Top 4 Methods to Convert PST to MBOX – A Complete Guide

In this post, we will discuss PST and MBOX files and why users convert PST to MBOX. Also, learn how to convert PST to MBOX manually. If you are searching for a simple way to convert PST to MBOX, this post will help you.

What is a PST file?

PST or Personal Storage Table is a popular file format. MS Outlook uses this file to store user mailbox data such as emails, contacts, tasks, calendars, and journals. With the help of this file, MS Outlook stores all the data on the local machine.

What is a MBOX file?

MBOX is a popular file format. Many email clients such as Thunderbird, Apple Mail, Opera Mail, Entourage, and Eudora use this file to store user data such as emails, tasks, contacts, and journals.

Why Convert PST to MBOX?

There are various reasons. But primarily, if a user wants to open emails in Mozilla Thunderbird, Eudora, Apple Mail, or any other MBOX-supported email client, the user has to convert PST to MBOX format. It is because no other desktop email program supports PST file format other than MS Outlook.

How to convert PST to MBOX?

There are many manual methods available to perform this conversion. You can choose any as per your convenience. You can also use a PST to MBOX converter to accomplish this task. Here you will learn how to convert PST to MBOX manually. We will also learn an easy way to do this conversion using a third-party converter.

Method 1: Convert PST to MBOX using Default Program

MS Outlook and Thunderbird must be installed on your machine for this manual method to work. To perform this, follow the steps below.

1. Go to the Settings
2. Select the Default Program option and click the Email option
3. From the Choose an app list, select Outlook (Desktop)
4. Open Mozilla Thunderbird and click the Hamburger icon
5. Select Tools and choose the Import option
6. Select the Import Everything or choose the Mail option as per your requirement and click the Next button
7. From the select the type of file, select Outlook and click the Next button
8. Click the Finish button to complete the process.

It is the shortest manual method. However, in some versions, this method does not work.

Method 2: Convert PST to MBOX using Google Takeout

In this method, we will configure Gmail in Outlook and then migrate emails from Outlook to Gmail. After that, we will use Google Takeout to export all the emails to MBOX format. We have divided this process into five parts. To perform this method, follow the steps given below.

Step 1: Enable IMAP protocol from Gmail

1. Sign in Gmail account
2. Click on the Setting icon
3. Select the Settings option
4. Select the Forwarding and POP/IMAP tab
5. Enable the IMAP option and click the Save Changes button.

Step 2: Generate App Password

1. Go to the https://myaccount.google.com/
2. Click the Security option
3. Enable the two-step verification option
4. Click the Security option
5. Select the App Password
6. Sign in Gmail account again
7. Select the Other (custom name) as an app option
8. Enter Outlook Desktop and click the Generate button
9. Copy the app password

Step 3: Configure Gmail in Outlook

1. Open MS Outlook
2. Click the File option
3. Click the Add Account button.
4. Enter your name and Gmail email id
5. Enter your App password and re-enter your App password
6. Click the Next button
7. After the verification process, click the Finish button.

Step 4: Migrate emails from Outlook to Gmail

1. Right-click on the Gmail mailbox
2. Select the New Folder option
3. Provide folder a name and hit the enter key
4. Right-click on the Outlook email folder you want to import and choose the Copy Folder option
5. Select the folder that you created earlier and click the OK button
6. Go to Gmail and refresh the page. You will find the folder moved to your Gmail accounts.

Step 5: Export emails from Gmail using Google Takeout

1. Sign in Gmail account and go to the Google Takeout (https://takeout.google.com/)
2. From Create a new export, select the Deselect all option.
3. Scroll down and select Gmail
4. Click on the Next Step button.
5. In the Choose file type, frequency & destination section, choose Export once as a frequency.
6. Select the file type as .zip and choose the file size split option as per your requirement
7. Click the Create export button.
8. Once your data is ready for export, you will receive an email.
9. After receiving the email, open the email and click the download link.
10. After downloading, extract the .zip file, and you will find the MBOX file.

Note: This method takes anywhere from a few hours to days. This manual process is considered slow.

Method 3: Convert PST to MBOX using IMAP

In this method, we will configure Gmail into Outlook. After that, we will set up the Gmail account in Thunderbird. With the help of this method, you can access PST file data in Thunderbird. If you want an MBOX file, you can easily export it from Thunderbird. We have divided this process into seven parts. Follow the steps given below to do this method.

Step 1: Enable IMAP protocol from Gmail

1. Sign in to your Gmail account
2. Click the Setting icon and select the Settings option
3. Select the Forwarding and POP/IMAP tab
4. Enable the IMAP option and click the Save Changes button.

Step 2: Generate App Password

1. Go to the https://myaccount.google.com/
2. Click the Security option
3. Enable the two-step verification option
4. Click the Security option
5. Select the App Password
6. Sign in Gmail account again
7. Select the Other (custom name) as an app option
8. Enter Outlook Desktop and click the Generate button
9. Copy the app password

Step 3: Configure Gmail in Outlook

1. Open MS Outlook and click the File option
2. Click the + Add Account button.
3. Enter your name and Gmail email address
4. Enter your App password and re-enter your App password
5. Click the Next button
6. After the verification process, click the Finish button

Step 4: Migrate emails from Outlook to Gmail

1. Right-click on the Gmail mailbox and choose the New Folder option
2. Provide the folder a name and press the Enter key
3. Right-click on the Outlook email folder you want to import and choose the Copy Folder option
4. Select the folder that you created and click the OK button
5. Go to Gmail and refresh the page.

Step 5: Generate the App password for Thunderbird

1. Go to the https://myaccount.google.com/
2. Click the Security option
3. Select the App Password option
4. Sign in Gmail account and select the Other (custom name) as an app option
5. Enter Mozilla Thunderbird and click the Generate button
6. Copy the generated app password

Step 6: Configure Gmail in Thunderbird

1. Open the Mozilla Thunderbird.
2. Go to Tools and select the Thunderbird Options
3. Click the Account setting option
4. Click on Account actions
5. Select the add mail account option
6. Enter your Name, Gmail address, and password
7. Select remember password checkbox and click the Continue button
8. Select the IMAP (remote folders) and click the Done button

Step 7: Export MBOX from Thunderbird

1. Go to the Tools and select the Add-ons.
2. Search the ImportExportTools NG
3. Click the Add to Thunderbird button and restart Thunderbird
4. On the left pane, select the Gmail mailbox and right-click on the folder you migrated
5. Select the ImportExportTools NG and choose the Export folder option
6. Provide a path to save the MBOX file and click the Select Folder button
7. After that, Thunderbird will export all data in MBOX format.

Using these manual methods, you can convert PST to MBOX. These are the most reliable methods. However, these processes are time-consuming and require technical expertise.

Method 4: Convert PST to MBOX using PST to MBOX Converter

Here, we are going to use the SysCurve PST to MBOX Converter. It is a powerful software that provides the best way to convert PST to MBOX format. With its help, you can also convert PST to EML, MSG, EMLX, and other file formats. To perform this method, follow the steps below.

1. Download and install the SysCurve PST to MBOX Converter.
2. Open the tool and click the Add File option.
3. Select the PST files you want to convert and click the OK button.
4. After the loading process, the software will generate a preview mode. Select any item to see the message. (Optional)
5. Click the Export option and select the folders you want to Export.
6. Select the MBOX as an Export option
7. Click the Browse button and provide a path to save the MBOX file.
8. Click the Export button to start PST to MBOX Conversion.

After the process, you can open the converted MBOX file with Mozilla Thunderbird, Apple Mail, Eudora, Entourage, etc.

Other Helpful Features

• Convert PST to MBOX, EML, MSG, HTML, and other file formats.
• Preview all PST file data.
• Save Individual emails to MSG, HTML, and RTF format.
• Migrate PST to Office 365 platform
• Perform selective conversion based on To, Cc, Bcc, Subject, and Date.
• Free PST to MBOX conversion for the first 20 items per folder.
• Support all versions of MS Outlook
• Compatible with Windows OS.

Frequently Asked Questions

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