How to Fix Outlook Import Export Option Greyed Out Issue?

Sometimes the import/export option is greyed Out in Outlook due to various reasons. Learn a few techniques to fix Outlook import export option greyed out issue in Windows 10/11.

Sometimes, users of Outlook face some issues with the “Import/Export” feature which disrupts email communication. This issue is the most prominent one among all issues nowadays. We will have a complete discussion of this “Import Export Option Greyed Out in Outlook 2016” Issue.

Microsoft Outlook is a broadly used email client application. A Huge number of users uses Outlook 365 to save their data into the PST file format and easily access the file within the Outlook profile. It stores emails in OST and PST File Format.

Why is Import Export Greyed Out in Outlook?

Generally, users are facing Outlook import export greyed-out error because they might be using a trial version of Outlook. You have to buy a licensed version to overcome this issue. However, there are plenty of other situations when the import and export option greyed out in Outlook. The same has been discussed and solved in upcoming sections.

Everybody is quite conscious of its functionality and is being used among multiple users in many organizations. Email communication allows users to send and receive documents, videos, images, and other media. However, users of Outlook, like users of other file formats, occasionally run into problems. The Import/Export greyed out issue is the most common of all the issues that arise. Because of this problem, importing and exporting Outlook Data file from Outlook becomes nearly impossible. It also makes it difficult to access emails.

We have taken the following user queries-

• How to Solve the “Import Export Option Greyed Out in Outlook 2016” Error?
• Why is import export greyed out in Outlook 365?
• Microsoft admin has deactivated the import/export feature configuration.
• Why Outlook import export option not working in Windows 10?
• How do I enable import/export in Outlook 2016?

Whenever this issue arises, you will see the below type of image on your Windows screen:

How to Fix Import Export Option Greyed Out in Outlook Windows 10/11?

In this context, we offer several tried and tested solutions that you can easily implement to fix import export greyed out issues.

1. Get Outlook Pro for more features

If you are using the Demo version of the Outlook Application, then we suggest you Upgrade to the Outlook Pro Version. It is only available through volume licensing and includes core applications plus Outlook, Publisher, Access, Excel, OneDrive, OneNote, Outlook, PowerPoint, and Skype for Business.

2. Check for errors in your Outlook files

It is more frequent that users face corruption with Outlook data files. That could also be the reason behind this error. To fix it, repair the Outlook data file by using the inbox repair tool Scanpst.exe.

3. Adjust the language settings in Outlook

One of the reasons for this could be due to the language settings. The language version of Windows does not correspond to the language version of Office.

Change the language for a non-Unicode program in Control panel > Region > Administrative > Language for non-Unicode programs.

4. Ask your System Administrator for help

It might be possible that you are working in a business environment and the admin has disabled the setting policy of your Outlook application. Then, the possible solution is to ask your Admin to enable settings.

5. Install the latest updates for Outlook

Users may be using an older version of Outlook and may not be able to use the import/export feature. Try updating Outlook from an older version to a newer version. Older versions are also the least likely to receive new updates or many features.

If the above manual methods do not give you the desired results, try the professional methods to deal with the import export greyed not working issue.

Steps to Export Outlook Data When the Import/Export Option is Greyed Out

1. Install and Run this automated software on your PC.
2. Select Configured Outlook Account and click on Next button.
3. Now, Choose the mailbox folders that you wish to export.
4. Select “PST” as a saving option from the list.
5. Choose your desired destination path to save the resultant PST File.
6. Finally, tap the “Next” button to start the conversion process.

This is how you can export Outlook mailboxes and other data using this solution. The above software will work even when Outlook import export options are greyed Out or not working. This won’t enable the Outlook feature but it provides an alternate way to export your mailbox data securely.

Video Tutorial to Fix Outlook Import Export Greyed Out Error

Final Words

Till now we have discussed all the possible causes and fixes you can use to resolve the import export option greyed out in Outlook 2016, 2013, and 2019. If in case, import export not working in Outlook, you can opt for the alternate approach. As shown above, professional software is the safest and most accurate way to export data from Microsoft Outlook. Also, to tackle the situation if the import export feature is not available.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q1. Why is the import/export option greyed out in Outlook?

Answer: The import/export option may appear greyed out in Outlook 2016 if you’re using an older version. To fix this, update your Outlook to the latest version.

Q2. Why is the Import option unavailable in Outlook?

Answer: If you’re using Outlook in English but it’s installed in another language, the import/export feature might be disabled in the trial version.

Q3. How can I export data when the export option is greyed out in Outlook?

Answer: You can use the mentioned software in this blog to easily export Outlook data to various file formats and email accounts if export option is not available in Outlook.

Q4. What should I do if I cannot fix the Import/Export greyed out issue in Outlook on my own?

Answer: If you are unable to fix the issue on your own, you may need to contact your system administrator or IT support for further assistance.