Outlook Backup – Export and Import Data

Earlier versions of Outlook stored personal or local information such as personal contacts and calendars in a local .pst file residing on your computer.  That is not always the case with Outlook 2013\2016\2019.  All personal information such as contacts, notes, tasks, and personal calendars are stored on the server unless they are in a local store on the computer.    Even though Outlook 2013\2016\2019 personal information is stored on the server there may be times you wish to transfer your information from one email account to another.  This can be accomplished by exporting the information to a .pst (or other format) file and then import the file into the same or another account.  The procedures below can be used to backup/restore your Outlook information.  Before you  modify or delete Outlook profiles or email accounts, it is highly recommended that you backup any data you may need to an Outlook .pst file.

You may notice Outlook creates an .ost file on your local computer when in the caching mode.  The .ost file contains copies of the account’s server data on the local computer making it available when not connected to the server.  Once caching is turned off or an account is deleted in Outlook, the .ost file is no longer accessible–NEVER–even if the account is re-added to Outlook using the same parameters as was used to create the account in the first place.  So if you want to save information that is in an Outlook profile, export it to a .pst before removing or changing an account that is part of Outlook.

Export

  1. Open Outlook
  2. Click File
  3. Click Advanced
  4. Click Export
  5. Select “Export to a file” and click Next
  6. Select “Outlook Data File (.pst)” and click Next
  7. Select the folder you wish to export and check “Include subfolders“
  8. Click Next
  9. Under Save exported file as: click Browse…
  10. Navigate to the location you want to save the file and give it a file name
  11. Click OK
  12. Choose one of the Options or leave at the default
  13. Click Finish
  14. Click OK – password is optional

 

Import

  1. Open Outlook
  2. Click File
  3. Click Advanced
  4. Click Export
  5. Select “Import from another program or file” and click Next
  6. Select “Outlook Data File (.pst)” and click Next
  7. Under File to Import click Browse…
  8. Navigate to the file you want to import and double click it
  9. Choose the option you wish to use
  10. Click Next
  11. Under Select the folder to import from expand the folder and select the folder you wish to import
  12. Check the box Include subfolders
  13. Select the option to import the items into the current folder or into the same folder from which they were exported
  14. If you have more than one email account in Outlook, click the drop down and select the email account into which you wish to import the items
  15. Click Finish
  16. If requested, enter the password used to export the file