Top Methods to Convert MBOX to PST Format for Free

If converting MBOX files to PST is your need of the hour, it’s time to solve that need with this article. Here, you will know all the possible methods to convert MBOX to PST file format. 

MBOX and PST are two formats that email client users are most familiar with.

First, we have the MBOX format which is the most commonly used format for storing emails. Email clients like Mac Mail, and Mozilla Thunderbird, along with 20+ more email applications use MBOX to store their mailbox data.

Then, we have the PST format – the proprietary format of Microsoft. It stores not only emails but contacts, calendars, tasks, and Other mailbox data of Outlook.

Generally, one looks to export an MBOX file to PST if one want to import the data in Outlook. But, we are not here to talk about that. Our focus is on the methods to successfully perform this file conversion.

So, let us start with these methods.

Top Ways to Convert MBOX to PST File (Free Included)

We take a look at conversion methods for all budgets (free, and paid).

1. Using EML format as the intermediator
2. Using a webmail account
3. Using email clients
4. Using a conversion tool

Different methods require different applications. Since there is no direct way of converting MBOX files to PST for free, you will have to depend on external factors to facilitate the conversion.

But don’t worry.

Although external factors are involved, we made sure that the entire method remains free.

So, let us look at these methods one by one.

I. Convert MBOX to PST Using EML Format as The Intermediator

If we talk about Outlook, recognizes the EML format. So, we can take advantage of this by exporting the MBOX file as the EML, then converting multiple EML files to PST format.

Pre-Requisite:

• Mozilla Thunderbird email client (free)
• Microsoft Outlook

Steps:

• Run Mozilla Thunderbird.
• Import the MBOX file in Thunderbird, if not already present.
• Right-click on Local Folders, and click on the Settings option.

• Copy the location in the Local Directory and open it in your system.

• Copy your MBOX file in this location and restart Thunderbird.
• Now, save the messages as EML files.
• Open the MBOX folder, select all the email messages, right-click, and hit the Save button.

• Choose a destination folder (say MBOX to PST), and click the Select Folder button.

• Exit Thunderbird.
• Run Microsoft Outlook.
• Drag and drop the EML files to Microsoft Outlook (create a new folder for ease)

Note: The imported emails aren’t previewed in Outlook. To make sure that the email items are previewed properly, you will need to open each EML file individually in Outlook and use “Move to” to move them to a folder.

• Now, export them to PST if you specifically require a PST file.
• Go to File, then Open & Export, then Import/Export.

• Select Export to a file and click the Next button.

• Select Outlook Data File (.pst) and click the Next button.

• Highlight the NewFolder, and click Next.

• Browse a location to save the PST file and click Finish.

• Click Ok with empty fields to avoid assigning a password to the PST file.

You have successfully converted MBOX to PST manually for free.

Read a similar article: How to Convert Thunderbird to PST?

II. Convert MBOX to PST Using a Webmail Account

This requires a webmail account and an email client to convert MBOX to PST format. We will be using the free options.

Pre-requisite:

• Mozilla Thunderbird email client (free)
• A new Yahoo mail account (free)
• Microsoft Outlook

Steps:

• Run Mozilla Thunderbird.
• Configure the Yahoo account.
• Enter your full name, email address, and password, and click on the Continue button.

• Click on the Done button.

• Authenticate the account with the same email and password.
• Import the MBOX file in Thunderbird, if not already present.
• Right-click on Local Folders, and click on the Settings option.

• Copy the location in the Local Directory and open it in your system.

• Copy your MBOX file in this location and restart Thunderbird.
• Copy/move all the imported emails from the MBOX folder to the configured Yahoo mail account.

• Run Microsoft Outlook.
• Configure the same account here as well.

• All the MBOX emails are now present here.
• Now, export them to PST if you specifically require a PST file.
• Go to File, then Open & Export, then Import/Export.

• Select Export to a file and click the Next button.

• Select Outlook Data File (.pst) and click the Next button.

• Highlight the NewFolder, and click Next.

• Browse a location to save the PST file and click Finish.

• Click Ok with empty fields to avoid assigning a password to the PST file.

Note: It takes days to simply synchronize 1GB of data. Now, consider doing the same for both the email clients for data of a larger size. A week to export MBOX files to PST, although free, is just not feasible.

III. Convert MBOX to PST Manually Using Email Clients

The third method requires the help of multiple email clients to successfully convert MBOX to PST free.

Pre-requisite:

• Apple Mail
• Qualcomm Eudora
• Outlook Express
• Microsoft Outlook

Steps:

1. Import the MBOX file in Apple Mail.
2. Then, export Apple Mail imported emails to another MBOX file.
3. Change the new file extension from .mbox to .mbx and connect with Qualcomm Eudora.
4. Import the MBOX data from Eudora to OE i.e., Outlook Express.
5. Import from OE to Microsoft Outlook.

Note: This method is not feasible anymore since both Eudora and OE are now outdated email clients.

Also Read:- Migrate Entourage to Outlook Mac

IV. MBOX to PST Converter to Convert MBOX to PST Format

The three free methods explained in the previous sections constitute everything you can do to get a PST file.

If none of them are suitable for your needs, then opt for a trusted conversion tool. Professional software goes a long way in converting MBOX files to PST format.

We recommend using the MBOX to PST Converter for this. It easily exports MBOX files to PST regardless of what kind of MBOX file you have:

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• MBOX format i.e., with .mbox extension
• Without extension files
• MBX format i.e., with .mbx extension
• MBS format i.e., with .mbs extension

Observational Verdict

The difficulty to convert MBOX to PST files for free is evident after reading this article. You can choose any of the three manual methods to get the PST file. If they are not suitable for your case, then you can also go for the recommended software.