Method to Create a PST file in Outlook 2016, 2011 for Mac Effectively

Nilesh Kumar | Modified: September 17, 2021 | Mac Outlook | 6 Minutes Reading

Summary: In this article, we will discuss how to create a PST file in Outlook 2016, 2011 for Mac. We will also examine OLM and PST file types, why we need them, and what are the variations between OLM and PST file formats. Later explain different methods to export the PST file from Mac Outlook 2016.

As we know that Mac creates an OLM file whereas Window Outlook creates a PST file so for migrating to from Mac to Window Outlook we must convert our OLM files to PST files which is the only way for getting all your crucial email messages and other items in your Window Outlook email.

But Microsoft does not authorize any tool to export Mac Outlook 2016 to PST, so we need to do this conversion manually or by using our Mac Outlook 2016 export tool.

Also Read: Know-How to Transfer Outlook Email from Mac to Windows? Read this!

Differences Between OLM and PST Files

When a user operates a Mac Outlook, it creates an OLM file whereas when a user is working on Windows Outlook than the application creates a PST file.
OLM file reserves email messages, calendar data, tasks, contacts, journals, etc. whereas PST file stores data in POP3, IMAP appointments, tasks, calendars, etc.

Why We Need to Create a PST File in Outlook 2016, 2011 for Mac ?

There many reasons to create a PST file in Outlook for Mac. Some of them are given below:

While traveling
Migrating to a new company or organizations
Switching or updating the version of the computer
Working on another computer for a short period
Multiple computers working at a time

Solution to Create a PST File in Outlook for Mac

Users can export the PST file from Mac Outlook 2016 manually or by an expert method. Both the methods are listed below by which users can get the desired results.

Make PST File in Outlook 2016 for Mac Manually

This method acts as a temporary solution for Mac Outlook to create a PST file. It is a long way and users need to be very clear about the procedure. Follow the given steps to create a PST file in Outlook for Mac:

Open Mac Outlook and Navigate the file menu and click on the Export option
Enable the radio buttons of ‘Outlook for Mac Data File’ and click on right arrow from Outlook Export Wizard
Select an option from ‘Delete After Exporting?’ and click on the right arrow

Note: Before moving to the next step, ensure that you have created a backup of the original OLM files to preventing data loss since data could be lost during export.

Fill the name and file location of your OLM file and hit Save
After the exporting process is complete, a pop-up will display of confirming the process completion
Then, Click on Outlook preferences in your Mac Outlook
Choose the desired account from the preferences window
Hit the Add button to expand the menu and select E-mail from the option
Fill the required credentials of your Gmail Account and Choose Add Account.
Now you can see a pop-up window on your Mac Outlook for conforming the configuration of Gmail account
Select new folder option from the Gmail configuration to import your OLM file
Rename your folder, navigate file menu and click on import option
Choose ‘’Outlook Data File’ from the Import Wizard and hit the right arrow
Now you need to select the OLM file which you have taken in 4^th step and press import button
An ‘Import window’ will appear for confirming the importing process
Come back to Mac Outlook and then select all the imported messages
Navigate Move option and select Choose folder by right-clicking on imported messages
Fill the folder name or choose the Mac OLM file folder, and hit the Move button
All the messages will migrate to the Gmail account that you have selected in Outlook for Mac
Now you need to launch Windows Outlook in your machine and configure the Gmail account in it. After completion, the user will see all the OLM files that have been selected

Limitation of the Manual Method

It is a very long process that takes a long period.
It does not support the conversion of OLM files to PST format; it only allows exporting mailbox data of OLM files to Windows Outlook.
If a file gets damaged due to some reason than the user may lose his data

Also Read: Guide to Export Outlook for Mac file into MBOX format

Automated Tool to Create a PST File in Outlook 2016, 2011 for Mac

Download and Install Mac Export tool from below link

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Inside the tool, hit the Add File button to add OLM file

Then choose the desired location and press the Add File button to start the file scanning process

User can see a pop-up window showing scanning progress
After the scanning process is completed, the user can directly preview emails in the Normal Mail view tab.
Select the emails to export by right-clicking on them and then choose the Export option
Then select PST file format to export the OLM file

Note: Users can also split large-sized PST files by selecting the Split PST option.

Navigate and select the folder and click the Export button to initiate the exporting process

Now you can see the progress of the exporting process. After it Saves the export report. Enter the name for your resultant report and click Save. The resultant report destination will be displayed in a pop-up window. Open the location where you want to save the PST file and verify the items exported to PST. Finally, you can preview the PST file data in Window Outlook

Also Read: Expert Solution to Backup Mac Outlook File to PST Format

Conclusion

Migration to a different OS creates a lot of trouble, especially when we want to access our Outlook emails for Mac in Windows Outlook. This article will serve a simplified way of switching from Mac to Windows Outlook. We discussed a different approach to create a PST file in Outlook 2016, 2011 for Mac. The manual method lack some terms, so it is advisable to use an expert method that is ‘Mac Outlook 2016 Export Tool’. This tool is simple and easy to use and no data is lost with it.