Open your old email in Outlook
Use mailbox files from Thunderbird, Apple Mail or Google Takeout. Convert them into a PST file you can open in Outlook, even after you stop using the original mail app.
MBOX to PST converter
Convert MBOX to Outlook PST
Move email from Thunderbird, Gmail or Apple Mail into Outlook. Convert MBOX files to PST so you can read your messages and open their attachments in Outlook.
- Windows required
- Classic Outlook required
- New Outlook not supported
.mbox.pstOn your computer
- Your starting point
- MBOX files from Thunderbird, Gmail or Apple Mail
- Your result
- A PST archive you can open and read in Outlook
- Your attachments
- Documents and photos stay with their emails
- Your privacy
- Mail is converted on your PC, without uploading it
Why this tool
Bring your email archive into Outlook
Keep attachments with their messages
Open documents and photos from the emails they came with. The converter transfers attachments along with message text and formatting.
Convert private mail on your own PC
Your emails are processed on your Windows computer. You do not need to upload the mailbox to a website or share your email password.
Keep Gmail labels useful in Outlook
Turn labels from your Gmail export into Outlook folders or categories, so you can find messages by the groups you already use.
Break up a large email archive
Choose a maximum size for each PST. The converter creates smaller files that you can open and back up separately.
Convert several mailboxes in one run
Select the folder containing your MBOX files instead of opening each file in turn. Include subfolders to bring over nested mailbox folders too.
Why convert MBOX to PST
An MBOX file holds email exported from apps such as Thunderbird or Apple Mail, or downloaded from Gmail with Google Takeout. Outlook cannot open it directly. Converting it to PST creates an Outlook data file: an archive you can open to browse folders, read old messages and save attachments.
You can keep the converted mail separate from your current inbox. Opening a PST in classic Outlook adds it as another set of folders; it does not require you to replace your existing mailbox.
Which migration route fits your source?
| Where your mail is now | How to bring it into Outlook |
|---|---|
| Thunderbird | Find and convert the mailbox files |
| A downloaded Gmail backup | Extract the Google Takeout download and convert its MBOX files |
| Apple Mail on a Mac | Export the mailbox, then convert it on Windows |
| Gmail, with no backup downloaded yet | Connect Gmail to Outlook, or download a backup with Google Takeout |
Already have an MBOX file? Go straight to the conversion steps below. If you are unsure which file you have, see MBOX vs PST.
How the conversion works
- Choose your MBOX files. Select one mailbox or a folder containing several mailboxes. Use a copy so you have a backup of the originals.
- Choose where to save the PST. Pick a name and location for your Outlook archive. You can split a large mailbox into smaller PST files.
- Convert and open in Outlook. Click Run. When it finishes, open the PST in classic Outlook to read your email.
The step-by-step guide shows the settings and screens. You need Windows and classic Outlook installed; the new Outlook app is not supported. Check system requirements if you are unsure which version you have.
What should you check before accepting the PST?
Compare the folders with your original mailbox and open a few old and recent messages, including their attachments. Keep the originals until you have checked the result and saved a backup. The email checking guide explains what to look for if something appears to be missing.
FAQ
MBOX to PST: common questions
Do I need Thunderbird or Apple Mail installed?
No. Once you have exported the mail as MBOX files, the converter reads those files directly. You need Windows and classic Outlook on the computer doing the conversion. See system requirements.
Can I use the new Outlook for Windows?
No. This converter needs classic Outlook, the desktop version with the File menu. The app named Outlook (new) does not provide the components the converter needs. See supported versions.
Can I try it before buying?
Yes. The trial allows up to ten runs of the MBOX to PST converter. Start with a small mailbox and check the emails and attachments in Outlook. See download and trial details.
Can I convert a large mailbox?
The converter can split a large mailbox into smaller PST files. Leave enough free disk space for the output, and check Outlook’s file-size limits before choosing a maximum size.
Does it move contacts and calendars too?
No. MBOX files contain email messages. Export contacts and calendars separately from the original app or account if you want to bring those into Outlook.
Should I keep the original MBOX files?
Yes. Convert a backup copy, then keep the originals until you have opened the PST in Outlook and checked your email and attachments. Leave the optional setting to move processed files off if you want the input files to stay in their original folder.
Guides
Move your email into Outlook
Import an MBOX archive into a Microsoft 365 mailbox
Convert MBOX to PST, check your email in Outlook, then import it into your Microsoft 365 mailbox and confirm it arrived in webmail.
Move Yahoo Mail into Outlook and keep a separate backup
Connect Yahoo Mail to Outlook with current sign-in, check synchronization, export a separate PST in classic Outlook, and distinguish backup from a mailbox migration.
Restore Gmail messages from a Google Takeout MBOX backup
Import a Takeout MBOX into Thunderbird Local Folders, copy a test batch to Gmail through IMAP, and check restored messages, labels and duplicates in webmail.
Open and inspect an MBOX file without Outlook
Read an MBOX archive locally without converting it to PST. Identify the source, use Thunderbird or a viewer, and check messages and attachments before migration.
Open your MBOX email in Outlook
Download the Windows converter and try it with a copy of your mailbox. You will need classic Outlook installed on the same computer.