Import PST to Outlook 2011 – Easy to Move
Overview
MS Outlook is the most used platform for emailing purpose-designed for Windows and Mac systems. The Windows MS Outlook stores their data in PST (Personal Storage File) file format while the Mac-based Outlook (Outlook 2011 & 2016) stores data in OLM (Outlook Mac) file. Both have different file formats that are accessible only on their respective systems. In order the access the data in Mac 2011, the PST file needs to be imported to the OLM file format. The blog will be discussing the way to import PST to Outlook 2011.
Need for Importing PST to Mac Outlook
The Outlook OLM file can be accessed only by Mac OS users, as this file is not supported by Windows Outlook. Similarly, the PST file associated with Windows Outlook cannot be accessed in Mac-based Outlook. People who need to switch or move from Windows Outlook to Mac Outlook system will have issues accessing their data, so they need to import their Outlook PST file to Mac Outlook OLM data to make it accessible on Mac System.
How to transfer Windows Outlook to Mac Outlook
The users of Windows Outlook can import & add their email messages, contacts, and other items into Mac Outlook by following the steps stated below:
- Copy the Outlook PST file from Windows system to Macintosh System where you want to import the PST to OLM file
- Open the Mac based Outlook email client and select the File menu, click Import
- A pop up window will be opened to begin the import process. Select Outlook Data File (.pst or .olm) radio button.
- Click the right arrow in the lower-right corner and choose the file type between PST or OLM file. Select Outlook for Windows data File (.pst) radio button.
- After clicking the right arrow, browse the location of the desired PST file which you need to move in Mac Outlook 2011, and select the file
- Click on Import button after selecting PST file. The import process will begin, which can be seen from the window showing progress
- Once the import process is completed, a window will be opened showing the successful completion of Import process.
- Once finished, click on Done button
- The imported contents of the PST file will have appeared in the navigation pane of Outlook 2011. Hence, data in a file can be accessed after importing PST from Windows to Mac Outlook OLM file.
It should be kept in mind that the PST file can be converted to an OLM file making it accessible in Mac Outlook. However, Outlook cannot export back to the PST file. So the original PST file should be kept in case of user need to access it from the Windows system in the future.
Conclusion
In the blog, we have discussed the two different file formats OLM and PST file supported by Outlook for Mac and Windows system respectively and the ways to import PST to Outlook 2011. It further explains the need of moving one file format (PST) to the Outlook 2011 application in order to make it accessible in different OS(Mac OSX). The way to transfer Windows Outlook Data File (PST) to Mac Outlook data (OLM) has been defined so that the PST file can be accessed in the Mac system.