Back up your Outlook email

If you want to back up the message folders locally, you can export the items to a .pst file that you can restore later as needed and use by importing to another email program.

Relevant to: faculty, staff, and students

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Back up your email

  1. Select File > Open & Export > Import/Export.
    File Export
     
  2. Select Export to a file, and then select Next.
    Export File
     
  3. Select Export to a file, and then select Next.
    Export to data file
     
  4. Select Outlook Data File (.pst), and select Next.
    Email folders
     
  5. Select the mail folder you want to back up and select Next.
    PST location
     
  6. Choose a location and name for your backup file, and then select Finish.
     
  7. If you want to ensure no one has access to your files, enter and confirm a password, and then select OK.
    The messages that you keep in a .pst file are no different from other messages. You can forward, reply, or search through the stored messages as you do with other messages.
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