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Written By
Suman Rawat -
Approved By
Sonika Rawat -
Updated on
November 10th, 2025 -
Read Time
6 minutes
Moving Outlook data across platforms isn’t as simple as it should be because when you are switching from Mac, you need to be careful. Whether you are moving to another email client or centralizing data on a mail server, the practical task is to import OLM to IMAP server. However, due to the nature of OLM files, they are bound to Outlook for Mac and can’t be directly imported to an IMAP server. This guide will explain to you how the import can be formed freely or with an OLM Converter in an efficient, secure, and reliable manner.
The OLM file created by Outlook for Mac is platform-dependent and stores all emails, contacts, calendars, tasks, and other data locally. Whereas IMAP (Internet Message Access Protocol) is a server storage that keeps your mailbox data synced across various devices in real-time.
With this import, you move data from your local desktop to cloud storage, which gives wide accessibility.
How?
IMAP supports numerous email clients, such as Microsoft Outlook, Mozilla Thunderbird, Apple Mail, Gmail, Other Webmails, etc.
Furthermore, the common scenarios where you must import OLM file to IMAP server include:
In this specific section, find out how you can perform the data transfer for free manually with control. Additionally, learn the pros and cons of manual data transfers. Once done, find out the best solution for quick and secure transfers with the OLM File Converter.
The manual process is somewhat technical, but it is feasible if done diligently. Use the following steps to manually import your OLM mailbox to IMAP through Outlook for Mac. The steps are:
Loopholes of the Manual Method
Enterprises and large-scale users are always concerned about data security and folder structure. This is why it is better to download the SysInfo OLM Converter Tool to automate the process and migrate data, ensuring accuracy and precision. Moreover, this tool has some exceptional features that make it a preferred choice, such as:
Guide to Migrate Outlook OLM to IMAP Server
Also, you can use it to Extract Attachments from OLM without hassle.
Example Case
Darcy from a marketing agency was managing around 25 Mac systems. She decided to consolidate all OLM mailboxes into a centralized IMAP Server for easy and reliable access. With the OLM File Converter, she was able to successfully upload over 60 GB of data in a few hours without loss or downtime. It helped cut her migration time by a huge ratio, providing an effortless transition and saved time and data.
Importing OLM files to an IMAP server allows you to move email from local Mac Outlook data to accessible email in the cloud. This works well for small mailboxes if you manually transfer your data, but the process is usually slow and can lead to mistakes with bulk mailboxes. A professional OLM to IMAP Migration Tool makes it easy to import OLM to IMAP server accurately and securely. Thus, making it a great option for organizations managing large email infrastructures that are shared across multiple users.
Ans- No, you cannot open OLM file in IMAP server directly because OLM files are not compatible with IMAP. To open them, use the advanced OLM Conversion Tool.
Ans- Yes, there are typical size restrictions. The vast majority of IMAP servers impose limits, either in size per mailbox or size limitations for attachments, often around 25-50MB per email, and Mailbox limits of 2-5 GB.
Ans- Yes, OLM Conversion Tool allows you to choose and select your folders (Inbox, Sent, Drafts, etc.) rather than transferring data you do not wish to transfer.
About The Author:
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.
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