Can Outlook Import MBOX Files? Best Answer
Can Outlook import MBOX files, and if yes how…? Let’s delve deeper into this query with this helpful blog post. Here we will explain whether it is possible to import MBOX to Outlook, and what are the correct procedures. So, let’s start with this post.
MBOX is a universal file format used to archive and backup emails. Although MBOX is compatible with many email applications for Windows and macOS, it is not supported by Outlook. Microsoft Outlook provides native support for multiple file formats. But its default format for storing data is basically PST.
Why Is It Useful to Import .mbox File into Outlook?
- Microsoft Outlook offers advanced and powerful user interface to exchange emails. It allows to manage multiple accounts with Outlook, including Exchange, Office 365, Gmail, and more.
- You can configure Outlook to work offline to access and manage your emails, and calendar without an internet connection. You may later make changes when you reconnect.
- Best of all, Outlook is the only email client that offers anti-spam protection for all spam emails.
- Also, it provides a password protection service to encrypt e-mail communications to prevent hackers and spammers from sending e-mail. MS Outlook has a calendar function that enables users to record notes, organize events and tasks, among other things.
These are some of the Outlook features due to which users needs to perform this data transfer process. Now let’s get back to our main topic that is how to import MBOX file to Outlook. Kindly discover all the manually and professional solutions below.
Can Outlook Import MBOX Files?
Well, it is not possible for Outlook to add MBOX files directly due to compatibility issue. However, there are alternative ways in which we can achieve this. You can do it manually or with the expert utility. The manually process is a multi-steps process and involve using an alternate email application such as Thunderbird. With the manual process, you need to follow the following stages:
- Configure email account on device
- Install extension and import MBOX files
- Export MBOX file to Outlook data file
Alternatively, you can take advantage of a specialized utility, which is time-efficient and allows you to import MBOX extension file to Outlook directly in easy steps. Let’s explore both methods in detail below.
How to Manually Import MBOX to Outlook
- Download, install and setup Thunderbird client on your computer.
- Now, open email app and configure your email profile in it like Gmail and Yahoo.
Once you’ve setup your email account, you’ll need to import MBOX files into Thunderbird.
- Click “Tool” and go to “Import”
- Now, select “Mail” and click “Next”
- Go to “Select a mail folder to import from” and click the “Browse” button to access the location of your MBOX file.
- Now, select all the MBOX files you want to import and press “Open“.
- Select or create a new folder where you want to import MBOX files.
- You can right click Local Folder >> New Folder >> Next to create a new folder.
- Finally, check your import settings and click Finish.
The account will start importing your MBOX files. Once you are done with this stage, you need to move to the next stage, where you need to convert MBOX to EML – an Outlook compatible file format. Please follow the following steps
- Go to the Tools menu and click Add-ons.
- Search for “ImportExportTools” and install
- Then restart
- Right-click the MBOX folder that you imported into Thunderbird in the previous step.
- Choose “ImportExportTools” then “Export Folder“.
- Select “Export all messages in the folder” and choose a location to save the EML file.
Once you have completed this second stage, you need to move on to the next and final stage. Here, you need to import EML to Outlook finally. Follow the process below.
- Open Microsoft Outlook
- Create a new folder to import all EML files.
- Now, just drag and drop all the files into the newly created folder in Outlook.
So, that is how you may import MBOX to Outlook using manual method. However, this manual method have some limitations, that you must review.
Limitations of the Manual Method
- The manual method involves using the email application to add MBOX file in Outlook.
- The procedure is very long and time consuming.
- You may encounter an error when manually importing large MBOX files into Outlook.
To overcome all these limitations and make the data export procedure easier for you, we recommend that you try the expert utility that we have mentioned below.
An Expert Method to Integrate MBOX with Outlook
4n6 MBOX Converter is the best way to import MBOX file into Outlook. The application can convert unlimited numbers of MBOX files/folders into Outlook in a single procedure with all attachments and other email metadata. It is safe to use tool that maintains the data integrity during the migration procedure.
Once you convert all MBOX files to PST using the tool, you can manually import them into any version of Outlook without any problem. This tool is worth your time and effort and saves you from manual settings. You can download and use the tool for free using the button above.
Why Must You Use Expert Method over Manual?
- This software can add MBOX archive to Outlook from Gmail, Apple Mail etc.
- Allows you to add MBOX email to Outlook with all attachments, headers etc.
- No need to setup additional email client to import MBOX to Outlook.
- Compatible with all latest or older versions of Windows operating systems
- The software has no file size restrictions for the conversion process.
- Allows you to export individual or batch MBOX files to Outlook data file.
- Maintains data integrity during converting MBOX files into Outlook Account.
- A freeware demo version is available for testing this software capability first.
- Additionally, it allows you to export MBOX files to PDF EML, HTML etc.
In Conclusion
Transferring from one email client to another is always a laborious task. An incorrectly done data conversion can result in serious problems, including data loss and complete corruption. As a pioneer, 4n6 Software has developed such a powerful solution that it will help users to import MBOX to Outlook on Windows. We have offered you both manual and professional solution. Choose your preferred one.
