Use 'Profile Manager' to create a new profile. Exit Thunderbird to create new profile. https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/using-multiple-profiles Create the Profile and start thunderbird on that new profile. Add the mail account/email address and create folders.

Alternative assuming you are using a POP mail account.

• Create the new profile using 'Profile Manager'.
• Select the new profile
• Select the checkbox 'Use the selected profile without asking at startup'
• click on 'Exit'

Access location where Profiles are stored. eg: C:\Users\<Windows user name>\AppData\Roaming\Thunderbird\Profiles\<Profile name>\

• click on last years 'profile name' folder to see contents.
• Copy every file and folder - see image below to show what files and folders I'm talking about.
• Access the new 'Profile name' folder
• Delete all files and folders.
• Paste in all the copied files and folders

So basically you have a copy of last years profile.

Start Thunderbird on new profile.

Select each folder in turn and delete emails so folder is empty. then right click on folder and select 'Compact'

Do this for every folder. This may seem labourious, but it will mean you do not need to create mail accounts nor folders. It will also mean you have copied all your Message Filters and Preferences and address books. So it depends upon what you need to recreate as to whether you think this is an easier method.

Thank you very much Toad Hall. I appreciate your detailed support. Got it and all working nicely. Davoleit