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How to Transfer Outlook Data to New Computer Manually

Mark Wills ~ Modified: 05-03-2022 ~ Transfer ~ 5 Minutes Reading

If you want to transfer Outlook data to a new computer for backup purposes, then, continue reading this blog.

Here we will walk you through various manual methods to transfer an Outlook data file to another computer.

As we know, MS Outlook is the most popular email client in the world. Many users use Outlook, whether they are home users or business users, for communication. There are many benefits to choosing the Microsoft Outlook desktop email client to manage your email, tasks, calendar, contacts, etc.

But for some reason, many people are looking for a perfect and free way to transfer Outlook data to a new computer. First, let’s understand the user query we received from our support team:

User Concern

“Hello, I have been using the Outlook application for a few years. But it has not been working properly for a few days. All my emails and contacts are saved in MS Outlook. But I’m afraid that my Outlook data might get lost, so I want to transfer it to a new computer. I don’t know how to transfer Outlook data to a new computer. Please suggest me the freeway.”

Reasons Behind the Transfer Outlook Emails to New Computer

  • For backup purposes, if your Outlook is not working properly, it is best to save all the data on a new computer.
  • If you buy a new laptop, you will need to back up your Outlook data on your desktop and transfer it to the new laptop.
  • MS Outlook may crash, get damaged, or corrupt if your message size is too large.

We write for a few reasons, but different users have a different scenario when it comes to transferring Outlook email to a new computer.

How to Manually Transfer Emails from Outlook to a New Computer

We’ve found four ways to accomplish this task. The three methods are manual, but they don’t make you 100% sure about your data, and the ultimate solution is our expert solution to protect your data without any external email clients.

#1 Copy data from the default storage location

This is the easiest way to transfer your data from your local computer. Also, to complete this method, you need some Outlook knowledge.

The location of your PST file depends on your version of Outlook and Windows. You can set up your account or create a PST file. You can find your .pst file in one of the following places:

Windows 10 drive:\Users\\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Outlook

Windows 10 drive:\Users\\Roaming\Local\Microsoft\Outlook

Older versions of Windows drive:\Documents and Settings\\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook

Go to Location, copy your PST file and paste it on Desktop. You can attach an external drive to your computer and paste them there.

#2 Transfer Data with Import/Export Option

With this method, your Outlook is in running condition. And this process, you get a PST file.

  • Firstly, open the MS Outlook application.
  • Secondly, click on the “File” tab and select the “Open & Import” option.
  • Then select the Import/Export option.

    Import/Export option

  • From the next screen, select the “Export to a file” option and hit the next tab.

    Export to a file to transfer Outlook data to new computer

  • Choose the “Outlook data file (.pst)” option from the “Create a file type” drop-down menu.

    choose Outlook data file

  • Now, choose the folder that you want to export and click OK.

    choose folder to transfer Outlook emails to new computer

  • You can also click the “browse” button to save your results and then click the “Finish” button.

    select the location

After all these steps, you get a PST file on your local system. You can copy this Outlook PST file and paste it on any external drive.

#3 Drag and Drop Outlook messages

This is another way to transfer Outlook data to a new computer. But in this way you get a .msg file. An MSG file is a single Outlook message file used to save a single message. You can drag selected or all emails to your desktop.

  1. Launch Microsoft Outlook on your computer.
  2. Select all emails (CTRL + A) to transfer to the new computer.
  3. Create a folder on your desktop and give it a name.
  4. Next, drag & drop all the emails into the folder that you created.

You see, all the messages are saved in the .msg file extension. Now you can copy this folder and paste it on the new drive.

A limitation with Manual Method

  1. This process is lengthy and time-consuming.
  2. Implement all these steps if you have some technical knowledge.
  3. Outlook is in running condition.
  4. All these steps are telling you how to take a backup from Outlook. After that, you will have to use another email client to view the PST file.

#4 Smart Solution to Transfer Outlook Emails to New Computer

I have explained to you the best possible manual way to transfer Outlook data to another computer. However, the manual method has some drawbacks of its own.

Use NXTSoftware to transfer Outlook data to a new computer without having an Outlook installation. This software works directly to transfer your data from Outlook to a new computer. It is capable of transferring emails, contacts, calendars, tasks, etc. to another drive.

Bottom Line

Lastly, I’ve told you four ways to transfer your data to a new computer. All three steps are good, but they have some restrictions. I suggest you use the solution directly to solve this question.

Still, if you run into any problems, feel free to get help from our support team.