Convert PST to MBOX on Mac & Windows without Outlook

Why Convert PST File to MBOX File Format?

Outlook PST (Personal Storage Table) files are a file type proprietary to Microsoft Outlook. MBOX, on the other hand, is the most preferred mailbox format for:

Mozilla Thunderbird, Apple Mail, SeaMonkey, Entourage, Eudora, and Email Clients on Linux.

Furthermore, some common scenarios for the conversions include:

• Moving email from Outlook to another email client for new open features and global accessibility.
• Trying to access PST email files on a Mac without installing Outlook on your native computer.
• Migrating legacy PST file data from active Outlook into open-source or lightweight email clients.
• Also, sharing your Outlook data with someone who uses Linux-based email clients or cross-platform email tools.

After going through the needs, let’s try to understand the methods available. Like all other conversion methods, this too has a manual process and a professional tool. Let’s look at them in brief in the section below for careful and successful conversion with no losses.

Convert PST to MBOX Free: Manual Guide

There are a few methods that you can follow for the free conversion from PST to MBOX. These include:

Method 1: Convert Outlook PST File to MBOX on Mac

Before you proceed, ensure to have your PST file on your Mac OS. Then:

1. Open Outlook for Mac and use its Import option to upload a PST file into it.
2. Then, drag those PST emails from Mac Outlook onto the Mac desktop.
3. Once you drop the PST files, they are saved in the (.eml) file format.
4. Now, open an Apple Mail account and drag and drop the EML files to it.
5. Lastly, you require a third-party converter tool for conversion to MBOX.

Method 2: Export PST File to MBOX on Windows

1. First, import your PST files into the Outlook application, if not present.
2. Then, open the Thunderbird application and ensure it is configured with a dummy email.
3. Next, using the Thunderbird Import feature, select Import from Outlook.
4. Choose your PST file data, and you can complete Import into it.
5. Alternatively, you can drag and drop the files after syncing Outlook with Thunderbird by IMAP.
6. Further, get the ImportExportTools NG add-on extension in your Thunderbird profile.
7. Finally, convert PST to MBOX by transferring PST folder with the I/E add-on in MBOX format.

Method 3: Convert PST File to MBOX Windows/Mac

1. Begin with your Gmail and enable IMAP in it to connect it later.
2. Then, start MS Outlook and check that you have a PST file in it.
3. Further, connect Gmail and Outlook accounts together by IMAP.
4. Next, drag/drop, or copy and move PST files into a Gmail folder.
5. After that, open Google Takeout and select Mail and other options.
6. Finally, Create Export and receive all your PST data in the MBOX format.

Why Do Manual MS Outlook Methods Fail?

The answer to it is:

Most of the guides found online, or the freeware and shareware tools, suggest exporting from Outlook to MBOX. They have the thought that you must have Outlook installed on Windows. But what if the following is true:

• You do not have Outlook installed?
• Or you don’t have a Mac.
• Maybe, you just want a free and open-source alternative.

Then you will be looking for a different solution, one without MS Outlook. Also, losing metadata and hierarchy is very common in these methods. Moreover, they lack bulk support and selective conversion. Therefore, in such scenarios, desktop-based tools are the safest.

Tool-Based Method: Convert PST to MBOX Without Outlook

The SysInfo PST Converter Tool is the only accurate, safe, and reliable method to change PST to MBOX with no loss and 100% retained structure. This tool works for all tech and non-tech users without Outlook installation, supported on both Mac and Windows. Additionally, it allows selective conversions, bulk migrations with no restrictions and risks. Moreover, one can convert PST contacts to VCF and items to many other formats in a single go.

This secure and scalable way is very easy to perform with a few simple and quick steps. Convert PST to MBOX Mac or Windows as follows:

1. Start the PST Conversion utility on your computer and click Next.
2. Then, continue and click “Add File”. Choose the (.pst) file from your local disk.
3. You can preview the emails before exporting to verify they correspond to the right email folders.
4. Further, tick all the folders you need to save in a MBOX file and click Next.
5. Choose “MBOX” for the destination format from the provided drop-down.
6. Afterward, set Export Path & choose the filters in the software for formatting.
7. At last, click Convert to finalize the conversion of native Outlook data files

Do You Know? Why Not Pick Free Conversion Tools Online?

Free online converter solutions might seem attractive, but many of them:

• Have file size limitations upto (25–50 MB)
• Are with no encryption or data security
• Even removes email formatting or headers
• Also, you are required to upload confidential data to unknown servers

Thatswhy, always prefer to use offline or desktop-based tools (especially for professional or sensitive information).

Conclusion

If you need to convert PST to MBOX and you want it to be reliable on either platform. Say, Mac or Windows, without the Outlook program altogether. Then, this blog states different processes. Manual methods do have some utility for limited cases, but they rely on slow techniques that are much more error-prone and cannot scale. Hence, try an automated tool that is offline, local, and secure, with batch migration, folder integrity, and cross-platform abilities.

Frequently Asked Questions

About The Author:

Suman Rawat

Suman Rawat is a technical content writer and expert in the fields of email migration, data recovery, and email backup. Her passion for helping people has led her to resolve many user queries related to data conversion and cloud backup.