How to Extract Attachments from MBOX Files ?
Summary: Here, in this blog post, we will discuss the direct solution to extract attachments from MBOX emails. You can simply extract multiple of your attachments from MBOX files.
If you continue to fill a file with most of the data, one day it will affect its use or operation. Similarly, the need to extract attachments from MBOX files originates due to the same fact. Although the file is simple text storage and is flexible enough to be independent of the platform. But, it also has its limits. This blog highlights user concern that the MBOX file that they have taken for granted also has some limitations in certain situations. Read on to learn more about the file, its limits and the solutions that are available to manage the file size by extracting attachments.
MBOX Files & Its Preferability
MBOX files are highly flexible. By flexible, here we mean that the file is neither platform nor OS dependent.
Now, what happens when a file is independent?
It gets opened using any application. There are no prerequisites posed by the file. You just need to have the file on your machine in a stable way to be able to read.
In the case of an MBOX file, you do not need:
- A specific Operating System
- A supporting email client setup
The application is independent of all these requirements. Also, readable on any Operating System, be it Windows, Mac, or Linux. Also, you do not need to have a support email client installed on the machine for reading the file.
Simply having a normal text editor is enough to read the file like; a third party freeware editor or even Notepad would do.
Find Out Why Mozilla Thunderbird Keeps Crashing
Performance issues are a common thing with freeware applications, especially. This is because commercial applications ensure that services as per the investment served successfully for business continuity.
However, certain issues are common on both freeware as well as commercial third-party applications. Such as; when the storage limit exploited by users and application malfunction is surfaced. In one such condition surfaced with MBOX files, the respective application, such as Thunderbird encounters performance related issues.
What Happens?
There has been a constant issue seen arising where Thunderbird hangs Windows 10. Windows 10 users working with Thunderbird have complained about several forums regarding this issue.
Consequences
The situation observed to be occurring because of the maximum storage limit exploited. Thus, as a result, MBOX files became unable to store/download any more data in them causing Thunderbird freezing/ crashing/hanging issue to surface.
As part of the solution, it was important for the users to lower the size of their MBOX files. However, this would mean deleting contents and compromising on existing data, which is not what a user would consider doing.
Expert Solution to Extract Attachments from MBOX files
The issue clearly being caused because the MBOX file was not able to store data any longer in it as it had run out of capacity. Thus, in order to prevent the situation where Thunderbird hangs attaching process or email downloading, the following tips suggested:
- Compact Mailbox: An integrated option featured by Mozilla in Thunderbird for compressing the free available space in a mailbox and regenerating new storage space using it. In case, the mailbox has white spaces (left behind by items marked as deleted and not rewritten yet) they can be compressed to generate more storage space.
Right-click on the desired mailbox and click on ‘Compact’ to begin compressing the file. The process will run in the background. If the file is too large with too many whitespaces detected in it, the application might take time in compressing the file. Once done, the bottom left corner of the Thunderbird window will show a message similar to the one shown below:
- Clear out Emails: If you believe that the emails are consuming too much space in the mailbox, consider revising them. This will help you know which email is necessary and which one is not. So, you are able to streamline the emails with which you can afford compromising. Deleting emails with the combined usage of the ‘Compact’ option will help you gain more storage space.
- Extract Attachments: Storage space in a mailbox is majorly taken up by media and not the plain text-based emails. Text-based emails do not take up too much space, in fact, the attachments exchanged through them do. Therefore, clearing up emails may not be the solution, especially if they have important attachments in them. Extract the important attachments and clear off emails afterward.
NOTE:
It is easy to compact a mailbox. However, the last two methods of dealing with the storage space issue of MBOX are clearly inconvenient. You will have to manually save attachments and then selectively delete the respective emails on your own.
Easier Approach to Extract Attachments from MBOX Files
Living in the current century has a solution to every problem, especially an automated one. Therefore, if you are unable to get the desired solution and achieve the desired convenience level, then go for an easier approach.
- Thunderbird Add-On: Thunderbird may not be built as powerful as other applications of its type. Nevertheless, the developers make sure that it is no less than other applications, in fact, is a little extra. Thus, it provides various add-ons for functionalities that should rather be built-in and other additional manageability functions. Similarly, an add-on lets you extract Thunderbird attachments from emails with advanced customization options.
NOTE: It is not necessary that the MBOX file from which attachments need to be extracted belongs to Thunderbird.
- Expert Solution: Third party applications are built to simplify procedures that are technically complex or are impossible. Using a commercial tool is beneficial as they offer a user-friendly solution in this case. There is a software namely MBOX Attachment Extractor, which makes easy for the users to extract all the attachments from MBOX file. The tool extracts attachments of all file formats without any issue. The best thing about the software is that it supports MBOX file of all email clients. No, any external application is required to execute the process. Apart from this, the tool has various other features as mentioned:
- Offers the dual way to upload MBOX file on tool’s panel
- Standalone utility to extract MBOX file attachment
- 100% secure to execute the process of extraction
- Operable on all Windows OS both 32 and 64-bit
In Summation
When dealing with a technical glitch in Mozilla Thunderbird, you can always expect a suitable add-on to be available for the purpose. However, the reliability issue is common because Mozilla accepts add-ons from external sources (developers) too. This makes it a risk to rely on them over commercial tools. It is not necessary that the MBOX file being discuss here belongs to Thunderbird. In that case, the add-in provided by Mozilla will not work. Meanwhile, the commercial solution does not limit the process to only Thunderbird mailbox but offers the solution for all MBOX files.
