How to Export Office 365 Mailbox to PST with Top Solutions

Sometimes users want to keep a repository of Office 365 mailboxes on the local system. This can be for any reason, from taking a backup to security concerns. In either case, saving 0365 mailboxes on the system is best in the Outlook PST format. Thus, find free solutions and an Office 365 Migration Tool to export Office 365 mailbox to PST.

What is the Need to Export Microsoft 365 Mailbox to PST?

There are several reasons for which users store Office 365 mailboxes in PST file format. These are:

• When changing from one system to another, while switching profiles, conversion is needed.
• If you want to store a mailbox copy for documentation or other legal and archive tasks.
• Quickly access data and avoid server connectivity and internet issues with on-premises exchange.
• Backup is beneficial in case of file deletion, loss, or other issues on the cloud server.
• Office 365 to PST export helps when switching from a personal to a business account, or vice-versa.

Effective Techniques to Export Office 365 Mailbox to PST

To state, users can perform this task manually via eDiscovery or with a professional tool. If you are a techie, you can also choose an alternate manual solution i.e. using Powershell commands. We will explain each method briefly below. Look for the one that suits your requirements perfectly.

Manual Methods to Backup Office 365 Email to PST

Before proceeding, ensure you have an M365 admin account and respective permissions. Follow the methods as described here:

Method 1: Export Exchange Online Mailbox to PST with eDiscovery

1. Sign in to the Office 365 Admin Portal with your correct credentials.
2. Then, move to Security & Compliance >> Permissions >> and eDiscovery Manager.
3. Press Edit and check if your Admin account is on the list or not. 
4. If not, then, click Add and select your account to include it.
5. After that, from the left menu, click Search and choose Content Search.
6. In the opened window, press New Search >> later, Choose user, groups, or teams.
7. Ensure to add the Export role and yourself as the user. 
8. Provide a name and desired description for the search. Click Next.
9. Add the conditions if required. For a complete mailbox export, it is better to not apply any filtered conditions. Click Save.
10. Furthermore, move back to the Content Search window and select your created search.
11. Once the search completes, press Action and opt for Export Results.
12. Now, select other filters and customization options. Check that Enable deduplication is unchecked. Hit Export.
13. After the export is completed, click on Download Results. 
14. Scroll down to the bottom and press Copy to Clipboard for the Export Key.
15. Afterward, an eDiscovery Export Tool dialog pops up. Click Open to start the tool.
16. Here, paste the Export Key and click Browse for PST file location to save. Lastly, click Start to initiate the export process.

Method 2: Export Office 365 Mailbox to PST via Powershell

1. Firstly, run the command $UserCredential = Get-Credential. It will get Office 365 account credentials from the users.

2. Then, to create a new session in MS Exchange Server, run this command:

$Session = New-PSSession -ConfigurationName Microsoft.Exchange -ConnectionUri https://outlook.office365.com/powershell-liveid/ -Credential $UserCredential -Authentication Basic –AllowRedirection

3. Further, run the command Import-PSSession $Session to specify the process after connection.

4. Now, run the following command to provide rights to the user for mailbox export:

Add-MailboxPermission – User User Email ID -Identity Mailbox Email ID -AccessRights FullAccess -InheritanceType All

5. Afterward, connect to Exchange Online with these commands:

Connect-ExchangeOnline -UserPrincipalName (Admin Username) -ShowProgress $true

6. Run these commands to create and start the compliance search:

New-ComplianceSearch -Name MailboxExport -ExchangeLocation (Address of Mailbox to Export)

Start-ComplianceSearch -Identity MailboxExport

7. To check the status of your search, run the command Get-ComplianceSearch -Identity MailboxExport

8. At last, execute the given command to export the results into a PST file:

New-ComplianceSearchAction -SearchName MailboxExport -Export -Format PST

The manual methods to export PST from Office 365 webmail ends here.

Drawbacks of the Manual Method

• Powershell commands aren’t completely accurate and may have some missing elements.
• Both manual methods need high technical expertise for the correct execution of steps.
• No guarantee of data confidentiality and security and the risk is always present.
• You must use Internet Edge or MS Edge Browser to perform these methods.
• Creates duplicates and is also time-consuming for large and bulky mailboxes.

Dedicated Tool to Export Office 365 Mailbox to PST

Users can use the cost-free methods to export Office 365 mailboxes, but, it is troublesome. Therefore, we have a more efficient and easy solution, i.e., the Office 365 Migration Tool. This tool exports Office 365 mailboxes to a desired client or file format within seconds. You need not require any technical expertise or limit your mailbox size for the export. Additionally, it allows to remove duplicates, split PST, and offers many other features. Moreover, the tool runs on Windows OS and transfers data from all Office 365 mailboxes.

Steps to Export Microsoft 365 Mailbox to PST

1. Launch the Office 365 Migration Software and choose to Backup.
2. Sign In to your account with Modern Authentication by providing your email.
3. Further, select the mailboxes to export and the respective User IDs. Tap Next.
4. Choose PST file format from the drop-down menu in the next window. 
5. After that, pick the filters as needed and specify the destination for mailboxes.
6. Check for the fields to map (optional) and finally, press Convert.

Conclusion

To sum up, any user can easily export Office 365 mailbox to PST using a manual or professional technique. Both methods are described in brief above alongwith their benefits and limitations accordingly. The manual method is still a bit tiring and complex as compared to the professional tool. Therefore, use the tool for a hassle-free and time-saving export.

Frequently Asked Questions 

1. Can I export an Office 365 mailbox to Outlook PST?

Ans: Yes, you can. To backup Office 365 email to PST, follow these steps:

1. Run the Office 365 Migration Tool, choose Backup, and Sign In.
2. Select for the User ID and Mailboxes to export as PST. Tap Next.
3. Opt for the saving PST format and choose other filters.
4. At last, give the Save Path for Office 365 mailboxes and click Convert.

2. Is it possible to create a PST file from Office 365 Webmail?

Ans: Yes, you can create a PST file from M365 using any of these methods:

• eDiscovery from MS Exchange Admin Center
• Powershell cmdlets
• Office 365 Migration Tool

Also Read : Migrate Office 365 to Google Workspace.