Search our ENTIRE knowledgebase

This guide shows how to backup/export emails, contacts and calendars in Outlook.

When should I export (backup) from Outlook to a .pst file?

• If you want to copy emails from one email account to another, i.e. john@exampledomain.org to john@differentdomain.org.
• If you want to make a backup of your emails, contacts and calendars to download to your local machine or to an external unit, like a USB-drive, or a cloud storage solution.
• If you want to set the email account up on a different PC/Mac and also transfer all the content (emails, contacts and calendars).
• You want to move the email service from one provider to another.

The guide assumes that Outlook is open on your PC/Mac.

Step 1:
Click "File" on the ribbon-bar at the top of your Outlook window, as shown below:

Step 2:

1. Click "Open & Export" in the menu to the left.
2. Click "Import/Export".

Step 3:

1. Choose "Export to a file".
2. Click "Next".

Step 4:

1. Choose "Outlook Data File (.pst)".
2. Click "Next".

Step 5:

1. Choose the email address you wich to back up in the list. You can only back up one email address at a time.
2. Click "Next".

Step 6:

1. Input the name you wish to use for the file. We recommend changing it from "backup" to the name of the user, in this case "john".
2. If you are using the same name as a .pst file that's already present, the choices will determine what is done with the content in the old file.
3. Click "Finish".

Step 7:
Before the backup starts, you will get a choice whether or not to password protect the .pst file.In this example, we have chosen not to password protect the file.
Click "OK" to start the backup process.

Finished
We have now been through how to back up and export emails, contacts and calendars in Outlook.
The .pst file will normally be located in the folder "Outlook-Files", and the path to the folder will usually look like this:
C:\\Users\\username\\Documents\\Outlook-Files

Check out our guide for importing emails, contacts and calendars in Outlook.