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MBOX File - What is an .mbox file and how do I open it?
Learn about .MBOX files and view a list of programs that open them.
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Overview
What is an MBOX file? An MBOX file is an email mailbox, saved in a mail storage format that lists an entire inbox's messages in a single text file. It saves messages in a concatenated format where each message is listed after another, starting with the From header. MBOX files were originally used only by Unix hosts, but other email applications, including Apple Mail and Mozilla Thunderbird, now also support them.
More Information MBOX file open in Apple Mail Version 1.x of Apple Mail used MBOX files and stored them in the /User/Library/Mail/Mailboxes/ directory. Mail 2.0 and later versions use the .EMLX format, which separates messages into individual files so they can be searched by Spotlight. However, Apple Mail still exports mailboxes as MBOX files. If you right-click a mailbox and select Export Mailbox... , Apple Mail will save that mailbox's contents as an MBOX file. NOTE: Opera Mail, which was discontinued in 2016, also stored messages in the MBOX format.
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| Popularity |
3.4 | 254 Votes |
What is an MBOX file?
An MBOX file is an email mailbox, saved in a mail storage format that lists an entire inbox's messages in a single text file. It saves messages in a concatenated format where each message is listed after another, starting with the From header. MBOX files were originally used only by Unix hosts, but other email applications, including Apple Mail and Mozilla Thunderbird, now also support them.
More Information
MBOX file open in Apple Mail
Version 1.x of Apple Mail used MBOX files and stored them in the /User/Library/Mail/Mailboxes/ directory. Mail 2.0 and later versions use the .EMLX format, which separates messages into individual files so they can be searched by Spotlight.
However, Apple Mail still exports mailboxes as MBOX files. If you right-click a mailbox and select Export Mailbox... , Apple Mail will save that mailbox's contents as an MBOX file.
NOTE: Opera Mail, which was discontinued in 2016, also stored messages in the MBOX format.
Common MBOX Filenames
INBOX.mbox - The name given to the primary Inbox mail folder in Apple Mail, macOS's default email program.
How to open an MBOX file
Because MBOX files are plain text files, you can open them in any text editor, such as Microsoft Notepad , Apple TextEdit , or GitHub Atom , to view their contents.
How to import MBOX files into Apple Mail and Mozilla Thunderbird
You can also import an MBOX file into Apple Mail or Mozilla Thunderbird , to view the messages the file contains in your email client.
To import an MBOX file into Apple Mail, select File → Import Mailboxes and then follow the prompts to import your MBOX file. The messages your MBOX file contains will appear in the Import mailbox.
To import an MBOX file into Mozilla Thunderbird, you must first install the ImportExportTools NG add-on. Then, open Thunderbird and select Tools → ImportExportTools → Import MBOX File and follow the prompts to import your MBOX file. The messages your MBOX file contains will appear in the Local Folders inbox.
How to convert an MBOX file
Several conversion utilities allow you to convert MBOX mailboxes to the .PST format used by Microsoft Outlook . Some examples include:
Open over 400 file formats with File Viewer Plus . Free Download
Programs that open MBOX files
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Program Name
Platform
Reset
X
Windows
Mozilla Thunderbird
Free
CoolUtils Total Thunderbird Converter
Free Trial
Kernel MBOX Viewer
Free Trial
Aryson MBOX to PST Converter
Free Trial
Regain MBOX to PST Converter
Free Trial
EdbMails
Free Trial
Microsoft Notepad
Included with OS
GitHub Atom
—
Discontinued
Free
Any text editor
Mac
Apple Mail
Included with OS
Microsoft Outlook 365
Free +
Mozilla Thunderbird
Free
Apple TextEdit
Included with OS
GitHub Atom
—
Discontinued
Free
Any text editor
Linux
Mozilla Thunderbird
Free
GNOME Evolution
Free
GitHub Atom
—
Discontinued
Free
Any text editor
Category: Text Files
Updated: April 12, 2022