools Thunderbird Migrator. This software automatically fetches the Betterbird profile location and lets the user convert mailboxes to 28+ export options.

This tool provides a centralized solution for importing, converting, backing up, and migrating Betterbird mailboxes. Plus, the tool supports bulk mode, contacts, calendars, attachments, and other attributes of the Betterbird profile.

The steps to use this software without any hassle are as follows:

Method 1: Convert Betterbird Emails to File Formats

This software has more than 10 file extensions as the saving options. It allows the user to save Betterbird emails to EML, PST, MSG, EMLX, TXT, MBOX, HTML, MHT, XPS, RTF, DOC, and CSV. Here is how you can proceed step by step:

  1. Download the mentioned tool and run it on your Windows or Mac device.
    install betterbird converter
  2. Now, along with the default option, which is “Convert Configured Thunderbird Mailboxes Data”, click on “I am Converting Multiple Users”. Once done, select the Next button.
    select selection modes
  3. Here, you will see all the Thunderbird and Betterbird accounts configured on your system. Select the Betterbird profile you want to convert.
    select betterbird profile
  4. At this step, click on the Saving Options and choose any one file format among them.
    choose saving option
  5. Further, select the file saving destination and also choose one file-naming option.
    saving destination
  6. Then, click on the Advanced Filter tab to specify your output according to different metrics.
    apply advanced filters
  7. Finally, click on Convert to start the Betterbird conversion process.
    convert betterbird to pst

Special Feature Alert: To convert Betterbird to the PST file format, the software offers extra options. It includes “split PST” on the basis of size, “separate PST per user”, and “change language” of the output folder. This allows more customization to the conversion process.

Method 2: Migrate Betterbird Account to Email Clients

The mentioned Betterbird converter also supports various web-based and desktop-based email clients. This assists the user to transfer Betterbird emails to Gmail, Outlook.com, Yahoo Mail, Google Workspace, Windows Live Mail, Lotus Notes, Zimbra, Thunderbird, Outlook for Mac (OLM), etc. Follow these simple steps to get started with it:

  1. Install and run the software on your device.
    run the tool
  2. Now, along with the default selection mode, check the “I am Converting Multiple Users” checkbox.
    choose the data
  3. Then, from the listed accounts, click on the Betterbird profile you want to migrate further.
    betterbird profile
  4. Next, click on Saving Options and choose one email client from the drop-down menu.
    export options
  5. At this step, share the account credentials or the output saving destination.
    share credentials
  6. Finally, apply the advanced filters and click on Convert to start the Betterbird email migration process.
    betterbird to yahoo migration

Note: For email client like Zimbra, Lotus Notes, Windows Live Mail, and more, the software generates the output in their import-supported file formats. Hence, the user only needs to select that output file and import it into the respective email client.

Special Feature Alert: To migrate Betterbird emails to a Gmail account, the software also offers Google OAuth Authentication option. With this user can easily fetch the system-configured Gmail account and do the migration safely and easily.

Method 3: Transfer Betterbird Data to Email Servers

Last but not least, using this Betterbird converter, a user can also move Betterbird mailboxes to email servers such as Exchange server, IMAP Server, and Maildir-supported server. You can do this by following the steps mentioned below:

  1. Download the Betterbird converter and run it.
    start the tool
  2. Now, click on “I am converting multiple users” along with the default profile selection modes. Once done, click on the Next button.
    select profile data
  3. At this step, check the Betterbird profile and click on the Next button.
    choose profile
  4. Furthermore, from the list of saving options, choose the email server of your choice.
    email server
  5. Next, fill in the required credentials such as email address, password, IMAP port no, and IMAP host.
    give credentials
  6. At last, apply the filterations if required and click on the Convert button to save Betterbird emails to the Exchange server, IMAP server, etc.
    migrate betterbird email

Special Feature Alert: When the user migrates Betterbird to Exchange Server, the tool offers “I am Admin”, “Export to In-place archive mailbox”, “Export to primary mailbox”, and other advanced options for professional and authentic output.

Inside the Betterbird Converter: Features at a Glance
  • The tool has multiple file selection modes. Therefore, one can either select the entire Betterbird profile or manually select the desired files/folders only.
  • It has a very easy and interactive interface. Hence, the user does not need to be tech-savvy to migrate Betterbird emails.
  • The user can select the required labels or sub-labels of the Betterbird account for a decluttered output.
  • There is a dedicated tab of advanced filters, which has more than 10 different metrics to generate a quality and specific result.
  • Also, this Betterbird migrator supports all the latest editions of the Windows and Mac operating systems.
  • It maintains the complete folder hierarchy even after the conversion to sort the data and easily access it.
  • To manage the output, the software offers 9+ different file naming options and a file saving location option as well.
  • One can also download the free trial edition of this Betterbird file migrator to test its efficiency as per their requirements.
Betterbird Conversion: Comparing Traditional vs Smart Tool
Feature / Metric Manual Method Professional Tool
Standalone Solution Requires third-party plugins  Works independently
Log Report Creation  No automatic logs Generates detailed logs
Fast Conversion Slow, especially for large mailboxes High-speed migration
Data Safety  Risk of data loss or corruption Secure handling of emails
Data Originality May alter email formatting Maintains original structure and content
Unlimited Conversion  Limited by manual effort  Can handle unlimited emails
Quick Answers Hub

1. How to convert Betterbird contacts to vCard without data loss?

The converter mentioned above also supports the Betterbird contacts. Thus, the user only needs to select “Address Book” from the software panel and can further follow the conversion process. The best thing is that users can not only convert Betterbird contacts to vCard but also in specific formats according to the email client. For example, into “Thunderbird contacts”, “Outlook Contacts”, “Windows Live Contacts”, and “Yahoo Contacts”.

2. Does this tool save Betterbird email attachments?

Yes, the mentioned Betterbird converter is very advanced and hence, supports the attachments of the email files. Therefore, whether the attachment is in PDF, DOC, PNG, JPG, CSV, or more, it supports them swiftly and makes a separate folder for them in some cases.

3. Is this Betterbird migrator safe to use?

Yes, the tool is designed with data safety, security, and content integrity as key priorities. Also, it has an in-house development team and works independently by eliminating unauthorized mediators. This factor also boosts its data privacy and ensures no breaches throughout the Betterbird data export process.

Conclusion

In a nutshell, a Betterbird user should not rely on the manual method for bulk data conversion since it is very risky and not meant for professional drills. Hence, the above-mentioned utility is tested in the IT labs and, therefore, recommended as a reliable solution for bulk Betterbird mailbox transfer in one go. It also has a free demo version, which supports the first 25 files of each folder and lets first-time users test the features without investing a single penny in advance.

Expert Recommendations: Based on extensive testing, the professional solution proves more reliable for large-scale migrations. Testing indicates that the manual process is significantly slower, may not handle attachments efficiently, and can lead to errors with large files. So, if you are someone who has crucial Betterbird data to convert, then do not rely on the conventional way at all.