Tech
How Do I Backup My IMAP Email In Outlook 2019?
Backing up Outlook data is always a better idea, when the profile is configured with an IMAP mailing server.
Summary:
Backing up Outlook data is always a better idea, when the profile is configured with an IMAP mailing server. Such backup will provide access to crucial mailbox items in case of emergency situations like the deletion of an Outlook profile or mailbox corruption. This post is meant for users who want to know ‘How do I backup my IMAP email in Outlook 2019?’
Introduction
Many Outlook users have an IMAP (Internet Message Access Protocol) account configured to it, owing to benefits like greater flexibility, accessibility, and efficiency. Unlike POP (Post Office Protocol), which downloads emails to the local computer, IMAP prompts Outlook users to view as well as manage emails directly on the server.
It is good to create a backup of IMAP emails to prevent data loss due to accidental deletion, server failures, or virus attacks. By creating regular backups of IMAP email in Outlook 2019, users can retrieve their vital information and data in case of emergencies.
When IMAP is configured in Outlook 2019, it recreate an OST file, which integrates with the server. This configuration facilitates users to access email wherever they are, from any device. When the user reads an email message in IMAP setting, he/ she is not really downloading or storing it on his/ her system; instead, reading the email from the email service.
There are two popular approaches to taking backups of IMAP emails in Outlook 2019. The first is the manual method using Outlook, while the second is using specialized third-party tools. In this post, we will discuss the right procedure to download IMAP emails locally.
Why it is Important to Backup IMAP Emails:
- Data Loss Prevention: By doing an IMAP email backup, the user can ensure that the email data is secured in case of accidental deletion, corruption, or loss on the email server.
- Recovery from Server Failures: Having an IMAP email backup assures uninterrupted access to your emails, thus facilitating continued work without disruption.
- Protection Against Malware Attack: In case of a cyberattack on the email server, having a backup assures that your crucial mailbox data is secured.
- Offline Access: Backed-up emails can assure offline access to crucial data anywhere, anytime, even if the email server is inaccessible.
- Smooth Migration: Backing up IMAP emails ensures smooth migration to a new email provider or account. With backup, users can easily transfer their entire email history, including folders, contacts, and messages.
Methods to Export IMAP to PST in Outlook:
In this section, we will discuss the process of taking a backup of an IMAP email (OST) in Outlook 2019. There are two methods of exporting IMAP to PST, viz., the manual method and third-party software. Let us explore both methods to perform the backup easily.
Method 1: Manual Approach to Convert IMAP OST to PST:
We can use Outlook’s built-in utility, i.e., the Import and Export wizard, to convert IMAP OST to PST. The manual approach involves two steps. In the first step, we need to add the IMAP-enabled account to MS Outlook. In the second step, we use the Export feature to save emails into PST files. Take the backup IMAP email locally before initiating this process. The step-by-step guide is listed below:
1. Launch the MS Outlook (2013, 2016 or 2019) application
2. Open the File tab
3. Click on Open & Export

4. Select Export to a file, and then select Next

5. Select Outlook Data File (.pst), and select Next.

6. Select the mail folder you want to back up and select Next.

7. Select a desired location to save the exported PST and name for your backup file, and then click Finish

Limitations of the Manual Approach:
By following the above-mentioned steps, you can successfully export IMAP emails (OST) to a local folder. But this method has its limitations. It is not suitable when large data files are involved. Also, there is always a risk of data loss during a transfer. The main limitations of the manual method are listed below:
- Potential for Data Loss: There are chances of data loss due to errors like crashes, software issues, etc. Sometimes, while exporting, users may skip folders or emails, which leads to potential data loss.
- User Knowledge Dependency: The successful execution of the export process in the manual methods depends totally on the user’s familiarity with the process. If the user is less familiar, then there is a risk of potential data loss in the process.
- Interruption: Issues like power failure, network failure, or system crashes may cause interruptions in the export process, resulting in an incomplete backup of the IMAP email in Outlook 2019.
- Time Consumption: The manual method requires users to initiate as well as monitor the entire export process, which takes a lot of crucial time when large mailboxes are involved.
- Access to Original Account: Only those users who have access to the original account are allowed to take the backup. If the user doesn’t have access to the original account, they won’t be able to take a backup.
Method 2: Using Third-Party Software:
As discussed above, there are some limitations of the manual method. We can also use third-party OST to PST Converter tool like Stellar Converter for OST to create a backup for IMAP email(OST) in Outlook. These tools are specifically developed to smoothly convert all the items stored within OST file to the PST Data file format.
Features of the “Third-Party Software”:
Third-party tools are specifically developed to address complex issues, which is not possible in the manual approach. Some of the features of the third-party software are listed below:
- IMAP OST Backup to PST: As discussed in the previous section, when Outlook 2019 is configured with IMAP, it creates an OST file that synchronizes with the server. We can easily create a backup by converting this OST file to PST using such third-party software.. If we are using Stellar Converter for OST Corporate version, we can easily convert an offline OST file to PST format to be used in all Outlook versions.
- Supported Output Formats – Option to save in Live Exchange Server, Office 365, Outlook Profile, PST, EML, MSG, RTF, HTML, and PDF file formats.
- Batch Conversion – Third-party software like Stellar’s Technician version, provides an option to convert multiple OST files to PST files in a single conversion cycle.
- Selective Conversion – Provides option to only save selected emails as per requirement.
- Resume Function – Option to save scanned information to resume the process at a later stage.
Conclusion:
‘How do I backup my IMAP email in Outlook 2019’ is a common query by many users. In this post, we discussed a manual method to Convert IMAP OST to PST using the Import and Export wizard. But there are some drawbacks to this approach that may result in data loss.
To ensure the integrity of data files, we can also use third-party software like Stellar Converter for OST. Created to smoothly perform IMAP OST to PST conversion, these tools offer a streamlined solution for backing up IMAP email in Outlook 2019.
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