Feature Request: Native PST Import Without Requiring Outlook Installation

[Meduzak11]

Hi Thunderbird team,

First of all — thank you for building and maintaining such a great email client. Thunderbird is my go-to recommendation whenever someone asks for a free, privacy-respecting, cross-platform alternative to Outlook.

However, I've recently helped several colleagues migrate from Outlook to Thunderbird, and every single time we hit the same wall: there is no straightforward way to import .pst files without having Outlook installed on the same machine.

The current workflow looks something like this:

1. Install a third-party tool (eM Client, PST Walker, etc.) to convert .pst → .mbox

2. Install the ImportExportTools NG add-on in Thunderbird

3. Import the .mbox files manually

For a technically skilled user, this is manageable. For an average office worker switching from Outlook? It's a dealbreaker. Many of them simply give up and stay with Outlook — not because Thunderbird is worse, but because the migration path is too complicated.

What I'd love to see is a built-in PST Import Wizard that:

- Accepts .pst files directly (no Outlook installation required)

- Preserves folder structure, attachments, contacts, and calendar entries

- Works as a simple one-click experience within Thunderbird's existing import flow

Libraries like libpst (open-source, used in Linux tools like readpst) already handle PST parsing reliably. Integrating similar functionality into Thunderbird's core could remove the single biggest barrier to Outlook-to-Thunderbird migration.

With Microsoft pushing users toward cloud-only subscriptions, more people than ever are looking for alternatives. A seamless PST import could be Thunderbird's strongest migration feature and, frankly, its best marketing tool.

Thank you for considering this. Keep up the amazing work!