Importing and exporting

Import email

Choose Import email... from a folder's right-click menu or Settings > Accounts. Pick the files - .pst, .ost, .mbox or .eml, or a whole folder of .eml files - and the folder they go into. Big mailboxes are fine.

• Emails already in the folder are skipped (matched on their Message-ID), so importing twice doesn't make copies.
• Progress shows as it goes, with Cancel. You can close the window: the import carries on and a summary appears at the end.

PST and OST files

Choose one .pst or .ost file on its own. Mail reads its folders and shows each with its count: tick the ones you want. Import into matching folders puts them in a new folder called "Imported - <file name>"; or import everything into one folder.

• Calendar items, contacts, tasks and notes aren't email, so they're left out - the summary says how many.
• Close any program that has the file open first. Password-protected .pst files open too.
• Original dates, read state, attachments and attached emails come across.

Where imported email goes

On an IMAP account, imported email is copied to your mail server, so you'll see it on your phone and webmail too. On a POP3 account it's kept on this PC.

• In Microsoft 365 mode imports arrive as received mail with their original dates. An email with a single attachment over 3 MB arrives as a draft instead; the summary counts these.

ExportPRO

Export folder to .mbox and Export folder as .eml files (a folder's right-click menu), and Save as .eml for one email, keep a copy of your mail or move it to another app.