Exporting emails from Outlook is useful when you’re leaving a job, switching email providers, archiving old messages, or taking a backup before a migration. Outlook exports to a PST file — a single file that contains all your selected emails, folders, contacts, and calendar items. Here is how to do it.
Export Emails to a PST File (Outlook Desktop)
- Open Outlook and click File → Open & Export → Import/Export
- Select Export to a file and click Next
- Select Outlook Data File (.pst) and click Next
- Choose what to export:
- Select your email account name at the top to export everything
- Or select a specific folder (e.g. Inbox, Sent Items) to export just that
- Tick Include subfolders to capture folders within folders
- Click Next
- Choose where to save the PST file and click Finish
- Set a password if required (leave blank for no password) and click OK
The export runs in the background. For large mailboxes (10GB+) this can take 30–60 minutes.
What a PST File Contains
A PST file is a portable container for Outlook data. It can include:
- All email messages in the selected folders
- Calendar appointments and meetings
- Contacts
- Tasks and notes
- Folder structure
Attachments are included in the export — they’re embedded inside each email message in the PST.
Opening a PST File
To open a PST file in Outlook (on the same or a different PC):
- Click File → Open & Export → Open Outlook Data File
- Browse to the PST file and click Open
The PST appears as a separate mailbox in the left sidebar. You can drag emails from it into your main mailbox to import specific messages.
Exporting Specific Emails (Not Everything)
If you only want to export emails from a specific sender, date range, or with a specific subject, filter the emails first:
- Search or filter to show only the emails you want
- Select all (Ctrl+A) or select specific messages
- Drag them into a new folder you’ve created specifically for the export
- Export that folder only using the steps above
Exporting from Outlook on the Web
Outlook on the web doesn’t have a native export option. To export from a Microsoft 365 cloud mailbox, you have two options:
- Use Outlook desktop — connect the account to the desktop app and use the Import/Export wizard above
- Microsoft 365 admin eDiscovery — for business accounts, admins can export mailboxes from the Microsoft 365 compliance centre (requires appropriate admin permissions)
How Big Will the PST File Be?
Roughly the same size as your mailbox. Check your mailbox size in Outlook: File → Info → Mailbox Settings. A 5GB mailbox will produce approximately a 5GB PST file. Make sure you have enough space on the destination drive before exporting.
