How to Export Exchange Mailbox to a PST File? Effective Methods

Why Exchange Export Mailbox to PST?

PST file format helps you in several situations, like:

• If your mailbox is not active, it will help you to back up that mailbox data.
• With the PST, data is readily available across all Outlook versions.
• Make emails easily manageable & shareable across different devices.
• To move the mailbox data from EDB files and access it in MS Outlook.
• Also, to migrate mailbox emails to another Exchange server.

Above, we see the different reasons why users export their Exchange mailboxes to PST. Now, if you have a query about how do I download all the emails from an Exchange server to a local PST?. Continue reading this blog and resolve your query with several methods.

How to Backup Exchange Mailbox to Outlook PST Format?

You need to fulfil the prerequisites before exporting the mailbox to PST. After that, you can either use the manual techniques or the recommended expert tool. If you have a few data items to export, try the manual methods. Otherwise, using the recommended tool is the best choice.

Prerequisites for Exporting Exchange Mailbox

If you are using the free method, you need to complete the prerequisites below before exporting. These are:

Give the User Account Permission

When exporting the mailbox to PST by using the Exchange Admin Center or PowerShell. Grant your user account a special permission called the Mailbox Import/Export role. Even admin accounts don’t have this permission by default. To allow the needed permission, follow these:

1. Foremost, launch the Exchange Admin Centre. Log in to it.
2. Now, click on Permissions and proceed to opt for Admin Roles.
3. After that, press the add(+) button and create a new role.
4. Then, assign the Import/Export role to the new role.

Designate a Common Directory to Save the PST Files

You can’t export PST files to a regular folder like C:\PSTExports. Instead, you need to create a shared folder (also called a UNC path) where the exported mailbox files will be saved. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Firstly, create a new folder at any desired location on the EAC.
2. After that, right-click it and choose the option Give Access to.
3. Then, select Specific People & opt for your name from the list.
4. Lastly, select Read/Write permission and click Share.

Free Approaches to Export Exchange Mailbox to PST

After completing the requirements, you can follow the manual methods below. 

Method 01: Use Exchange Admin Center

This solution is only applicable to export a mailbox to PST in Exchange Server (2019, 2016, 2013, and 2010). Additionally, it doesn’t allow you to choose a specific folder that you want to export. Follow these steps:

1. Firstly, log in to your Eachnge Admin Center as an admin.
2. Then, click on Recipients and select Mailbox & More Options.
3. After that, choose the Export to a PST File option given within the list.
4. Select the mailbox file that you need to move and press Next.
5. Now, enter the shared folder path and input a name for the PST. Press Next.
6. Lastly, click on Browse to select your user account and click Finish.

Method 02: Utilize Exchange Management Shell to Backup O365 mailbox to PST

To export a mailbox to PST using PowerShell, execute the given command:

By running this command, you can export the mailboxes to the PST format. However, the above methods are not the ideal way to export your mailbox as they contain some limitations, which are mentioned below.

Limitations of the Manual Method

• High risk of losing important data in these methods.
• Requires technical expertise to perform them.
• Risk of losing data confidentiality & integrity.
• Not applicable for bulk volumes of Exchange mailbox data.
• Too complex to perform & consume more time.

Professional Way to Export Exchange Mailbox to PST

For a quick & hassle-free solution, you can use the EDB to PST Converter Tool. This tool is especially designed to export your complete data in PST format without any hassle. With the help of this utility, you can preview the details of the Exchange mailbox file before starting the conversion process. Also, utilize the Remove Duplicate filter to migrate unique emails based on To, From, Subject, and Body. Furthermore, this tool has a demo version, which enables you to import 50 emails per folder for free. 

Simple Steps to Export Mailbox to PST:

1. Firstly, open the EDB to PST Converter Tool on your computer.
2. Next, choose the EDB file you desire to export.
3. Then, choose the version and other options. Click Next.
4. Preview and select the file/folder, and press Next.
5. Now, with advanced features, customize and select Save in a PST file.
6. At last, press Next to initiate the mailbox export process.

Benefits of Using the Tool:

• It helps you to maintain the data’s originality and privacy.
• Provides the ability to convert EDB files into MBOX and various other file formats.
• Also has a user-friendly interface, which is simple to operate.
• Provide a fast and 100% accurate mailbox data.
• Fully compatible with all Exchange Server versions.

Conclusion

You can export an Exchange mailbox to PST by using the manual or a professional tool. Above, we have provided detailed steps for all the methods. However, these manual methods only work when the database file is small or available online in the Exchange Admin Center. Alternatively, use the automated tool to easily export the mailbox to PST without any minimal disruption. It offers several advanced features that make your results more effective & reliable.

About The Author:

Rohan Wiese

As a lead technical writer, I know the technical problems faced by office and professional users. So, I decided to share all my technical knowledge through this blog. I love helping you with tough challenges when dealing with technical issues.

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