Moving New Outlook for Mac to a new Mac keeping 'On My Computer' files intact

John Tinker 0 Reputation points
2026-09-12T11:38:08.33+00:00

I want to move my current iMac Outlook to my soon to be received Max Studio without losing my 'On My Computer' files. How can I do this safely? It's a pity that export is no longer available in New Outlook

thanks

Outlook | MacOS | New Outlook for Mac | For home
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  1. Thomas4-N 21,545 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
    2026-09-13T07:02:48.7066667+00:00

    Hello John Tinker,

    One thing I'd want to confirm before relying on an .olm export is whether your On My Computer folders are available when you switch to Legacy Outlook.

    The current suggestion assumes those folders can be accessed and exported from Legacy Outlook, but that isn't always guaranteed depending on how the data was created and where it is stored.

    Could you check:

    • If you switch to Legacy Outlook, do the On My Computer folders appear there?
    • Are you planning to move to the new Mac using Migration Assistant, Time Machine, or by setting up Outlook from scratch?

    Your Exchange, Outlook.com, or Microsoft 365 mailbox data will resync from the server, so the important part here is making sure the local On My Computer data is visible and accessible before the move.

    Once we know that, it will be easier to determine the safest migration method.

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  2. AI answer

    2026-09-12T11:38:22.4466667+00:00

    The safest supported path is to back up the local data before moving, then restore it on the new Mac.

    1. On the current Mac, switch to Legacy Outlook if needed, because .olm export/import is documented there.
    2. Export the local Outlook data to an Outlook for Mac archive file (.olm) and save it in a safe location.
    3. Copy that .olm file to the new Mac.
    4. On the new Mac, install Outlook, add the same account, and let mailbox data sync.
    5. In Outlook for Mac, go to Tools > Import.
    6. Select Outlook for Mac archive file (.olm) > Continue.
    7. Choose the copied .olm file and import it.
    8. After import, the restored items appear under On My Computer in the navigation panes.

    Important details:

    • Imported mail, contacts, calendar items, tasks, and notes from .olm appear under On My Computer.
    • If On My Computer is hidden, go to Outlook > Settings… > General and clear Hide On My Computer folders.
    • For Microsoft 365, Exchange, or Outlook.com accounts not accessed by POP or IMAP, mailbox content is stored on the server, so the critical part to protect during the move is the local On My Computer content.
    • New Outlook for Mac does not provide the traditional export capability described for legacy Outlook. If export is required, using legacy Outlook first is the supported workaround in the available guidance.
    • Before removing anything from the old Mac, confirm that the imported folders and items are visible on the new Mac.

    References:

    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

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