How to Backup and Transfer Outlook Email to New Computer

By Achilles Hill | Last Updated January 03, 2024

Do you want to backup and transfer Outlook email to a new computer? By default, Outlook email pst files are all saved on the system disk. Once your computer crashes, things are hard to be restored. Sadly, pst files are not allowed to share or sync between computers. So how to backup and transfer email files to your new computer? Here is the answer, by using CD, DVD or USB that are removable disk.

Note: Though we can transfer Outlook email by connecting LAN/WAN, it cannot ensure the complement of email pst file

• Part 1: How to Backup Outlook Emails PST File
• Part 2: How to Transfer Outlook Email file to New Computer

Part 1: How to Backup Outlook Emails PST File

To transfer Outlook email file to a new computer, we need to backup Outlook email for the first step.

Step 1: Hit Windows + R combination key to the open Run dialog box. Input Control Panel and press Enter.

Step 2: Click the down arrow next to View by at the top-right corner. Select "Large icons" from the drop-down and click on Mail.

Step 3: Navigate to Show ProfilesProperties Data Files.

Step 4: When the Account Settings window open, choose the profile and click on Settings. You may input your password to continue if you have one. Thus you can see the file location, copy and paste into the address bar of This PC to find it.

Note: Before backing up, you can compact it if the file is too large to copy. If you find the extension of ".ost file" or "Online" format, this means it saves data on the Server.

Step 5: Hit Windows + R then type Regedit and press Enter.

Step 6: Locate and expand the following folder:

HKEY_USERS\S-1-5-21-1343024091-507921405-725345543-1003\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Windows Messaging Subsystem\Profiles\Outlook

Note: You may not see the "S-1-5-21-1343024091-507921405-725345543-1003" folder, just find an item begin with "S-1-5-21-" and end with a number.

Step 7: At the top-left corner, click on File and choose Export. Save to the location which is easy to find.

Step 8: Copy and paste those files to your removable disk.

Part 2: How to Transfer Outlook Email file to New Computer

For the different version of Microsoft Outlook, it is different to transfer Outlook email files to new computer. Here are the details:

Step 1: When finishing the preparation above, insert the disk to the new computer to transfer Outlook email file.

Step 2: Open Registry, click File and Import to the Outlook registry.

Step 3: Paste the pst file on the disk except for Disk C.

Note: If you have encountered the "Can not access the specified device, file or path" error, this mainly due to the file properties has set as Read Only, so you have to uncheck the Read Only option by right-clicking on the folder and select Properties.

Step 4: Open Outlook and export pst file to your Outlook.

For Outlook 2010/2013/2016:

1. 1. Click on File, go to the Open tab and click Import.
2. 2. In the Import and Export Wizard window, navigate to Import from another program or file > Next > Outlook Data File (.pst)> NextBrowse.
3. 3. Located the pst file that you saved just now. Click on Next and set the password for pst file.

For Outlook 2007:

1. 1. Click on FileImport and Export from the drop-down.
2. 2. Follow the directory below:

Import from another program or file > NextPersonal Folder File (.pst)> NextBrowse

1. 3. Type the password for your import pst file and finish.

Related Links:

• How to Enable Read-Only Mode in Word 2016
• Your Outlook Account Settings Are out of Date
• How to Add or Setup Exchange Account in Outlook
• How to Fix OutLook Won't Open