How to Save Outlook Data to an External Drive?

Planning to save your Outlook data on an external drive? Whether you are backing up your Outlook data, transferring your PST file to another computer, or simply creating space on your system, exporting your Outlook data to an external drive is a must.

While there is a standard way to export your Outlook data there are also other effective alternatives that you can use.

In this article, we will guide you through 3 effective methods to save Outlook emails to your HDD.

How is Outlook Data Stored?

Outlook data is stored as a PST file, that has all your Outlook emails, contacts, notes, calendar dates, and more! The Outlook application simply allows the user to read and interact with the data with a PST file.

PST files can also be used with Outlook applications on different computers making it the best file format to store and transfer Outlook data, here’s how you can move the Outlook data:

How do I Move My Outlook Data to An External Drive?

Here we have a few extremely effective options that you can use to save your data onto any external drive. Just make sure to read and understand all the steps before proceeding.

1. Exporting Outlook Data to External Drive as a PST File

The Outlook export feature allows users to save their Outlook emails as a PST file. It is a fairly easy method. However, you will only be able to access that data inside a PST file using Outlook.

1. Open your Outlook application and click on the File.
2. Click on Open & Export and select the Export/Import Option.
3. Select the Export to a File option and click on Next.
4. Select the Outlook Data File (.PST) option and click on Next.
5. Select the Outlook folders you wish to move to your external drive.
6. Use the Browse option to select a save location and click on Next.
7. Go to the save location and transfer the Outlook emails onto your external drive.

2. Exporting Outlook Data From Office 365

Office 365 is a product family of software that includes Outlook. If you frequently, use Office 365, then you can follow the steps below to export all your Outlook emails.

Note: The following method is long and will require you to be familiar with computers and Outlook. If you are not, please do get help from someone who is.

1. Log in to the Exchange Admin Center using your Office 365 admin credentials.
2. Go to Admin Centers and click on the Security and Compliance
3. Click on Permissions and select the eDiscovery Manager

(In order to do so you will news be a member of the eDiscovery Manager Role Group to use other functionalities. )

1. Click on Edit and adjust the assigned permissions and roles accordingly.
2. Open More Resources and click all resources in a panel. Locate and click on the Microsoft Purview Compliance portal.
3. Access the Content Search Tab and click on New Search. Fill and enter all the required details.
4. When you get to the conditions Tab, you get to apply a filter to select all that needs to be exported as a PST file. After you are done, click on Submit to confirm your choices and begin the eDiscovery Search.
5. After the search, click on Actions and select Export Results.
6. After Export click on Download Results. Ensure that you copy the assigned Export Key which you will need to use later.
7. An eDiscovery Export Tool Window will appear. Enter/Paste the Export Key, use the browse option to select a save location, and click on Start to download your PST File.
8. To wrap things up, go to the save location and copy the PST file onto your external drive.

While this method works, it is lengthy and requires the user to be well-versed with computers. This next method will offer an easier alternative to get the best results.

3. Save Outlook Data to Your External Drive Using Professional Software

The next best way to move Outlook data to an external drive is to use the Outlook migration tool by Remo. While exporting your Outlook data as a PST file, it will primarily consist of emails. Professional migration software also allows you to transfer other attributes such as notes, saved signatures, Outlook rules, add-ins, and more. Not only will it be easy to transfer mail, but it will also spare you from needing to set up Outlook all over again.

How To Open Outlook Data Files Saved To Your External Drive?

Moving all your Outlook data to an external drive is one thing, accessing it later is another.If you have saved your Outlook emails as a PST file, follow the steps below to access it.

1. Connect the external drive to your system.
2. Copy the PST file onto your system,
3. Open Outlook and click on File.
4. Click on Open & Export and select the Export/Import Option.
5. Select the Import from another program or file option.
6. Browse and select the PST file.

To Conclude

I hope that this article was able to help you save and move your Outlook emails onto your external drive. In today’s world, data is valuable, especially if they are work-related Outlook emails so ensuring that they are protected and handled safely must be a priority.

If you haven’t already, please make sure to create a backup folder of all your Outlook data to prevent a risk of data loss in the future. If you have already lost some PST files then consider using data recovery software such as Remo data recovery which offers data recovery solutions, don’t be afraid to use them if you need to.