Mac Outlook and Windows Outlook offer a similar UX and UI. However, there is one major difference between the two- in Mac Outlook, the mailbox data is exported/imported in OLM format. While in Mac Outlook, the mailbox data is exported/imported in PST format. So, if you are migrating from Mac to Windows, you need to convert OLM to PST.
You can convert OLM files to PST two ways. One is to convert OLM to PST manually, which is how you can convert for free. The other way is to use a third-party tool to convert the data directly.
Method to Convert OLM to PST for Free [Manual Method]
In this method, you don’t need to convert the OLM file. You can directly export Mac Outlook data to Windows Outlook by following the steps below:
Note: This method is time-consuming and prone to errors/data corruption, especially if your mailbox is large-sized. If you want a simpler and faster solution, jump to the direct (software-based) method in the next section.
Setup IMAP Server Account in Gmail
First, you need to set up an IMAP account in Gmail by following these steps:
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- Create a new Gmail account or log in to an existing account.
- Go to Settings and open the Forward and POP/IMAP
- In the IMAP access section, make sure that Enable IMAP option is selected.
- Setup IMAP Account in Outlook for Mac
- Launch Outlook for Mac. Click the Outlook button on the top-left of the UI and click Preferences in the options.
- Under Personal Settings, click Accounts to open the Accounts
- Click the “+” icon at the bottom, and then select New Account from the menu.
- Enter your Gmail account, password, and other details to set up the account.
- After the Gmail account is set up, locate and right-click on the INBOX folder in the left pane. Select New Folder in the menu and provide a name for the folder (here, we’re choosing the name “OLM to PST”).
- Move Mac Outlook Emails to Gmail
- Select the folders in Mac Outlook that you want to transfer. Then drag and drop these folders on the OLM to PST
After this step, all your Mac Outlook emails will be synced with the Gmail inbox.
Export Gmail Data to PST
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At this step, you need to set up the same Gmail account you used earlier in Windows Outlook to download Mac Outlook emails to it. To do that, follow these steps:
- Launch Windows Outlook and go to File > Add Account. Enter your Gmail credentials and other details to set up the account.
- After the account is set up, Outlook will download the emails from the Gmail mailbox.
- Once all emails are downloaded, you can export them to a PST file using Outlook’s Import and Export Wizard.
For more methods click here
Direct Method to Convert OLM to PST
The method we discussed above is to convert OLM to PST manually. It’s not a direct method as you have to create Gmail account and use it as a carrier to transfer the emails from OLM to PST. If you want to convert directly, you need to use a third-party OLM to PST converter tool, such as Stellar Converter for OLM.
To make it easier for you to decide which method is better for you, we have shared a comparison table below.
| Features | Manual Method | Direct Method |
| Time-saving | No | Yes |
| Risk of human error and corruption | No | Yes |
| Direct Export to Office 365 | No | Yes |
| Save data in PDF, HTML, RTF, etc. | No | Yes |
| Advanced filters for selective conversion | No | Yes |
| OLM file preview | No | Yes |
| Convert OLM to PST free | Yes | No |
Table 1: Manual Method Vs. Direct Method
To convert OLM to PST with the software, follow these steps:
- Download and install the OLM to PST converter software on your system.
- Launch the software. In the Select OLM File window, click Browse and locate the OLM file on your system. If you don’t know the location, click Find and provide the folder where you want the software to find the file for you.
- Click Convert to begin the file conversion process. Once the process is finished, the software will display the contents of the file.
- Preview the contents and select the folders/items you want to convert to PST.
- Click Save Converted Mailbox button under the Home In the file format window that opens, select PST and click Next.
- In the next window, provide a folder where you want to save the PST file and select the option Save as a new Outlook PST File. Then click Save.
Note: If you want to perform selective conversion, click Apply Filter button at the bottom.
- Wait for the software to save the file. Once the file is saved, it will notify you.
This method is faster and safer than the manual method. It’s also the only method to convert OLM to PST directly.
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Conclusion
If you want to learn how to convert OLM to PST for free, you can apply the IMAP mailbox method we discussed in this post. However, for many users, this method is unsuitable. This is because there’s a risk of data loss and human error in this method. Additionally, you would need a fast network connection to finish the migration in a short period. Thus, a better option for all users is to use the dedicated OLM to PST converter software. This software will convert OLM to PST directly in less time, and there is no risk of data loss either. For more details, click here.
