Importing Exchange archives into Exchange Online - Outlook for Windows

Overview

Exchange Online typically has a 100gb quota.   Please follow the below Procedures for importing current Outlook Archive Files (.pst) from your Outlook client.  Advantages include reliability, security, backup and archive information accessible from every device or browser you access your email from.

Procedures

Make note of available quota:

1. In Outlook click on File
2. On right, next to Cleanup Tools/Tools, and under Mailbox Cleanup - shows amount of free space

Add up size of existing archives - to ensure there's enough free space:

If you believe the size of your archives may be substantial, you should add up the amount ahead of time:

1. In Outlook click on File - Account Settings - Account Settings
2. Click on Data Files tab
3. Highlight archive file
4. Click on Open file location...
5. Make note of the File size which is listed in kb
   • Repeat above steps for each archive file you have
6. Convert kb to gb:  Add up all the file sizes of your archive and divide by 100,000
   you can also use this converter:  https://www.unitconverters.net/data-storage/kb-to-gb.htm
7. Once you are sure you have enough gb of available space to import all your archives you can proceed

Auto Archive

• If you have auto archiving turned on you will probably want to turn this off at this time.
• https://itssc.rpi.edu/hc/en-us/articles/360045785631-Archiving-in-Outlook

Remove archives from Outlook account:

NOTE:  If you have archives setup on multiple machines these steps should be done on all machines before proceeding to import.

1. In Outlook click on File - Account Settings - Account Settings
2. Click on Data Files tab
3. Click on archive file - click on Remove (note this does not delete the file)
   • Complete the above steps for each archive file

Importing archives to Exchange Online

NOTE:  Depending on the size of the archive file(s) this could take some time to import.

1. Decide if you want to import into your current Inbox - integrating archive with current emails, subfolders and creating new subfolders if they do not already exist
   OR
   if you want to create a new folder in your current email database to import into to keep Archive info designated separately
   • If you want to create a new folder while in your Outlook with the Inbox highlighted - right click - click on New Folder - give folder an appropriate name such as Archive2018
   • If you choose to create a New folder - have this folder highlighted/selected before continuing.  
2. In Outlook click on File
3. Click on Open & Export
4. Click on Import/Export. This starts the Import/Export wizard
5. Click Import from another program or file. Click Next
6. Click Outlook Data File (.pst). Click Next
7. In the box for File to import hit Browse and select the Archive(.pst file) you want to import  
8. Click Replace duplicates with items imported. Click Next.
9. To import the whole archive click the top folder and make sure Include subfolders is checked
   • IF you want to import into a new folder such as Archive2018 and this folder was highlighted from Step1 - Check Import items into the current folder - click Finish
   • Otherwise click on Import items into the same folder in:   rcsuserid@rpi.edu

.

10.  Click Finish.

NOTE:  Archives are now accessible on all devices including accessing your email from a web browser:  https://outlook.office.com  The emails will take a bit longer to populate in the browser but once initially populated will be accessible.

References

None at this time.

Last Reviewed:  15-Dec-2022