Yes you can send emails from Thunderbird into specific notebooks or subfolders in Joplin using the existing tools 🔧

📬 Option 1: Joplin Email Plugin (inside Joplin)

This Joplin plugin (not a Thunderbird add‑on) works by watching an IMAP account. It lets you specify your Joplin notebook using the email subject or the first line of the message:

Add @NotebookName anywhere in the subject or in the first line of the body

Optional: add tags with #tagname

The plugin will automatically place the note into that notebook—creating it if necessary

So, if your subfolder inside Joplin is actually a "notebook" (or notebook hierarchy), just include @Parent/ChildNotebook and the plugin will send it to that exact location.

📬 Option 2: Joplin Export (Thunderbird Add‑on)

If you're looking for a Thunderbird-based solution, the Joplin Export add‑on (by Marph) is excellent. It gives you:

A toolbar button or hotkey (Ctrl+Alt+J by default) to send email(s) directly to Joplin

Lets you select the destination notebook in a settings pane after pasting your Joplin Web Clipper token

Workflow:

  1. Install the add‑on in Thunderbird and configure it with your Joplin API token.

  2. Choose which notebook you want it to send to.

  3. When exporting an email, it goes directly to that notebook.

This becomes your "subfolder" within Joplin, so it's a one‑click way to organize.

âś… Summary & Recommendation

Feature Email Plugin (Joplin) Joplin Export (Thunderbird)

Install in Thunderbird? No Yes Choose destination notebook? Via @NotebookName syntax Via dropdown in add‑on settings Works with sub‑notebook structures Yes — @Parent/Child works Yes — select the exact notebook Use a shortcut button? No Yes — toolbar & hotkey available

What you can do next

If you're okay triggering things inside Joplin, go with the Email Plugin. Just tag your email subject like @ProjectX (or @Parent/ProjectX) and it will land there automatically.

If you prefer staying in Thunderbird, go with Joplin Export. Install it, paste your API token, set your target notebook, and hit Ctrl + Alt + J to export right where you want.

Want help installing one of these, or setting up a notebook hierarchy? Just let me know!

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