You need to be able to see Windows' hidden folder in order to access the configuration directory

• Displaying hidden folders on Windows 7
• Displaying hidden folders on Windows 10

1. Make sure TB is not running!
2. Go to the TB directory
   • Windows XP: C:\Documents and Settings\<your_login>\Application Data\Thunderbird
   • Windows 7: C:\Users\<your_login>\AppData\Roaming\Thunderbird
   • Windows 10: C:\Users\<your_login>\AppData\Roaming\Thunderbird
3. Locate the TB configuration directory in the Thunderbird\Profiles directory (a sub-directory named <random_string>.default)
4. Copy <random_string>.default to a fixed and known location on the computer, preferably a sub-directory of the manually created user DATA FOLDER and give a meaningful name to the directory
   • We suggest the following copy/rename: <random_string>.default\ ⇒ <disk:>\Users\<your_login>\Thunderbird\Profiles\<your_login>_TB\
5. Edit the Thunderbird\profiles.ini file so that TB knows where to look for the new location of its configuration directory
   • IsRelative=1
     ⇒ IsRelative=0
   • Path=Profiles\<random_string>.default
     ⇒ Path=<disk:>\Users\<your_login>\Thunderbird\Profiles\<your_login>_TB
6. Start TB and check that everything is the same as before
7. Later, when things seem to work correctly, remove the original Thunderbird\Profiles\<random_string>.default directory!

You have copied a TB configuration from another computer and want to use it! We assume that the restored TB directory is:

• <disk:>\Users\<your_login>\Thunderbird\Profiles\<your_login>_TB

1. Start and exit TB, in order to have it initialize its default configuration
2. Go to the configuration directory:
   • Windows 7: C:\Users\<your_login>\AppData\Roaming\Thunderbird
   • Windows 10: C:\Users\<your_login>\AppData\Roaming\Thunderbird
3. Remove the the Thunderbird\Profiles\<random_string>.default\ directory that was created when you started TB for the first time on this computer
4. Edit the Thunderbird\profiles.ini file so that TB knows where to look for the new location of its configuration directory
   • IsRelative=1
     ⇒ IsRelative=0
   • Path=Profiles\<random_string>.default
     ⇒ Path=<disk:>\Users\<your_login>\Thunderbird\Profiles\<your_login>_TB
5. Start TB and check that everything is OK and that you have access to your existing mailboxes and settings

You should be OK if you followed the steps above! You can get extra information in:

• Profiles - Where Thunderbird stores your messages and other user data
• Moving Thunderbird Data to a New Computer

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