How to Save Email Messages as PDF Files in Thunderbird

PDF files are considered the best way to archive your documents. This is because of the fact that PDF files appear exactly the same way on any platform through any PDF viewer software. You can use PDF format to save any scanned documents, downloaded documents, webpages and even the email messages that you have received in Mozilla Thunderbird. Even though Thunderbird does not have this feature build inside, you can easily add this feature using an add-on called ImportExportTools NG.

Here is how you can save email messages as PDF files in Mozilla Thunderbird:

  1. In Mozilla Thunderbird, press the Alt key to display the menubar if it is not already visible.
  2. Select ToolsAdd-ons from the menubar to view all the add-ons installed.
  3. In the Find more add-ons search box, type ImportExportTools NG and press Enter.
  4. When the ImportExportTools NG add-on page is displayed, proceed to install the add-on in Thunderbird.
  5. Once this add-on has been installed in Mozilla Thunderbird, you can open any email message and right-click on it and choose Save Selected MessagesPDF Format from the context-menu.Save Message as PDF in Thunderbird
  6. When you you select to save an email message as PDF file, it will warn you that the PDF format cannot be used to import the message back into the Thunderbird.Save Message as PDF in Thunderbird

While PDF format is a great way to save any email message for future or for printing it off on a printer that is not really connected to your computer, it also has some drawbacks. For example, when you save any email message as a PDF file format, Thunderbird does not save any attachments.

Save Message as PDF in Thunderbird

Actually ImportExport NG informs the user of this problem when you are saving any message as a PDF file. This means any important files or other PDF files sent to you as attachments will not be saved in the PDF file.