Kubuntu Focus: Email and Calendar Guided Solution

Configure Thunderbird

Email, Calendar, and Contacts Client

Manage emails, calendars, and contacts from multiple accounts using Mozilla Thunderbird

Background
Add KDE titlebar and borders
Change the Theme
Install Provider Extension
Add Google Calendar(s)
Import Emails from Outlook PST
Import Contacts
Troubleshooting
Revisions
Disclaimer

Manage email accounts with Thunderbird.

Please read the disclaimer before proceeding. We review and update guided solutions regularly. If you have suggestions or requests, please write support@kfocus.org.

Kubuntu LTS provides Thunderbird as the default email and calendar solution. While we have often been fans of Kmail, Thunderbird is easier to set up and has a wider following. Thunderbird is much faster than web mail clients when you want to move messages between accounts or sort them quickly. The 24.04 Kubuntu Focus Suite replaces the default Snap with the official Thunderbird packages from Mozilla.

Add KDE titlebar and borders

By default, Thunderbird uses its own window titlebar and borders. This restricts some of the features the KDE desktop would otherwise provide, and also makes Thunderbird not look consistent with other applications. Resolve this by clicking on Menu > Settings > General. Scroll to Language & Appearance > Window Layout and uncheck Hide system window titlebar.

Add KDE titlebar and borders to Thunderbird.

Change the Theme

Focus systems automatically install a compatible dark theme. However, if you wish to change it, you may click on Menu > Add-ons and Themes > Themes and then select Dark or another theme.

Theme Thunderbird the way you want.

Install Provider Extension

To integrate Google or other providers, click on Menu > Add-ons and Themes > Find more add-ons and type in provider to find the Provider for Google Calendar extension, add it to Thunderbird, and enable it.

Link Thunderbird with Google Calendar.

Add Google Calendar(s)

To complete the calendar configuration, click on Calendar > New Calendar.... When the wizard opens select On the Network, click [Next], and then enter your Gmail account and authorize access. We suggest you use the calendar as a mostly read-only view to avoid data conflict. See this gdata-provider README which discusses some limitations. Mozilla also provides this guide which is frequently updated.

Track events with Google Calendar.

Import Emails from Outlook PST

You can import your Mail from Outlook using the guide below. This is summarized from this Ask Ubuntu discussion.

Open the file manager (Dolphin) and navigate to the directory where you placed your PST archive
Right-click in the open space and click Actions > Open Terminal Here
In the terminal, run the following:

# Create a directory for export mail mkdir -p pst-export # Export the pst archive readpst -D -M -b -e -o pst-export name_of_your_archive.pst

Open Thunderbird
Navigate to TR Menu > Add-ons and Themes
Type into the search bar: "importexporttools"
Install ImportExportTools NG and then restart Thunderbird when asked.
Open Dolphin and navigate to the directory containing
Right-click on an account folder and create a new, temporary folder, e.g. Imported, to import the PST emails
Right-click on the Imported folder and choose ImportExportNG > Import EML Messages > All EML Messages From A Directory And Subdirectories
Select the pst-export directory you created above. Import will begin. Depending on the size of your archive, this can take several minutes.

Import PST archives with Thunderbird.

Import Contacts

You can create a local mirror of contacts. This Lifewire article shows how to import contacts with a simple procedure. We recommend exporting frequently used contacts. Thunderbird will then provide auto-complete options.

Troubleshooting

Issues will be added as required.

Revisions

This is a partial revision history. See the git repository for all entries.

2024-07-25 cc0dd594 Update images and revise text
2024-06-05 f963a363 Update for Noble
2024-03-18 fb9b592d Add syntax highlighting for codeblocks
2023-11-18 e770b1c6 Add search and help bar
2022-10-27 18235fe3 Add PST import section for Outlook email
2022-10-11 7c6e13f5 Audit and update images, remove large titles
2022-07-13 57bf7a6c Updae images
2022-06-29 6c5be0ab Revise for 22.04
2021-10-10 5728326e Reformat to 2-column
2021-09-22 dc862884 Update link and headline colors
2021-08-23 681261b4 Review and update codeblocks
2021-07-28 1b9cf29b Revise units to have a space after number
2021-05-13 bd1c1e01 Updated for Thunderbird 78
2020-10-23 497e1e7d First publication

Disclaimer

We try hard to provide a useful solution validated by professionals. However, we cannot anticipate every situation, and therefore cannot guarantee this procedure will work for your needs. Always backup your data and test the solution to determine the correct procedure for you.

THIS SOLUTION IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS “AS IS” AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE COPYRIGHT OWNER OR CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE OF THIS SOLUTION, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.