How to Export IMAP to PST Using MS Outlook

Written By Kiran Sharma
Updated on June 23rd, 2023

Summary: Are you in search of a reliable approach to Export IMAP to PST? In this blog, we will discuss some recommended methods to export IMAP mailbox to PST (Personal Storage Table) format. We will discuss the manual method to perform the migration process. We will also discuss the professional IMAP Backup Tool for a quick backing up process.

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IMAP (Internet Message Access Protocol) is widely used by email services like Gmail, Yahoo, Outlook, etc. The IMAP when configured with Outlook save the mailbox data in the OST file format. However, OST files are prone to corruption and are not easily portable. Therefore, users want to convert IMAP emails to Outlook PST as PST files provide better data security and are easy to share with others. Before moving further, let’s understand some of the other reasons why users want to export IMAP emails to the PST file format.

Table of Contents

Why There is a Need to Backup IMAP Emails?

When users enable the IMAP option in the Outlook account, it stores the copy of the IMAP mailboxes in the OST file format. However, if the OST files get corrupted or accidentally removed, users might not be able to access the IMAP data. Therefore, many users want to backup IMAP email to PST as PST files are easy to access.

Manual Approach to Convert IMAP to PST

To export the IMAP mailbox to PST file format manually, the user needs to install the Microsoft Outlook application in the system and configure IMAP with their Outlook account. After configuring the IMAP with Outlook PST follow the steps provided below.

Open the MS Outlook Application on your device.
Go to the File menu option and click on Open & Export.

open & export

Now, click on the Import & Export option and select Export to File action.
After that, choose the Outlook data file (.pst) and click the Next button.
Select the IMAP folders that you want to import and hit Next.

imap folders

Click the Browse button and choose the desired location to save the file.
Finally, tap on the Finish button to save IMAP data to PST.

This is the manual approach to backup IMAP email to PST. However, there are several limitations while using this manual technique.

What are the Limitations of the Manual Approach?

Here are the most common drawbacks of performing the manual approach.

This method helps to backup a single IMAP mailbox at a time.
It is a lengthy and time-consuming process.
Users need good technical knowledge to perform the process.
There is a high risk of data loss while performing the manual process.

Many experts avoid using the manual approach to export IMAP to PST due to the above limitations. Users can go with the alternative solution i.e., the IMAP Backup Tool to perform the migration process easily.

Alternative Solution to Export IMAP to PST

The professional IMAP Mail Backup Tool is one of the best methods to export IMAP mailboxes to PST, PDF, MSG, MBOX, etc. This method preserves the data structure and prevents any data loss. It also facilitates users to export IMAP emails of specific dates. This tool provides 100 % accurate results in less time. It maintains the data structure throughout the migration process.

Salient Features of the IMAP Backup Tool

This tool helps to migrate IMAP to Google Workspace, Gmail, Office 365, PST, EML, PDF, MBOX, DOC, etc.
It skips the identical emails from the migration process.
This tool enables the migration of selective emails of the desired dates.
Users can opt to save the save attachments separately while performing the migration process.
It has a user-friendly interface that makes it easy to use by both technical and non-technical users.

Conclusion

In this blog above, we have discussed the recommended tricks to export IMAP to PST using Outlook. We have shared the manual and the professional solution to perform the migration process. The manual methods have several drawbacks and can risk your data. Therefore, many tech experts prefer using the automated solution to performing the task hassle free and in less time.

About The Author:

Kiran Sharma

I am Kiran Sharma, a Technical Expert in Content writing. I have technical expertise in the field of Email Backup, Data Recovery, and Email Migration, and resolve technical queries related to Cloud Backup or Email Migration for individuals and businesses.