Download IMAP Emails to PST – Workarounds to Save Data Locally
Want to download IMAP emails to PST? Want a safe and secure approach to exporting your emails but have no clue which method to use?
Then, don’t worry. You have come to the right place. Here, we will explain a few facts about IMAP and the methods using which you can quickly and easily save your IMAP emails on your local system.
An interesting fact about IMAP is that emails are not automatically downloaded on computers. But, you can download/export them. To download IMAP emails to PST, you can use the Outlook application or a tried and tested software.
Quick Steps to Export IMAP to PST
Step 1. Download the below tool.
Step 2. Select the file format as PST.
Step 3. Choose the destination path where you want to save your emails.
Step 4. Finally, click on Start.
Let’s explore the methods in detail!
What Are the Methods to Download IMAP Emails to PST?
To export IMAP emails in PST, you can use 2 solutions:
2. Automated Approach to Export IMAP emails for Mac users
3. Export Feature of Outlook for Mac (Manual Approach)
These are the workarounds for this task that we will be explaining in detail. You can choose the method that is suitable for you and find out it’s working steps. Let’s start with the first one.
Technique 1: Import & Export Wizard of Outlook to Download IMAP Mail to PST
To make this method work, you should first have Outlook installed on your system. If not, install it and then configure your account, and wait for the synchronization to complete. Once the synchronization is completed, you can go through the given steps to perform the task:
1. Launch Outlook on your desktop and click on the File tab.
2. Hit Open & Export and go to the Import/Export option.
3. In the Import & Export Wizard, to download IMAP emails to PST, click on the Export to a file option and hit Next.
4. Choose the Outlook data file (.pst) and click on the Next button.
5. Select the folders you want to export and press Next.
6. Click on the Browse button to choose the location and tap Finish.
The data will be exported in the required format. Although, you might find some difficulties if there is data in bulk that you need to download.
Also, to export IMAP mail to PST, as soon as you configure your account, it takes time to synchronize it with the server and then export the emails.
Due to this, the procedure sometimes takes a lot of time and causes delays.
Technique 2: Automated Approach to Export IMAP Mail to PST for Mac users
If you want to save the data from your account, you can download the IMAP Email Backup Tool. The software is capable of downloading the entire data along with the associated attachments directly from the email client.
You can save your data not only in PST format but PDF, MBOX, EML, EMLX, MSG, TXT, & HTML. Moreover, it allows you to save your data as per a certain date range by applying the date filter, ensuring folder hierarchy maintenance.
Step by Step Procedure to Export IMAP Emails
6 quick and simple steps that you can follow to download IMAP emails to PST:
1. Download the tool and launch it. Choose your domain and enter the credentials, hit Login.
2. Select the Export Type as PST and click on the Advance Settings option.
3. Set the Date-Filter for selective migration and choose the size in PST Split Option.
4. Mark the Maintain Folder Hierarchy option to keep the folder structure the same.
5. Click on the Change button to set the destination path of the exported files.
6. Finally, press the Start Backup button to complete the task.
Technique 3: Download IMAP Emails to PST using the Export option in Outlook for Mac
If you are a Mac user and looking for manual solutions to export your IMAP emails in PST format then this is the section for you. As you know Mac Outlook exports emails in OLM file format by default. So, in order to download emails in PST, you need to follow the below steps.
Step 1. Configure your IMAP account in Outlook.
Step 2. Then, go through the given steps.
- Open Outlook >> Files >> Export.
- Select emails and other items.
- After that, select a destination path.
- Wait for the download process to complete.
Step 3. As you can see from the screenshot the emails are downloading in .olm format. So, you need to use the OLM to PST converter tool to finally download IMAP emails to PST.
The manual approach is very lengthy and clumsy. That’s why we recommend Mac users to go with the Technique 2 and use the tool instead.
Wrapping Up
Users are trying to export the IMAP data because IMAP settings create an OST file which is not a portable format. Professionals have recommended users move their data and save it on the local device in Outlook data file for safety reasons as well.
With the methods given in this write-up, you can easily learn how to download IMAP emails to PST as per your requirements. You have been given the choice to go for the method that suits you the best.
