Losing years of emails after a cancellation or an inactive account happens more often than one might think. For several years, Orange has implemented a policy of deleting email accounts that have not been accessed for several months, even after the end of an internet subscription. Backing up your Orange emails on your PC remains the most reliable way to keep a local copy of your mailbox, safe from this type of unpleasant surprise.
Application-specific password: the often-overlooked prerequisite
Before connecting an email client to your Orange account, you need to address a security point. Since 2023, Orange recommends creating a dedicated application password (sometimes called a “secondary account password”) instead of using the main account password.
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Why this choice? If the password used in Thunderbird or Outlook is compromised (data theft, malware on the PC), only this secondary password is at risk. Your primary access to the Orange account remains intact. To generate it, go to the “Manage my account” section from the Orange portal, then look for the section dedicated to third-party access.
This setting takes a few minutes and is crucial for the success of the entire process. Without it, the IMAP or POP connection may fail without an explicit error message, which discourages many users from the very first attempt. If you’re looking for a detailed tutorial on backing up your Orange emails on PC, this security step is prominently featured.
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Thunderbird and the IMAP protocol for backing up your Orange mailbox
Thunderbird is a free software maintained by the Mozilla Foundation, particularly suitable for this type of backup. It works on Windows, macOS, and Linux.
Setting up the Orange IMAP account in Thunderbird
When adding a new account in Thunderbird, enter your full Orange email address and the dedicated password created in the previous step. Thunderbird automatically detects the IMAP settings for the Orange server in most cases.
If automatic detection fails, here are the settings to enter manually:
- Incoming IMAP server: imap.orange.fr, port 993, SSL/TLS encryption
- Outgoing SMTP server: smtp.orange.fr, port 465, SSL/TLS encryption
- Username: your full Orange email address (with @orange.fr or @wanadoo.fr)
Once the connection is established, Thunderbird synchronizes all your folders and messages. This synchronization may take time if your mailbox contains several years’ worth of emails.
Copying emails to a local folder on the hard drive
The IMAP synchronization displays your emails in Thunderbird, but they remain linked to the server. To obtain a true local copy, select the messages (Ctrl+A to select all in a folder), right-click, then choose “Copy to” and select a folder under “Local Folders.”
Emails copied to local folders remain on your PC even if the Orange account is deleted. This is the fundamental difference between accessing your emails via IMAP and actually backing them up.
Backing up Orange emails in PDF or EML format: which method to choose
Thunderbird is not the only approach. Depending on your needs, other backup formats may be suitable.
Exporting to PDF from the Orange webmail
Directly from the Orange webmail in your browser, you can open an email, then use the “Print” function (Ctrl+P). In the print window, choose “Save as PDF” as the printer. The resulting PDF file is readable on any device, without specific software.
This method is suitable for a few dozen important emails (contracts, order confirmations, administrative exchanges). It becomes impractical beyond a few hundred messages, as each email must be opened and saved one by one.
Exporting to EML file
The EML format preserves the entire email: text, attachments, technical headers. In Thunderbird, simply drag and drop a message from the list to a folder on your PC to create a .eml file. This format can be read by Thunderbird, Outlook, or any compatible email client.
For bulk backup, the combination of Thunderbird + local folders remains the most effective solution. The PDF format, on the other hand, is more suited for archiving specific emails in a universal and easily shareable format.
Protecting the long-term backup of your Orange emails
Having a local copy on your PC’s hard drive is not enough if that drive fails. A few precautions can extend the lifespan of your archive.
- Duplicate the backup folder on an external hard drive or USB stick that you store away from the computer
- Compress the folder (ZIP format) to reduce space and facilitate transfer
- Check once a year that the files open correctly, as a storage medium can silently degrade
- If you use an online storage service (cloud), encrypt the archive before transferring it to protect the confidentiality of your exchanges
Orange’s policy regarding inactive accounts makes this double backup particularly relevant. An account that has not been accessed for several months may be deleted, taking all messages stored on the server with it. The only reliable solution remains a regularly updated local copy.
The backup reflex also applies to those considering changing operators. Once the subscription is canceled, access to the Orange webmail eventually disappears. It is better to anticipate by transferring your email folders to the computer before starting the cancellation process, rather than attempting a recovery in a hurry.