How Do I Move Office Outlook Email Files to a New Computer?

Outlook email application

There could be several reasons why you would need to know how to move Outlook email files from one computer to another. You may want to sync your emails between your work and home computers. Or, you could have purchased a new computer and want to add your old email files to it so that they are handy. Whatever the reason, it is simple to export the email files from Microsoft Outlook, save them on a storage device and move them to a new computer.

Things You'll Need

• Storage media (Flash drive or CD-ROM)

Instructions

1. Click on the "Mail" tab to show your inbox inside of Outlook if it isn't already visible.

2. Click on "File" and then "Import and Export." The "Import and Export Wizard" will start.

3. Click on "Export to a file" before clicking "Next."

4. Click on "Personal Folder File (.pst)" as the file format to export the email messages too. This is the format used and recognized by Microsoft Outlook. Click "Next."

5. Click "Inbox" for the type of items you want to export. Click the checkbox next to "Include subfolders" so that any emails saved in folders you created can also be exported. Click "Next."

6. Click the "Browse" button next to "Save exported file as" to choose a location to save the exported file to. If you are using a flash drive, save the file right to the flash drive. If you are going to use a CD to transfer the file to the new computer, save the exported file to "My Documents" or another location that you can get to easily. Click "Finish."

7. Burn the file to the CD if that is what you are using as your storage media. Go to the folder containing the exported file, right click on it, point the mouse to "Send to" and then choose the driver for your CD burner. Follow the steps to burn the file to the CD.

8. Insert the storage media in the new computer and open up Microsoft Outlook.

9. Click "File > Open" to import the exported email file to Outlook. Choose the drive where the exported file is saved to, click on it and then click "Open." Outlook will import the emails into your inbox.

References

• "Microsoft Office Outlook 2007 Plain & Simple"; Jim Boyce; 2007
• "Microsoft Office Outlook 2003 Inside Out"; Jim Boyce; 2003