Trouble Free Solutions to Export Mac Outlook 2011 to Apple Mail

It isn’t that easy with Outlook 2011 to create MBOX folders for importing into Apple Mail. A simple dragging of single & multiple mail messages to desktop produces individual file with EML extension that Apple does not understand. This blog gives the idea about how to export Mac Outlook 2011 to Apple Mail.

IMAP Account

If any user is using IMAP account or MS Exchange, then he/she can simply create new local account with the help of either the IMAP option or the Exchange option. This account populates quickly with Internet speed. This method is easy and totally painless.

The POP Settings for Migrate Outlook for Mac 2011 to Mac Mail

POP users wanting to shift to IMAP, transferring solution is simple. Once in it, many users consider permanent switching to IMAP if provider is providing that owing to the advantages it offer.

Export Mac Outlook 2011 to Apple Mail :Gmail’s Account in MS Outlook

IMAP account can be added to Outlook for aiding the transfer of email. If provider is not supporting IMAP, then free Gmail account can be fetched. This formula works with any of the email clients. Follow the below steps:

1. First, open Outlook 2011-> back up email as a safeguard->File

2. After that, go to Export for migrate Mac Outlook 2011 to Mac Mail

3. Then, choose to export-as-Outlook-for-Mac-Data-File (.olm)

4. Create IMAP account with the help of provider settings

5. Name the topmost folder as “New-IMAP-Account”

6. If the provider is not supporting IMAP, then use present Google account or one can also try opening a new Google account. It is free. It also features healthy space of 15GB

7. Drag email/ folders from POP-account folder to new IMAP’s account folder

8. Then, open Mac Mail for the purpose switch from Outlook for Mac 2011 to Apple Mail.

9. After that, create new account with IMAP option

10. Mac Mail stores these days everything for offline-use so no settings are needed for change

11. If however user is making use of some old Mail version, then keeping local email copies might be needed

Move Email from Mac Outlook 2011 to Mac Mail- Faster Method

For speedier process, one can use Mozilla’s super-capable Thunderbird’s mailing client as liaison. This can be little bit tiresome but is greatly speedier too with big amount of email. This is better than the previous one where user has to wait for upload & download through IMAP.

Import Mac Outlook 2011 Mac to Apple Mail- Link to Google Mail Using Thunderbird

1. Creating folders, set that matches the folder-hierarchy of MS Outlook mail in some location

2. Open required folder  for copying in Outlook. Then, press Command-A.

3. Drag those to corresponding Finder-folder that was created and Each mail gets created as one EML file

4. Download Mozilla Thunderbird, install that in applications’ folder and open it

5. Recreate Outlook’s folder-hierarchy for the process of move email from Mac Outlook 2011 to Mac Mail

6. Open first Finder-folder then press Command-A for selecting all EML files

7. Drag those to corresponding Thunderbird folder. Repeat till all folders get transferred

8. Import Thunderbird’s option in Apple Mail, Once email is dragged from MS Outlook to Finder then to Thunderbolt.

9. Import mail in Thunderbird’s format. Then open mail and select file→Import mailboxes→ Thunderbird Options

10. Mail already points at right location. If it doesn’t, it would be something like this /users/”username”/Library/Thunderbird/Profiles/”random hash number”/Mail/Local Folders

11. If library folder cannot be seen in the case of switch from Outlook 2011 Mac to Apple Mail then

• Hold option key while you use Finder’s Go-function
• Library can be seen as option
• Choose that
• Browse to Thunderbird’s mail folder
• Copy that to a location that is better-accessible
• Open terminal
• Execute command “chflags nohidden ~/Library/”
• This would make you see Library folder even from browser’s dialog
• For reversing the process, one can execute this command “chflags hidden ~/Library/”.

Import Mac Outlook 2011 to Mac Mail- Plan B

When other manual efforts to export Outlook 2011 to Apple Mail turn futile, then there always is the room for plan B i.e. the use of a good commercial tool OLM to MBOX Converter. This surely involves a bit of investment but it is all worth it!

Read: OLM to Thunderbird Conversion

Conclusion

Drag mail to Mozilla Thunderbird and then import the folders to Apple Mail is a speedier solution. And transfer to & from IMAP’s server is a bit more convenient. So, choice is up to users whether they are looking for a simple method or a speedy one. IMAP process is a bit slow, and the other one, the Thunderbird’s method is tiresome but quick. Commercial software like OLM to MBOX Converter gives the best of the both worlds for Export Mac Outlook 2011 to Apple Mail, as using it is simple and speedy, at the same time.