Exporting:


Before you start your export, there are a few things you should do to make sure your export goes smoothly.

  • You may have multiple email accounts in Outlook. Make sure you select the correct email account before you start your export.
  • Do a mailbox cleanup: Manage my mailbox size. Save the content you want and leave the rest behind.
  • By default, Outlook is set to download email for the past 1 year. If you want to export all your emails, open Outlook, select Account settings > Account Name and Sync Settings and move the slider to All.

Move slider to All to download all Outlook email when you export email

  • Make sure you don’t export your .pst file to a OneDrive location. If you have automatic sync, make sure it's not syncing to a OneDrive location. OneDrive will block automatic syncing for Outlook .pst files.

 

Export Outlook items to a .pst file.

  1. At the top of your Outlook ribbon, choose File.

If your ribbon doesn't have a File option in the top left corner, see What version of Outlook do I have? to determine your version of Outlook and find the appropriate export instructions.

This is what the ribbon looks like in Outlook 2016.

  1. Choose Open & Export > Import/Export.
  2. Choose Export to a file > Next.
  3. Click Outlook Data File (.pst)> Next.
  4. Select the name of the email account to export, as shown in the picture below. Only information for one account can be exported at a time.

Make sure that the Include subfolders check box is selected. This ensures that everything in the account will be exported: Inbox, Calendar, Contacts, and Tasks. Choose Next.

https://support.content.office.net/en-us/media/ad896257-c8c4-47df-8d95-f18471e645e5.png

  1. Click Browse to select where to save the Outlook Data File (.pst). Enter a file name, and choose OK to continue.

Note: If you’ve used export before, the previous folder location and file name appear. Type a different file name before choosing OK.

  1. If you are exporting to an existing Outlook Data File (.pst), under Options, specify what to do when exporting items that already exist in the file.
  2. Choose Finish.
  3. Outlook begins the export immediately unless a new Outlook Data File (.pst) is created or a password-protected file is used.
    • If you’re creating an Outlook Data File (.pst), an optional password can help protect the file. When the Create Outlook Data File dialog box appears, enter the password in the Password and Verify Password boxes, and choose OK. In the Outlook Data File Password dialog box, enter the password, and choose OK.
    • If you’re exporting to an existing Outlook Data File (.pst) that is password protected, in the Outlook Data File Password dialog box, enter the password, then choose OK.

 

Importing:

  1. At the top of your Outlook ribbon, select File.

If your ribbon doesn't have a File option in the top left corner, you aren't using an Outlook app installed on your computer. See What version of Outlook do I have? to find your version of Outlook and to get to right import steps.

This is what the ribbon looks like in Outlook 2016.

  1. Select Open & Export > Import/Export. This starts the Import/Export wizard.

Choose Open & Export, and then choose Import/Export.

  1. Select Import from another program or file, and then click Next.

Import and Export Wizard

  1. Select Outlook Data File (.pst) and click Next.
  2. Browse to the .pst file you want to import. Under Options, choose how you want to deal with emails and contacts, then choose Next.

Choose the .pst file you want to import.

  1. If a password was assigned to the Outlook Data File (.pst), enter the password, and then click OK.
  2. If you're importing the contents of your .pst file into your Microsoft 365 mailbox, choose that mailbox here.

If you're NOT importing into your Microsoft 365 mailbox, choose Import items into the current folder. This imports the data into the folder currently selected.

To import your email, contacts, and calendar to your Office 365 mailbox, choose that mailbox here.

  1. Choose Finish. Outlook starts importing the contents of your .pst file immediately. When the progress box disappears, the import is finished.