Clear Thunderbird address book data
- Linux onlyThis script improves your privacy on Linux
- Multiple actionsThis page belongs to a category, containing some changes with similar goal.
- Impact: High
System Functionality / Data Loss Risk: High
This action improves privacy with high impact when you run the recommended script.
- Bash (Shell script)These changes use Linux system commands to update your settings.
- 2 scripts
- No subcategories
- Sudo/root requiredThis script requires privilege access to do the system changes
- Fully reversible
You can fully restore this action (revert back to the original behavior) using this website.
The restore/revert methods provided here can help you fix issues.
Overview
Most users open the Thunderbird address book from within the email client, but it can also be launched separately 1.
Mozilla Thunderbird by default comes with two address books, even though more can be added 2:
- Personal book: For the most frequently used contacts.
- Collected book: Collects addresses from email that you send.
This script should only be used by advanced users.
This script is not recommended for daily use as it breaks important functionality.
Consider creating a system backup before doing any changes.
Sources
- Thunderbird:Help Documentation:Using the Address Book. MozillaWiki. wiki.mozilla.org. (2022).
Original: https://wiki.mozilla.org/Thunderbird:Help_Documentation:Using_the_Address_Book
Archived: https://web.archive.org/web/20221029141424/https://wiki.mozilla.org/Thunderbird:Help_Documentation:Using_the_Address_Book - WHAT ARE COLLECTED ADDRESSES VS, PERSONAL ADDRESS BOOK. Thunderbird Support Forum. Mozilla Support. support.mozilla.org. (2022).
Original: https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1038172
Archived: https://web.archive.org/web/20221029141448/https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1038172
Apply Now
Choose one of two ways to apply:
Maximum — Strongest Possible Privacy (Military-Grade)
- Military-grade privacy protection
- Major system impact
- Consider having system backup.
Read more about Maximum and other protection levels
Help
How to apply "Clear Thunderbird address book data" using script
- ≈ 3 min to complete
- Tools: Web Browser
- Difficulty: Medium
- ≈ 5 instructions
- 1
Download
Download the script file by clicking on thebutton above. - 2
Keep the file
If warned by your browser, keep the file. - 3
Open
Open the downloaded file. - 4
Exit
Once it's done, press any key to exit the window. - 5
Restart
Restart your computer for all changes to take effect.
Apply with privacy.sexy
Guided, automated application with safety checks- Recommended for most users
- Includes safety checks
- Shows the code
- Free
- Open-source
- Popular
- Offline/Online usage
Help
How to apply "Clear Thunderbird address book data" using privacy.sexy
- ≈ 3 min to complete
- Tools: privacy.sexy
- Difficulty: Simple
- ≈ 4 instructions
- 2
Choose script
- Search for the category name: Clear Thunderbird address book data
- Check the category by clicking on the checkbox of the category.
- 3
Run
Click on ▶️ Run button at the bottom of the page.This button only appears on desktop version (recommended). On browser, use 💾 Save button.
Explore This Guide
- 2 Privacy settings
Choose what to protect based on your needs: Click any option to learn more about what it does. Each change can be applied and reversed individually.
Some settings and commands may require technical knowledge to apply correctly.
Clear Thunderbird personal address book
Files for personal addresses: Since Thunderbird v78: "abook.sqlite", "abook.sqlite-wal". • Before Thunderbird v78: "abook.mab".
Clear Thunderbird collected address book
Files for collected addresses: Since Thunderbird v78: "history.sqlite", "history.sqlite-wal". • Before Thunderbird v78: "history.mab".
Similar Guides
Wider Goal
Guides below includes this guide to achieve a wider goal.See other more general settings that includes this one as one of its actions.
These plans combine multiple privacy settings, including this one, for stronger protection.
- Clear Thunderbird data
- Clear third-party application data
- Privacy cleanup
Mozilla Thunderbird is a free and open-source cross-platform email client, personal information manager, news client, RSS and chat client developed by the Mozilla ...
Scripts in this category clear data for third-party applications installed on the operating system. Third-party applications are not typically distributed as part ...
These scripts allow you to increase privacy by deleting collected data about you and your behavior.
Same Goal
Other guides in Clear Thunderbird dataSee settings that are in the same category as this guide.
Using other actions in the same category may help you achieve your goal better.
About the Creators
These people have authored this documentation and written its scripts:
Reviewed By
This guide has undergone comprehensive auditing and peer review:Expert review by undergroundwires
- Verified technical accuracy and editorial standards
- Assessed system impact and user privacy risks
Public review by large community
- Privacy enthusiasts and professionals peer-reviewed
- Millions of end-users tested across different environments
History
We continually monitor our guides, their impact and all other privacy options. We update our guides when new information becomes available. On every update, we publicly store who made the change, what has been changed, why the change was made and when the change was made.