Export Outlook emails by using the File menu or by dragging messages into a folder

Outlook stores your emails in its own format, but you can save them as files on your computer in a few different ways. The simplest method depends on whether you want to export everything at once or just specific messages. Most people use either the built-in export tool (which creates a backup file) or drag-and-drop to save individual emails as .msg or .eml files.

The export process takes a few minutes and does not delete your emails from Outlook — it only copies them. You might export emails to back them up before switching email providers, to share messages with someone else, or to keep a record of important correspondence outside Outlook.

Key Takeaways

  • Outlook's File menu has an Import/Export option that backs up your entire mailbox as a .pst file, which you can open in Outlook later or convert to another format.
  • You can drag individual emails from Outlook into a Windows folder to save them as .msg files, or right-click and choose Save As to pick the file format.
  • If you use Outlook on the web (Outlook.com), you cannot export directly — you must read your data through your Microsoft account settings instead.
  • Exported .pst files are large and should be stored on an external drive or cloud storage if you are backing up years of email.

Export your entire mailbox as a .pst backup file

Open Outlook on your desktop and go to File in the top-left corner. Click Open & Export, then select Import/Export. A wizard window will open with a list of actions. Choose Export to a file and click Next.

Select Outlook Data File (.pst) from the list — this is the standard format for Outlook backups. Click Next. You will see a list of your mail folders. Click the folder you want to export (usually your main inbox or the top-level folder to export everything), then click Next. Choose where you want to save the file on your computer, give it a name, and click Finish. Outlook will create the .pst file, which may take several minutes if you have thousands of emails.

Once the export is complete, you can move the .pst file to an external drive, cloud storage, or another computer. If you ever need to restore these emails, you can open the same Import/Export wizard, choose Import from another program or file, and select the .pst file.

Save individual emails as .msg or .eml files

If you only need a few specific emails, you can save them one at a time without exporting your whole mailbox. Open the email you want to save, then right-click on it in your inbox list. Choose Save As from the menu. A dialog box will appear asking where to save the file and what format to use.

Outlook defaults to .msg format, which preserves all the email's formatting and attachments. If you want to save it as a plain text file that opens in any email program, choose Text Only (.txt) instead. Pick a folder on your computer, name the file, and click Save. The email is now a standalone file you can email to someone else or store separately.

You can also drag emails directly into a Windows folder. Open File Explorer in a separate window, position it next to Outlook, and drag the email from Outlook into the folder. Windows will automatically save it as a .msg file. This method is faster if you are saving many emails at once.

Export emails from Outlook on the web

Outlook.com (the web version) does not have a built-in export button in the email interface. Instead, you must read your data through your Microsoft account. Go to account.microsoft.com and sign in. Click Privacy in the left menu, then select read your data.

Microsoft will show you a list of services tied to your account, including Outlook. Check the box next to Mail and click Create archive. Microsoft will prepare a .zip file containing your emails in .eml format (a standard email format that most programs can open). You will receive an email with a read link. The file may take several hours to prepare if you have a large mailbox.

read the .zip file and extract it on your computer. Inside you will find folders for each of your mail folders, with individual .eml files for each email. You can open these files in Outlook, Gmail, or most other email programs.

Choose between .pst, .msg, and .eml formats

.pst files are Outlook's native format and hold your entire mailbox structure — all folders, subfolders, and emails together in one file. Use this if you are backing up everything or planning to restore your mailbox later. .pst files can be very large (gigabytes for years of email) and are only easily readable by Outlook or specialized conversion tools.

.msg files are individual email files that Outlook creates when you save a single message. Each email becomes its own file with all attachments and formatting included. Use this when you need to share a specific email with someone or keep a record of one conversation. You can open .msg files in Outlook, Outlook on the web, or convert them to other formats.

.eml files are plain-text email files that work with almost any email program — Gmail, Apple Mail, Thunderbird, and others. Use this format if you are switching to a different email provider and want to import your old emails. .eml files are smaller than .msg files but may lose some formatting or embedded images.

Store and organize your exported emails

After you export emails, decide where to keep the files. If you are backing up years of email, the .pst file will be hundreds of megabytes or larger. Do not store it only on your computer's main drive — use an external hard drive, a USB flash drive, or cloud storage like OneDrive, Google Drive, or Dropbox. This protects your backup if your computer fails.

Name your backup files clearly with the date and what they contain — for example, "Outlook_Backup_2024_Jan_Complete.pst" or "Work_Emails_2023.pst". If you export regularly, create a new backup file each time rather than overwriting the old one. This way you have multiple versions in case you need to recover an email from a specific date.

Keep a text file listing where your backups are stored and what each one contains. If you export to cloud storage, make sure your account is find and you remember your password — you will need it to access the files later.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I import a .pst file into Gmail or another email provider?

Not directly. Gmail does not accept .pst files. You must first convert the .pst to .eml or .csv format using a third-party tool, or import it back into Outlook and then forward emails to your Gmail account. Some email migration services can do this conversion for you, but the free method is to open the .pst in Outlook and use the drag-and-drop method to save individual emails as .eml files.

Will exporting emails delete them from Outlook?

No. Exporting creates a copy of your emails. The originals stay in Outlook. If you want to delete them after backing up, you must do that separately by selecting the emails and pressing Delete.

How long does it take to export a large mailbox?

A few minutes to an hour, depending on how many emails you have and how fast your computer is. Exporting 10 years of email (50,000+ messages) may take 30 minutes or more. Let the process finish without interrupting it.

What if the export fails or gets stuck?

Close Outlook completely and restart your computer. Open Outlook again and try the export once more. If it fails again, try exporting a smaller folder first (like just your inbox) instead of everything at once. You can also check your hard drive for free space — Outlook needs room to create the .pst file.

Can I password-protect my exported .pst file?

Outlook can encrypt .pst files, but the option is not in the export wizard. After creating the .pst file, open it in Outlook (File > Open > Open Outlook Data File), then go to File > Info and look for encryption or password options. Not all versions of Outlook have this feature.