How to Export All Emails from Office 365 Webmail?
Quick Answer: To export all emails from Office 365, the method depends on your account type. Personal Outlook.com users can request a mailbox export from Settings -> General -> Privacy and data -> Export mailbox. For work or school accounts, you can use classic Outlook. Admins can export mailbox data through Microsoft Purview eDiscovery. If you only have a few emails, you can download emails through Outlook Web. For large mailboxes, an Office 365 backup tool can export emails in bulk.
Table of Contents
- Which Method Should You Use?
- Method 1: Using Personal OWA Mailbox
- Method 2: Using Classic Outlook
- Method 3: With Microsoft Purview eDiscovery
- Method 4: Download Emails from Outlook Web App
- Method 5: Automated Tool
- Watch Video Tutorial
- Common Problems and Fixes
- Conclusion
- Frequently Asked Questions
Which Method Should You Choose?
There is no single export method that works the same way for every Office 365 account. The right option depends on your account type, mailbox size and export requirements. Outlook on the web does not provide a direct option to download an entire mailbox, you need desktop Outlook, Microsoft Purview or backup wizard.
| Method | Best for | Output | Requires Outlook? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Outlook.com Mailbox Export | Personal Outlook.com accounts | Mailbox Export | Depends on current Microsoft workflow |
| Classic Outlook Export | Work or School Office 365 accounts | PST | Yes |
| Microsoft Purview eDiscovery | Admins export selected or multiple mailboxes | PST/MSG | No |
| Outlook on the Web | Need only a few emails | EML | No |
| Advik Office 365 Backup Tool | Large or regular mailbox export | Multiple export formats | No |
If you have a personal Outlook.com account, use the available export option to request a copy of your data. For a work or school Office 365 account, classic Outlook is suitable when you want to save the mailbox as a PST file. Administrators handling multiple mailboxes or specific search criteria can use Microsoft Purview eDiscovery. For large mailboxes or recurring backups, a dedicated Office 365 backup tool can make bulk email export easier.
Method 1. Export All Emails from Office 365 Through Personal Mailbox
If you use a personal Microsoft account such as OWA, the web version does not provide a direct option to download the complete mailbox.
1. Sign in to Outlook Web App using your user and Admin credentials.
2. Click on Settings in the upper-right corner of the screen.
3. Select View all Outlook settings at the bottom of the drop-down menu.
4. Click on General and then select Privacy and Data.
5. Scroll down to the Export mailbox section.
6. Click on Export mailbox to begin the export process.
7. Microsoft will start preparing the email archive.
This is how you can download emails from Office 365 server. You will receive an email with a link to download your exported mailbox. This process may take some time depending on the size of your mailbox.
Method 2. Download All Emails from Office 365 Using Classic Outlook
For a work or school Microsoft 365 account, you can connect the account to Outlook for Windows and export emails. This method is useful when you want a local copy.
1. Open classic Outlook on your Windows computer.
2. Go to the File tab and click Add Account.
3. Set up your Office 365 account with Outlook.
4. Now, go to File -> Open & Export -> Import/Export.
5. Choose Export to a File and click Next.
6. Select Outlook Data File (.pst) and press Next.
7. Choose Office 365 mailbox folders and enable Include Subfolders option, click Next.
8. Browse the location to save the exported file and click Finish.
Done! This is how you can export Office 365 emails to PST file.
Method 3. Export Outlook 365 Mailbox with Microsoft Purview eDiscovery
Microsoft 365 administrator may need to export emails from one or more mailboxes, especially for compliance, investigation or legal requirements. In this situation, Microsoft Purview eDiscovery provides an administrative export workflow.
After an eDiscovery search is completed, mailbox items can be exported as PST files or individual messages.
1. Go to the Microsoft Purview portal and sign in using the admin account with eDiscovery permissions.
2. Choose the eDiscovery card and choose Cases.
3. Create a case or choose an existing case.
4. Open the Search tab and create a search query.
5. Choose the Microsoft 365 mailbox locations.
6. Select conditions based in date, sender, recipients or subject when you require a selective export.
7. Run the search and review the search statistics and available results.
8. Open the completed search and click on Export.
9. Enter the export name and set export settings.
10. Select PST or MSG as a saving option.
11. Click Export and wait some time for the process.
11. After the export process is complete, download Office 365 emails locally on your system.
Method 4. Download Emails from Outlook Web App
Follow the below given steps to export emails from Office 365:
1. Sign in to your Office 365 account with Outlook.com credentials.
2. Now, open the email that you want to export.
3. Click on the three dots in the top right corner of the email.
4. Select Save As from the drop-down list.
5. Choose the folder to save the exported email on your system.
6. Click the Save button.
7. Repeat the process to export other emails.
Done! This is how you can export emails from Outlook Web App to EML file one by one. However, this is a simple method, but it is time-consuming if you have a large number of emails to download.
Method 5. Export Multiple Emails via Office 365 Backup Tool
From the above discussion, we can conclude that the manual approaches for exporting Office 365 emails are not suitable for every user. If you want a simple and quick solution then use the Advik Office 365 Backup Tool. This software is able to export all emails from Office 365 directly to your desktop in a single attempt.
With this tool, you can download entire mailboxes or select specific folders with ease. Additionally, it also offers adavanaced filter options to export emails based on date range, to, from, subject, etc. It supports various file formats, such as PST, EML, MBOX, PDF, and many more, so that you can access your Office 365 emails across different platforms.
So, what are you waiting for? Click on the free download button and check how it works at any cost.
Steps to Export All Emails from Office 365 Webmail
Step 1. Launch the software and sign in with your Office 365 credentials.
Step 2. The software supports Modern Authentication (OAuth 2.0) to connect to your Microsoft 365 account securely.
Step 3. Choose the required email folders you want to export.
Step 4. Select any file format of your choice from 30+ options.
Step 5. Browse to the location and tap the Backup button to start the process.
Done!! You have successfully exported all of your emails from your Office 365 account to your chosen file format.
Watch How to Download All Emails from Outlook 365 Account
Common Problems When Exporting Office 365 Emails
#1. Export option is missing or greyed out
The available export options depend on the Outlook version, account type, permissions, and Microsoft 365 configuration. If you are using Outlook on the web, you may not see a complete mailbox export option. Try the desktop Outlook workflow instead.
#2. Older emails are missing from the PST
This is commonly related to Outlook’s synchronization settings. Microsoft states that Cached Exchange mode can restrict the export to the items currently stored in local cache. Change the setting to download all email and allow synchronisation to finish before exporting.
#3. Sign-in problem
Microsoft 365 account may require modern authentication or additional verification. If Outlook cannot authenticate the account, complete the organization’s sign-in and MFA requirements before starting the export.
#4. The mailbox is very large
Large exports can take considerable time and require sufficient disk space. For eDiscovery exports, Microsoft recommends dividing very large searches into smaller batches when necessary.
Conclusion
Downloading all emails from Outlook 365 depends on account type and amount of data you need to save. In this guide, we have explained 5 different ways to export all emails from Office 365. Personal Outlook.com users can request a mailbox export while work or school users can use classic Outlook to export emails. Microsoft 365 administrators can use Purview eDiscovery when they need to export specific mailbox data or handle multiple accounts.
If you only need a few emails saving individual emails is sufficient for large mailboxes a dedicated Office 365 backup tool can provide a more convenient way to export and maintain email data in bulk.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q 1. How long does it take to export all Office 365 emails?
Ans. The duration depends on the size of your mailbox and your internet speed. However, the automated tools generally complete the process faster than manual methods.
Q 2. Does exporting emails delete them from my Office 365 account?
Ans. No, exporting emails only creates a copy of your mailbox data. Your original emails remain safe in your account.
Q 3. How can I download my entire email history from Office 365?
Ans. You can download your entire email history by exporting mailbox using Outlook. Add your Office 365 account to Outlook, allow all mailbox data to synchronize. Also, you can use Office 365 backup tool to do it.
Q4. Can I export all my emails to my hard drive?
Ans. Yes, you can save Office 365 emails to flash drive, hard drive, PC, etc.
Q5. Can I export only specific email folders from OWA?
Ans. Yes, Microsoft Purview, Outlook Web App or software allows you to choose specific folders or apply filters to export only the emails you need.
