Every Microsoft Outlook user occasionally required this situation to be handled ‘How to copy Microsoft outlook emails to external hard drive‘.
Why? There are a few reasons:
- For the backup purpose “How to save multiple emails in Outlook”
- Formatting your system required your outlook behavior as before.
- Transferring/Migrating all your emails to another operating system/workstation.
- The merger of two email accounts.
Whether you are using Outlook for business or personal purposes, it is necessary for you to back up Outlook emails regularly. If you are looking for a way to back up Outlook emails to a hard drive, here are a few ways available [step-by-step guide]:
How to Export [.ost/ .pst] file from Outlook Email Application?
These technical words sound really difficult to understand, but this step-by-step process leads you to understand how to (move outlook emails to a hard drive) it is easy like cutting butter with a sharp knife.
You can use this technic without having any automated and efficient tool. Microsoft Outlook Import Export Wizard to export the data itself.
- Step 1 – As you have already understood, in order to save valuable data from any kind of data loss, data deletion, or data theft regular backup is mandatory. Click the File tab on the left-hand corner of the outlook screen.
- Step 2 – In the second step you have to reach the popup box which asks you to export or import your file, but here first we understand export. You will also learn how we import the same file to another workstation to get it started once again. The dialog box appears like this.
- There are two ways to reach this box. You will understand by (Option A & Option B).
# Option A – After Click File tab >> Open & Export >> Click Import/Export
# Option B – After Click File tab >> Options >> Advance >> Export
In both the options Import and Export wizard popup appears mentioned in Step 2.
- Step 3 – Select Outlook Data File (.pst) and click Next.
- Step 4 – Select the outlook data file (.pst) and click Next.
- Step 5 – In order to transfer outlook emails to the hard drive, choose Inbox to export for complete data, if you want some specific folders select accordingly.
Note: The Filter option available in ‘Export Outlook Data File’ is an outstanding feature, it allows the user to create criteria and optional selection while copying your data.
- Step 6 – After clicking next, you have to browse the file, where you want to save, there are three options also available 1) Replace duplicates with items exported 2) Allow duplicate items to be created 3) Do not export duplicate items.
- Step 7 – This processor finally asks you to create a password.
- Step 8 – If you are creating a new Outlook Data File (.pst), an optional password can help protect the file. When the Create Outlook Data File dialog box appears, enter the password in the Password and Verify Password boxes, and then choose OK. In the Outlook Data File Password dialog box, enter the password, then choose OK.
- You can check the file where the copy is saved on your hard drive, that file can be used to transport user data to another workstation.
How to Export Outlook Emails?
- Click on the Start button >> Run.
- Type Control Panel to open it.
- Click User Account under the control panel Dialog box.
- Select your account.
- Select the Mail option and double-click it to open.
- The next step is to click the Show Profiles option.
- Select the Outlook profile you wish to move your data from and click Properties. Click on Data Files.
- You can back up .pst file by clicking on the Personal Folders Service option.
- Click on Settings and check out the location of the .pst file.
- Finally, you get the location all you have to do is copy the .pst file to any location of your computer.
Copy Outlook Data File [.ost/ .pst] to Hard Drive manually
You can follow the below steps to find the location of Outlook emails on your PC and manually copy them. The only drawback is those files contain complete email data, if you want to copy using the filter or some specific data, you have to follow the above steps.
In this method, users need to copy the Outlook data manually from its default location and then transfer it to any other internal or external location.
Follow the step:
Here is the detailed instruction on how to transfer Microsoft Outlook email to a hard drive.
- Step 1 – Step 1 is the beginning of finding your location where all your outlook mail already exists. Click to file tab >> Account Settings.
- Step 2 – Click on Data Files and you can find the exact location of your Outlook data file on your system.
- Step 3 – Now select which email address you want to save from multiple Outlook Emails to Hard Drive and click open file location.
- Last step – Once you reach the data file location, all you have to do is copy the file (.pst or .ost) anywhere you want as a backup.
Microsoft Outlook develops two great methods for finding and copying all your data or part thereof as a backup. I never recommend any software to solve these tiny issues in outlook. Both the ways above are efficient ways to backup Outlook data File OST.
Every user has a doubt When Outlook exports email and other information and makes a copy of the information. Is there any change in the existing outlook working or data? The answers are NO, nothing leaves Outlook. You can still see and have access to your email.
Now you are halfway down, for the purpose of importing your data to other desktops, laptops, or workstations, the same [.pst or .ost] is required to import into the new system or Outlook.
Final Words
In this blog, we have covered both manual and automated ways. Easy movements of data from one computer system to another computer system are the backbone of information technology in the recent era.
I personally use these tricks when I want to save Outlook emails to the hard drive while changing their company or for backup purposes.
There must be a lot of contact in the company email address when the company revoked it as soon as you resign from the company, but that gold of mine is useful for every employee for the next Job.
Using any of these methods, users can easily export their Outlook data. Always make a backup of your valuable email data.
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