Verified Solution for Outlook Email Migration to M365 (Microsoft 365)

Ritu Roy | Cloud Backup data recovery Email Backup email migration Forensics How to's mac os Outlook Software | 5 minutes read | Last updated on February 8th, 2023,
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Are you looking for solutions to perform Outlook email migration to M365 cloud? But, afraid to export due to lack of knowledge. Then, you are at the right place. In this guide, we will instruct you on each and everything that you required to know how to achieve the Outlook email migration to Office 365 procedure. Read the complete post carefully to understand the top benefits of migrating from Outlook to Microsoft 365 Webmail and thinks that you should not do it. But before that, you should also read a query of a user who needs to know how to migrate Outlook email to OWA account.

“Hello! I am David Ford, I am searching for a technique to migrate multiple files from Outlook to M365 account. We have a number of users in our organization, and we know the IMAP technique, but it takes a lot of time. I have tried the Network upload method but because of some error, Office 365 account didn’t accept the PST files. I need a solution to perform Outlook email migration to Office 365 online in a quick way. Please advise me with the correct solution.”

The difficulty faced by David is genuine, it happened with a number of users who lack knowledge about the correct process to migrate Outlook emails in O365 account. But, we got you covered, below you will find everything you required to know about the Outlook data file.

What is Outlook Data File and How to Create It?

Many Outlook users don’t know everything about the Outlook created PST file. An Outlook data file (.pst) is a file format or extension of the database file that is created when you export your Outlook emails. This PST file includes emails, contacts, calendars, tasks, notes, etc. who can also hear of it with the “Personal Storage Table” name, but now called Personal Storage File” or “Personal Folder”.

Steps to Create An Outlook PST Data File:

  1. Open Microsoft Outlook on your machine.
  2. Click on the File option (in top-left corner of window) >> Click on the “Open & Export” >> Import/Export.
  3. Now, in the next window, select the “Export to a file” option from the list >> Hit on the Next.
  4. From the export PST window, select “Outlook data file (.pst)” >> Now, and press the “Next”.
  5. Select the mailboxes you required to migrate >> Next.
  6. Now, Browse the location of the Outlook data file (.pst) >> Finish.

Note: Outlook will generate a PST file including selected mailboxes. Now, you can follow the techniques below to achieve Outlook email migration to Office 365 process.

Techniques to Achieve Outlook to M365 Migration Process

There are two methods to migrate data from Outlook to Office 365 Webmail, either by using a built-in tool provided by Microsoft or by using a professional solution that is suggested by Microsoft MVPs. If you follow the approach suggested by Microsoft then this task can be achieved in two different methods:

Network Upload: In this method, you have to import PST files over the temporary Azure storage and then use the Import service for the mailboxes migration. (Free Method) 

Drive Shipping: In this method, you have to copy all the Outlook PST files into a BitLocker hard drive and ship that drive to Microsoft. After that, Microsoft will upload the PST files themselves into your account.

Important Note: Both the above-mentioned techniques are for technical users. The technique doesn’t cover the planning and preparation required, like checking for corrupted PST, removing passwords, etc. All those steps are required to be achieved manually first to the conversion process.

Problems with Office 365 Import Service of Microsoft

The Import Service offered by Microsoft for its Office 365 users for exporting Outlook emails to O365 account is a direct tool. But, there are many drawbacks or limitations that should be known before using this tool.

  • Password – Admin requires to add passwords for every user manually, either by getting passwords of every user or resetting every account password.
  • No option to deal with duplicate PST file – When a user is moving Outlook PST files, then there could be a chance of uploading the exact PST. This tool will upload the exact PST again without giving a warning message.
  • Outlook PST File Elimination – Users are required to separately deal with the disconnection of the Microsoft Outlook profile from PST files and prevention from the creation of the new PST file.
  • Recognizing the right owner – This kind of service doesn’t assist in recognizing or identifying the owner of Microsoft Outlook PST files, this is required to be achieved manually by the user.

Note: If you are an individual person or a non-technical user and don’t have complete resources then we will suggest you go with the automated solutions, which are safe and more secure than manual solutions.

Automated Solution to Perform Outlook Email Migration to M365 Online Account

The most suggested solution by the Microsoft MVPs for a secure and safe migration process is the use of CubexSoft PST File Converter. This automated or professional tool will help you out in resolving the query of “how to migrate Outlook emails in Office 365”. It can migrate your multiple data from Outlook PST to M365 account including contacts, emails, calendars, journals, notes, tasks, and attachments as it is way without any changes.

The Outlook Mail Converter can migrate bulk data from PST to M365 online account in a single migration procedure. This application can also work even when MS Outlook is not configured on the computer. To perform Outlook email migration to M365 account, you just need to have Outlook data files to migrate them to Office 365. If you have configured an Outlook account, then you can directly migrate your data from the default configured Outlook profile to Office 365 without any issue.

The Final Words

This complete guide includes everything that you may need to know about the migration of Outlook PST to a Microsoft 365 . You can learn how to make Outlook PST data file and how to migrate that into Office 365 account by using multiple techniques. The benefits and limitations of all the techniques have been also explained in a detail. Now, it’s up to you, which method suits your need the best. But still, we suggested you first take a trial of the tool, which allows you to migrate 25 items free of cost.