Import a pst file into new outlook

Anonymous
2024-10-02T11:08:09+00:00

I just came on to the Microsoft hosting for my work emails. I have my emails from the previous hosting as a pst file. The new outlook is not showing me an option to import these into my account

Outlook | Windows | Classic Outlook for Windows | For home

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  1. Ron-6928 4,991 Reputation points
    2025-02-24T19:40:08+00:00

    I'm just as curious as you are but I don't really want to volunteer as Microsoft tester/technician. The last time I added a (hotmail/outlook) personal account to Outlook (new) or Windows 10 old Mail and Calendar app, my Edge profile got messed up. It signed me in to my hotmail/outlook account and (I think) it started sync'ing data to my personal account. They sync part may have been a misinformation as I can't remember 100%. Anyway I use Edge without an account.

    I signed in to a local Windows Server AD domain that is not sync'd with Azure/Entra AD. I use Edge browser with a standalone profile. It isn't signed in to anything. I never sign in to Windows 10/11 or Edge browser with an online account, personal or work account and intend to keep it that way.

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  2. Hal Hostetler MVP-Outlook 12,011 Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator
    2025-02-24T17:42:15+00:00

    No, I'm trying to determine why you get that message and I, with 2 Outlook.com accounts, an E3 account, an E5 account, and three IMAP accounts, do not get it. Temporarily adding your Outlook.com account should show whether or not there is something unusual about an E1 account vs E3 and E5 Work/school accounts that would prompt that error message. In my mind, Outlook New should not be giving you that message; if it is a bug, I'd like to get it reported and fixed. If not a bug, then why, what's the logic involved??

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  3. Ron-6928 4,991 Reputation points
    2025-02-24T15:48:25+00:00

    As already mentioned, either Read only attribute is checked or you try to open it directly from a CD/DVD media or you try to open the PST over the network and it's asking you to enter your login credential to access the shared folder (or last... you have read only permission on the shared folder).

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  4. Ron-6928 4,991 Reputation points
    2025-02-24T15:41:07+00:00

    Sorry no, I don't want to add personal account to my work PC. Are you saying Outlook (new) PST support has something to do with the account type? In other words, it does not support work/school accounts?

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  5. Hal Hostetler MVP-Outlook 12,011 Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator
    2025-02-23T03:10:11+00:00

    <<<

    The .PST file was from outlook on another computer. 

    >>>

    That's important! Since this .PST was copied from another place (another computer, the Internet, some other source), there is a very good chance Windows set that file to Read Only. Outlook CANNOT use a Read Only .PST file, it will complain that the file needs a password (a hold-over from earlier days). Locate that .PST file on your new computer, select it, right click it, and select Properties:

    Imagee

    If Read-only is set, like shown for this Word document, uncheck it and click Apply. Open Outlook Classic, then File > Open and Export > Open Outlook Data File. It should open and appear in the Nav/Folder pane on the left. Please see this article, the read-only .PST import/open error is explained:

    How to manage .pst files in Microsoft Outlook | Microsoft Learn

    Opening a PST file in Outlook is generally considered better than importing it because when you "open" the file, it appears as a separate folder in your Folder pane, allowing you to access the data without merging it with your existing mailbox. OTOH, importing will permanently integrate the data into your current mailbox, potentially causing duplicate entries or overwriting existing information; essentially, opening gives you more control over which data you want to access and when, whereas importing should be considered permanent.

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