People use many methods to keep a copy of their Outlook emails. In this article, we are running through a dozen of them on how to backup Outlook emails. Some are quick manual steps you can do right inside Outlook. Others are automated tools that work quietly in the background. We will also point out a few troubleshooting tricks, some habits that help avoid problems, and where specialist software like MSP360 fits in compared to the tools Outlook already gives you.
As we know, Outlook keeps your messages in the cloud by default. That’s convenient, but it doesn’t make them immune to loss. Files still disappear for all kinds of reasons: a ransomware infection, human errors when someone just deletes the wrong folder.
Microsoft’s own numbers are eye-opening. They deal with something like 600 million cyberattacks every single day. Any one of those could result in damaged or missing mail. On top of that, surveys show about 4 out of 10 Microsoft 365 users have had issues with lost data or corrupted PST files. The bottom line: just because your emails live in Microsoft’s cloud doesn’t mean they’re guaranteed safe.
How to Backup Outlook emails: What you need to know
Numbers like these make the case for Outlook backups on their own. If service access is lost or messages are permanently removed, you need a recovery plan that lets you restore both emails and their metadata. Without it, an outage or data-wiping event can leave you with nothing to bring back.
To Backup Outlook emails isn’t just something you think about after a crash or outage. In quite a few industries, there are actually rules that say you must keep copies of messages safe from things like hacking, someone deleting them by mistake, or a server going bad. On top of that, the same rules might spell out exactly how long you’re supposed to hold onto those copies. The NIST cybersecurity framework, which a lot of IT teams treat as a go-to checklist, also points out that you should keep backups of your email, even if every single message already lives in the cloud.
Microsoft operates under a shared responsibility model. While they handle the platform’s infrastructure and core services, safeguarding the data inside your account is your job. If an employee with the wrong intentions deletes years of archived messages, Microsoft won’t restore them for you. The only defense in that scenario is a tested Outlook backup strategy that you control.
How to backup Outlook emails: Top 12 Methods
The good news for organizations seeking to develop an Outlook email data protection plan is that there are many ways to backup Outlook emails. The bad news is that, with so many options available, it can be tough to select the right one for your organization.
If that’s the challenge you face, read on. This section discusses twelve leading Outlook backup techniques, explaining the pros and cons of each.
Manual Backup Methods for Outlook Desktop:
Export Outlook Emails to PST file
Plenty of people still use Outlook’s Import/Export tool when they want a copy of their mailbox. If you want to try it, open Outlook and head to the File tab. From there, go to Open & Export, then hit Import/Export. In the list that pops up, pick Export to a file and choose Outlook Data File (.pst) as the format.
Now mark the folders you want, tick the subfolders box if you don’t want to miss anything, and decide where the file should live. That could be on your desktop, a shared network folder, or anywhere you can get to easily. If it’s sensitive, add a password before you finish.
The nice thing is that this trick works with every Outlook version since 2007, even though the buttons may be in slightly different spots. One of the most significant minuses is that it’s all on you to run it. There’s no automation, no incremental saves. You’ll also have to store that file somewhere safe and remember to update it regularly.
Use AutoArchive to Store Emails Locally
Some Outlook users let AutoArchive take care of older mail, quietly shifting messages into their own PST file once they’ve been sitting around for a while. Setting it up isn’t hard — open Outlook, click File, then Options, move into the Advanced section, and open AutoArchive Settings. You can decide how often it should run, which folders to sweep through, and where that archive ends up.
Note: Outlook for Mac doesn’t support the AutoArchive feature.
It’s handy if you just want to stop your mailbox from getting stuffed, while still holding on to the paper trail of older conversations. But keep in mind, this isn’t really a disaster-proof backup. If the PST gets corrupted or you delete it by accident, those emails are gone for good. That’s why many people make a second copy of the archive and stash it somewhere safe — just in case.
Backup Outlook Emails Using Drag-and-Drop
You can backup Outlook emails and messages by simply dragging them into a folder on your computer. Each one is saved as its own .msg file, and the method works on both Windows and Mac. It is quick, requires no special tools, and is easy for anyone to do.[
Drag-and-Drop method has clear limitations, the folder structure is lost, there is no way to automate it, and restoring the emails is not straightforward. It is a practical option when you only need to keep a few important messages, but not for backing up an entire mailbox.
Export Outlook Emails to Microsoft Excel
Using the Import/Export wizard (described in Method 1), you can export email metadata to an Excel or CSV file. This typically includes sender, subject, date, and other fields.
It is useful for audits, compliance reviews, or communication tracking. However, it does not backup email content or attachments, so it does not work for full recovery scenarios. It's a good supplement, not a standalone backup.
Backup Outlook Emails on Mac (.olm)
On a Mac, you can export Outlook data to an .olm file by going to Tools and selecting Export. This file can include emails, calendar events, contacts, and other items. To restore, import the .olm file into Outlook on another Mac.
In the Outlook menu bar, go to File > Export
In the Export window, choose what you want to back up: Mail, Contacts, Calendar, Tasks, and Notes.
Click Continue, choose a location to save the file and give it a name and click Save.
This is the primary manual backup method for Mac users. It works well, but it is static, meaning you need to run it periodically to stay current. Also, .olm files do not work with Windows Outlook, which limits their portability.
Backup by Manually Copying the PST file
Outlook stores PST files under Account Settings, Data Files or in the AppData folder. Close Outlook first, then copy the files manually to avoid corruption.
Outlook > File > Account Settings
Under the Data Files tab, find the path to your PST file.
Copy the PST file to a backup location:
- Use File Explorer to navigate to the file path.
- Right-click the .pst file > select Copy.
- Paste it into an external drive, cloud storage, or another folder
It preserves most Outlook metadata and settings and is suitable for transferring user profiles between systems. However, it must be done manually, and the copied file won't include changes made since the last copy. Also, using PST files for active mail storage can increase the risk of corruption.
Web-Based Backup Options:
Backup Emails from Outlook.com
If you use Outlook.com (the browser-based version of Outlook) you can still grab a copy of your mailbox. Microsoft offers this through its Privacy Dashboard, where you can place a request for your data. It might take a few days before it’s ready for download.
Go to Outlook.com and sign in.
Open the email you want to back up.
Click the three dots (more actions) > Choose Print.
In the print window, select Save as PDF.
Save the email to your computer as a PDF file.
This works well when you want a full snapshot of what’s stored online, but it’s not great for quick or selective backups. Another way around it is to hook your Outlook.com account into the desktop version of Outlook using IMAP or, less commonly these days, POP. That way, you can run a normal PST export on your own machine. Just be aware that IMAP skips certain metadata, and POP is an older protocol that most people have moved away from.
Backup Outlook Emails to Gmail
Another option on how to backup Outlook emails, is to add a Gmail account to Outlook via IMAP, then move or copy messages into Gmail folders. Doing so syncs the data to Gmail servers, giving you an extra copy in another cloud environment.
Add your Gmail account:
- Go to File > Add Account.
- Enter your Gmail address
- Make sure Gmail is added using IMAP (default setting).
Enable IMAP in Gmail:
- Go to your Gmail > Settings > See all settings > Forwarding and POP/IMAP.
- Under IMAP access, select Enable IMAP > Click Save Changes.
In Outlook, wait for Gmail folders to sync in the folder pane.
Select the Outlook emails you want to back up.
Drag and drop the emails into a folder under your Gmail account
Wait for Outlook to sync the changes, the emails will be uploaded to Gmail servers.
This adds redundancy and can be handy during migrations. Still, syncing delays and Gmail’s simpler folder and search functions can make it less practical for large or business-critical backups.
Backup in Microsoft 365 / Exchange Online:
Backup Outlook Emails in Microsoft 365
If you’re using Microsoft 365, there’s no built-in button or tool that will drop Outlook back to exactly what it looked like at a certain point in time. The closest you get are features like Litigation Hold or Retention Policies. Those are great for keeping emails around for legal or compliance reasons, but they’re not built to save you after a mailbox disaster.
You can tweak Cached Exchange Mode so more mail is stored locally. That might help when exporting, though it still isn’t the same as having a real backup. And since there’s no quick “restore from backup” option, many IT teams still depend on third-party backup software into the mix. The way it usually shakes out: Microsoft’s tools are good for meeting rules under GDPR or HIPAA, but when you actually need to bring an inbox back fast, you’ll want something else watching your back.
Backup Outlook Exchange OST File
OST files are cached copies of mailboxes from Exchange or Microsoft 365 accounts. You can locate them under the same Data Files section. Although Microsoft didn’t design OST files for backup, you can copy them if you can’t export data normally.
However, OST files are not directly importable into Outlook. They require conversion or reconnection to the original mailbox. They are more of a last-resort option for partial backup rather than a recommended practice.
Third-Party Backup Solutions:
Storing Outlook Backups on External Devices
After you export to a .pst or .olm file, you can copy it to an external USB drive or hard disk. Using encryption is a good idea to protect sensitive information, and naming conventions with version control make it easier to track multiple backups.
This method adds a physical protection layer and works well for offline or long-term storage. The downside is that physical devices can be lost, stolen, or simply forgotten when it is time to update the backup.
Use a Third-Party Backup Solution
Several vendors like MSP360 Backup for Outlook offer dedicated Outlook Online or Microsoft 365 email backup solutions. These tools let you backup entire mailboxes or specific folders. They also support encrypted and immutable storage, and offer features like versioning, automated scheduling, and ransomware protection.
These solutions are ideal for compliance, scalability, and ease of recovery. Another advantage is that they integrate with cloud storage like AWS, Azure, Wasabi, and Backblaze, and they support policy-based automation. The main drawback is cost, but they provide comprehensive protection that native Outlook tools lack.
Further reading Air-Gap Backups vs. Immutable Backups: Which Strategy Best Protects Your Data?
Despite the fact that many organizations have already moved their infrastructure to the cloud, on-premise Microsoft Outlook (Exchange local server) is still widely used by businesses. For that reason, Exchange local server backup and restore remain critical for many organizations. Such vendors as MSP360 offer backup for Exchange servers, providing a full overview of the Microsoft Outlook (Exchange local server) backup process and offering best practices for its backup and recovery.
How to backup and Restore Outlook Emails with MSP360 Backup
Just as dedicated Outlook (Exchange Online) backup solutions like MSP360 Backup for Microsoft 365 simplify the backup process, then also enable rapid, reliable recovery. Here’s an overview of the approaches to backup and restore Outlook emails using MSP360.
How to run a backup
To get started, open Configure Backup in the dashboard, and enable Mail Backup services. Select Apply to enable users to set this configuration to all enabled users. Click Save to initiate mail backup processing. Mail backup jobs are scheduled to start automatically three times per day.
How to Configure Backup
At this stage, you decide what gets backed up, folders in the mailbox, or just Inbox and Sent Items, while leaving out things like Junk Email or Deleted Items.
How to create the urgent mail backup
If you want an immediate backup, click Run Backup. This is common before a migration, after big mailbox changes, or when you need a known restore point for compliance. Use a search that lets you drill down to certain users, specific folders, or particular messages, to backup just what you need.
Once the job is running, Task Manager will show you the progress and highlight anything that failed. It is worth checking here the first few times to make sure your rules are catching what you expect.
Further reading The 3-2-1-1-0 Backup Rule: Extend Your Backup Security
Three Types of Outlook Restore in MSP360 Backup
MSP360 Backup for Outlook (Exchange Online) offers the following restore options:
Mailbox-Level
At this level, you can bring back the full mailbox structure. You can restore it to its original location or, if needed, to another account.
Folder-Level
Used when you only need a specific folder recovered. You can put it back where it was or send it to another account under the same folder name. If the folder had been deleted, MSP360 will recreate it so the structure remains intact.
Item-Level
For more precise recovery, you can choose individual emails. These can be restored into the Restore folder of the original mailbox or delivered to a different account, depending on where they are needed.
For the detailed, step-by-step guide with all features and options covered, see the full MSP360 Outlook Mail Backup guide
Further reading Roles and Permissions in MSP360 Backup for Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace
Conclusion: How to backup Outlook Emails
Most organizations need to keep a solid backup Outlook emails, not only to guard against data loss, but also to meet compliance standards. How that backup is done can look very different from one business to another. For some, a manual process like copying PST files is enough. For others, especially when dealing with large volumes of mail, a dedicated tool is the more practical choice.
MSP360 Backup automates the process and reduces risk on how to backup Outlook emails, while also offering extras like immutable storage, custom backup policies, and the option to send data to multiple storage locations.
If you want to explore the full feature set, MSP360 offers its Backup for Microsoft 365, including support for Exchange Online, which you can try for free.
