Introduction: MS Outlook stands out as one of the most widely used email clients worldwide, and for good reason. Its impressive services and abundant features make it a top choice. Compared to other email clients, Outlook offers an extensive array of functionalities, which has led many users to migrate their data to Outlook PST. MBOX, on the other hand, is a versatile file format employed by several email clients, including Apple Mail, Entourage, Mozilla Thunderbird, and Eudora. However, for various reasons, users often seek to export their MBOX files to the PST file format.
This article provides comprehensive step-by-step methods for converting MBOX to PST, both manually and using a specialized MBOX to PST Converter.
Why do Users need to Import MBOX to Outlook?
Before we delve into the MBOX to PST conversion methods, it’s crucial to understand the advantages of PST over MBOX:
- Comparing MS Outlook to email applications that support the MBOX format, MS Outlook is more affordable and offers more capabilities.
- Unlike MBOX-based email applications, working with PST files does not require an internet connection.
- MBOX-based email applications are frequently thought to be less sophisticated, hence Outlook is the favored option for businesses.
- File locking problems with MBOX files might make it impossible for users to access their data.
- Being a Microsoft product, Outlook has more advanced security features than its rivals.
Let’s go to the following part, where we’ll look at how to convert MBOX files to PST files in Microsoft Outlook.
How to Convert MBOX to PST Files Manually?
Saving MBOX as EML, dragging EML files into Outlook, and exporting Outlook emails to PST are the three steps involved in manually converting MBOX files to PST.
Save the MBOX file as an EML first.
- Make a new folder in your MBOX email client by opening it.
- Give the folder a name and make it.
- To this new folder, transfer the relevant EML messages.
- Click “Save As” after selecting the emails to save them in EML format.
- Next, open Outlook and drag the EML files there.
- The EML files are located in a folder.
- Drag & drop each email into a different Outlook folder after selecting all of them.
Export Outlook Emails to PST Files in Stage 3
- To save the emails as a PST file, select File > Open & Export > Import/Export from the menu.
- To use the Import/Export wizard, select “Export to a file” and then continue.
- Choose “Outlook Data File (.pst)” and then click “Next.”
- Go to the EML files’ location in the folder by clicking “Next.”
- Choose choices, choose a location for the generated PST file, and then click “Finish” to finish the procedure.
Although the manual approach is less expensive, it has drawbacks, including the risk of data loss. A backup of your MBOX files is advised before trying manual conversion. Manually exporting Thunderbird MBOX files to Outlook has a number of limitations, which are discussed in more depth in the next section.
Cons of Importing MBOX Files Manually into Outlook
Using manual methods frequently has drawbacks, such as:
- Time-consuming and extensive.
- The initial folder hierarchy could be modified.
- Bulk MBOX file conversion is not possible.
- Possibility of picture loss or non-availability.
- Calls for technical expertise and in-depth understanding.
These restrictions make it clear that manual MBOX to PST conversion might be dangerous. Using WholeClear MBOX to PST Converter Software to open MBOX files in Outlook is frequently advised by experts. The majority of customers will find this automated solution to be a great choice because it guarantees data integrity and is quick and simple to use. Even file format conversions in other directions are supported. You can choose, but for a more trustworthy result, we suggest using the professional route.
Final Reflections:
We’ve covered three steps in this article’s discussion on how to convert MBOX to PST for free. We’ve also suggested an automatic method for a smoother translation because the manual option can be difficult and time-consuming. Depending on your degree of knowledge and how important data integrity is to you, you can choose between manual and professional procedures.
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