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Written By Suman Rawat
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Updated on January 16th, 2025
How to Convert PST to MBOX on Mac for Free
Summary: In this article, we will cover simple and easy methods to convert PST to MBOX on Mac. Every user wants to convert their PST file effortlessly, so here we have the professional tool Outlook PST Converter for Mac. Additionally, we will know about the difference between the file formats for which users want to do the conversion from PST to MBOX.
User Query: “I have PST files of my Outlook emails that I want to convert to MBOX format. I’m a Mac user looking for a free way to do this. Can you help?
I’ve tried a few online converters, but they’ve either been too slow or they’ve lost some of my email data. I hope there’s a free software solution that I can use to convert PST to MBOX Mac.”
PST vs MBOX
| Features | PST | MBOX |
| File Extension and Associated Email Client | The file extension of PST is .pst and the associated email client is Windows. | MBOX has a file extension .mbox and various email clients on Mac, Linux, and Unix-like systems. |
| File Structure | Single format with a hierarchical structure containing emails, contacts, calendars, tasks, and more. | The simple, plain-text file that stores emails sequentially, one after another. |
| Attachment Handling | PST allows for inserting attachments within PST files, which can increase file size. | MBOX typically stores attachments as separate files, reducing the impact on file size. |
| Portability | These PST files are generally limited to Microsoft Outlook or applications that can support PST file import. | MBOX is highly portable in comparison to PST. These files can be imported into various email clients with MBOX support. |
| Size Limitations | Limited by Microsoft Outlook’s version and file format. | They are limited by email clients or the system’s file size limits. |
Now you know the basic difference between both file formats. Let’s come to know possible reasons for which users want to convert into MBOX from PST format.
Instant Solutions to Export PST to MBOX on Mac
Mac/Apple Mail accepts MBOX files for importing emails, so users may wish to migrate their PST data files to MBOX. We have both manual and professional techniques to complete the conversion process. So, let’s discuss them one by one.
Technique 01: Convert PST Files to MBOX-free
The best possible free solution is to use Outlook. However, this manual method is difficult for those users who don’t have much technical knowledge. Sometimes, the resultant data file may have improper or lost data present. That’s why many tech experts don’t recommend using manual methods. But if you are interested in converting your PST files manually, then you can move ahead.
- Launch Mac Outlook 2016 or 2011.
- Then, Click on File >> Import.
- From the Import dialog, select Outlook Data File (.pst or .olm).
- In the sub-menu, select Outlook for Windows Data File (.pst).
- Browse to the location of the PST file and then select it.
- Now, Click Import to import the PST file data into Mac Outlook.
- After that, Open the home screen of Mac Outlook, and under the On My Computer section, you will find the imported file.
- Drag this folder to the Mac desktop. The file will be saved successfully in MBOX file format. This file can be imported into Apple Mail using its native import option.
This manual method performs the conversion process, but you can only convert one PST file at a time. However, if you want to do bulk migration, we have an automated solution for this conversion process, which we will discuss now.
Technique 02: Directly Convert PST to MBOX on Mac
The Outlook PST Converter for Mac is a top-notch software to convert multiple PST files into MBOX at a time. Additionally, this tool has many features. During the conversion, users can remove duplicate emails and preview their Files.
Download Now Download NowLet’s have a look at the step-by-step working of this software:
- Launch and Run the tool as an administrator.
- Now, choose Select Files or Select Folders as per your choice to add the PST files.
- Browse the PST files from your Mac system to convert them.
- After adding PST files, select the folders from the tree structure.
- Then, choose MBOX as the Output format to convert PST to MBOX on Mac.
- Choose Path to Save to specify the desired location for the converted MBOX file.
- Finally, click the Convert button to do the process of conversion.
Your PST files successfully converted to MBOX format on Mac.
Sum Up
By reading this article, you come to know the best and easiest solutions to convert PST to MBOX on Mac. Additionally, you have knowledge of the basic differences between the PST and MBOX formats. I hope this blog is helpful for you to successfully convert your PST files into MBOX on Mac.
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.
