Moving Email from a .pst File to M365 Outlook

Overview

It is recommended that all employees utilize their Microsoft 365 account to store and manage email.  Employees should move away from the use of .pst files (personal files stored locally that saves outlook and exchange data).  These types of files can become corrupt and experience data loss when stored on network drives.  Moving to Microsoft 365 to manage and store this data allows you to access this information anywhere and is not tied to a specific computer.

Available To

Faculty and Staff

Procedure

Import a .pst File to Microsoft 365

  1. If you are currently working with .pst files that open in your Outlook desktop application, then you must close those before importing them.  To close the .pst file,
  • Right-click on the .pst in your folder list and choose Close Outlook Data File. 
  • Close Outlook to confirm that the .pst files are no longer connecting to the Outlook desktop application.
  1. Open Outlook.  In the left hand navigation, choose the email account where you want to store your ,pst files.  Right click on the email account and choose New Folder.   Name the folder with something associated with the .pst file.  

  2. While the new folder is selected within Outlook, go to File -> Open & Export.

  3. Select Import/Export.  Choose "Import from another program or file" and select Next.

  4. Select "Outlook Data File (.pst)" and click Next.

  5. Locate your .pst file within the explorer window, select it, and choose Open.

  6. You will be asked to allow, replace, or not all duplicate items.  Choose which option you would prefer and then select Next.

  7. To import the entire .pst file, select the top/main folder.  Select the checkbox "Include subfolders" and the option labeled "Import items into the current folder".  Select Finish.

  8. The emails and folders will start to show up within the new folder that you created.  After the import is complete if you need to move anything, you can drag and drop emails and folders to different locations.

You will now have access to these emails through Outlook regardless of the device you are using.

 

Moving Individual Folders from a .pst File to Microsoft 365

Users with a large .pst file, or those who wish to move individual folders can follow the steps outlined below.  

  1. Make sure your .pst file is opened.  If it is not, then select File -> Open & Export.  Choose Open Outlook Data File.

  2. Locate your .pst file within the explorer window, select it, and choose Open.

  3. In Outlook, under the Office 365 Folder list, right click on your email address and select New Folder.

  4. Name the new folder with a friendly name (such as the name of the pst file).

  5. In your folder list, locate the .pst file and right click on the folder that you want to move.

  6. Select Copy Folder.  In the next pop-up window, under 'Copy the selected folder to the folder:', select the folder in your Outlook mailbox that you created in step 4 (four).  Select OK.

  7. Repeat for each folder that you want to move.

  8. When finished, right click on the .pst folder name and choose Close 'Foldername'.
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