The Email accounts created from several email service providers are accessible in the web browsers and email client applications. The benefit of using email client is that you can connect various account with their supported email servers and you do not need to input login credentials each time you open it.

When you want to change the email client application, then you understand that various email clients use different data file to store your mailbox. In the present article, we will check various methods to convert an MBOX file to PST format.

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The MBOX format works majorly in Thunderbird, AppleMail, Eudora, OperaMail, SeaMonkey and some other clients. Due to the limited number of benefits and technical support, many users want to adopt a better option. Outlook outranks all the remaining email clients and offers many benefits. But, it supports PST file and therefore, you need to convert the MBOX files to PST to add it in the account.

What are the plus points of PST over MBOX?

There are some free solutions for MBOX to PST conversion which you can give a test trial. But we do not assure you data integrity with these methods while performing the conversion process. So, it is always strongly advised to take a backup of your MBOX file data before performing any such free solution. The available free methods for the conversion are:

A. Convert through EML Files

This solution involves the idea of saving the required MBOX emails to EML file format and then exporting these files to Outlook application using Import/Export feature. Let us know this sequential stage wise process as described below.

1. Create a New folder & move MBOX file items: First, open the MBOX email client and right-click on any mailbox folder. Select the option New Folder, provide a name to it and select Create Folder to create it. Now copy and paste or drag/drop desired MBOX emails (for conversion) to this new folder.
2. Convert to EML format: Select all the MBOX files for conversion in that folder and right-click on it. Choose the Save as to EML option. Provide the path location to save the converted EML files.
3. Move EML to Outlook EML files: Open the Outlook EML file folder and drag-drop the earlier saved EML files to it.
4. Export EML files to Outlook PST files: Open Import and Export wizard in Outlook by following File>Import >Import/Export.
   
   Then select Export to a file option and click Next.
   
   Select Outlook data file (.pst) as the next option and click on Next.
   
   Now, from the folders, select that folder with EML files and click on Next.
   
   Add the saving location for PST file, select the option for managing duplicate items and click on Finish.
   

   The MBOX file is converted to PST finally.

   Note: To move few important emails in the EML files and not in a mood to create the whole separate PST file, users can simply drag the EML files exported from the MBOX email client and drop them to a specific folder of the PST mailbox in the opened Outlook application.

B. Convert through Multiple Email Clients

This method involves multiple-stages to ultimately reach to the MBOX to PST conversion. First stage includes moving MBOX files to AppleMail email client, second stage calls for creating mailboxes in Eudora email client, third stage for importing mailboxes in Outlook Express and the final stage ultimately importing mailboxes from Outlook Express to Outlook.
To make it clear, let us know the procedure steps stage wise which must be followed in sequence only. 

Note: User should install AppleMail, Eudora, Outlook Express and Outlook on the system beforehand to perform this process.

• First Stage – Importing MBOX to AppleMail

  1. Open the AppleMail application and follow File>Import Mailboxes.
  2. Now, select File in MBOX Format option and click on Continue to move further.
  3. In the next window, browse the MBOX file location for conversion and select the option Choose to select the items to import and then click on Continue.
  4. The import process will begin. Click on Done when it is completed.
  5. The MBOX file is imported to AppleMail account.

• Second Stage – Creating Mailbox in Eudora Email Client

  Follow the steps as given:

  1. First rename and add extension .mbx to the imported MBOX file, for example – test.mbx.
  2. Go to this location C:Documents and Settings<user>Application Data\Qualcomm\Eudora and paste this imported test.mbx file.
  3. Now, launch your Eudora application and select the test.mbx file for confirmation of its existence as mailbox.

• Third Stage – Importing MBOX file from Eudora to Outlook Express

  Perform the import process as follows:

  1. Start the installed Outlook Express and then click File and select Import and then click on Messages option.
  2. Select Eudora option and then click on Next.
  3. Browse the MBOX file, test.mbx and click on OK. Move further by clicking on Next, again Next and finally click on Finish option.
  4. The MBOX file will get saved at the local folders in Outlook Express.

• Final Stage – Importing MBOX file from Outlook Express to Outlook

  Using the Import feature in Outlook, it would be easy to move Outlook Express file to it. Let us understand the process.

  1. Start the Outlook application and go to File>Import>Import and Export.
  2. In the opened Import and Export Wizard, select Import Internet Mail and Addresses option and click on Next.
     
  3. Now select Outlook Express 4.x, 5.x, 6.x or Window Mail, select other import options (Import Mail & Import Address Book) and click on Next.
     
  4. Once the import gets completed, the conversion process is finished and finally MBOX is converted to PST.

Issues/Limitations with Free Methods

The limitations which resist users to perform the above native solutions are listed below:

• Indirect, complex procedures
• Long and confusing process
• No ensured data integrity
• Only emails transfer with EML conversion method
• High chances of data and properties loss
• Lot of technical expertise required
• Small data conversion only
• Risks of MBOX folder structure loss
• Do not support multiple MBOX files conversion
• Chances of SMTP header corruption or loss
• Need too many email clients installation (more than two)

If you are not interested in taking risk or investing time in the free solutions, feel free to perform MBOX to PST conversion in the automated way by the robust MBOX to PST Converter solution. It directly converts MBOX file without any data limitations using 4-5 steps only. The process is simple, accurate and efficient as perfect conversion is achieved in some minutes only. Take a trial with its demo version available on the site and then decide to own it.

Ending Up

We would like to conclude this blog with the assessment that whether there are free solutions available to convert MBOX to PST but all of it are indirect, complex and lengthy processes. Also, one cannot rely on it completely. Therefore, converting MBOX file to PST via an intelligent professional tool would be a better, time-saving and efficient idea.