Export Exchange 2016 Mailbox to PST
With Microsoft Exchange Server 2016 reaching end of support in October 2025, organizations need to take timely steps to protect and retain their mailbox data. Exporting mailboxes to PST files is a reliable way to maintain secure backups, support compliance requirements, and stay prepared for future migration plans. Whether handling a small set of mailboxes or a complete Exchange setup, planning ahead helps prevent data loss and keeps business operations running without disruption.
EdbMails Exchange Migration Software provides a reliable solution to export Exchange 2016 mailboxes to PST. It ensures complete export of emails, contacts, calendars, and other mailbox data while preserving the original folder structure and data integrity. The tool is compatible with all versions of Outlook and Exchange, allowing you to securely store, access, or restore PST files whenever required
Unlike manual methods that are slow and complicated, EdbMails provides a clean interface with smart options like date-based filtering, selective folder export, PST splitting, and incremental export. These features give you better control and flexibility, whether you’re handling regular backups or a one-time task, all without needing technical expertise.
EdbMails streamlines the process and minimizes risk, making it a reliable choice for organizations of any size. With secure authentication and responsive support, it ensures your Exchange 2016 data is safely handled and prepared for future needs such as cloud migration, server upgrades, or long-term archiving.
Why do users Export Exchange 2016 Mailboxes to PST?
- Backup: Exporting mailboxes to PST provides a reliable backup solution, allowing businesses to store important mailbox data such as emails, contacts, and calendars locally, ensuring data protection outside the Exchange 2016 server.
- Free up server space: Archiving inactive or unused mailboxes by exporting them to PST helps reduce the size of the Exchange 2016 database, improving server performance and lowering storage costs.
- PST accessibility: PST files are easily accessible via Outlook, enabling users to access their mailbox data without relying on the Exchange 2016 server, which is particularly useful during migrations or for retrieving archived mail.
- Security: PST files can be password-protected, providing an extra layer of security for sensitive mailbox data exported from Exchange 2016, preventing unauthorized access.
- Regulatory compliance: Many organizations export mailboxes to PST to comply with legal and regulatory requirements. PST files are used for archiving email communications, ensuring businesses meet legal obligations without the need for costly server-level backups.
EdbMails simplifies this process by offering a user-friendly solution that automates mailbox exports to PST without the complexities of manual methods, ensuring a smooth migration.
Prerequisites to Export Exchange 2016 Mailbox to PST
Step 1: Set the impersonation rights to global admin userIf you are using a global admin account to connect to your source Exchange server, ensure to set impersonation rights.
Set the impersonation rights for the admin user account
Step 2: Ensure that global admin has a non hidden mailboxThe administrator who is performing the export must have a non hidden mailbox on the source server.
Step 3: Verify if you have a valid mailbox the Exchange serverBefore you perform the export Exchange 2016 mailbox to PST operation, ensure that you have valid mailboxes for all your users in your organization.
See how to create mailboxes in Exchange server
Step 4: Verify if you have a valid Public folder on ExchangeIf you plan to export the Public folders to PST files, create and configure the Public folder mailboxes on the target server.
See Steps to create Public folder in Exchange server
Step 5: Install Microsoft Outlook on your computerTo export Exchange 2016 mailbox to PST by using EdbMails, you need to have Microsoft Outlook installed on your computer. Install the latest applicable updates for MS Outlook and ensure that you have sufficient space on your computer to save the output PST file.
Step 6: Create a profile in OutlookFor a successful PST export operation, you must create a new Outlook profile.
Steps to Export Exchange 2016 Mailbox to PST
Step 1: Download and Install EdbMails Exchange software
- Download EdbMails and install it on a computer running the Windows operating system.
Know more about system requirements for using EdbMails to export Exchange 2016 mailbox to PST.
- Open the EdbMails application on your system
- Enter your registered email ID and password, then click ‘Login’. If you’re new, select ‘Start Your Free Trial’ to continue with the trial version.Note: The trial version includes all important features and allows migration of up to 30 items per folder. To continue with unlimited migration, purchase an Exchange Migration license from the EdbMails website.After the purchase, close and relaunch the application. Then log in with the same email ID and password used during the purchase to activate your license successfully
- Choose the ‘Live Exchange Migration’ option.
- Select 'Live Exchange to PST Export’ option.
- Keep the default job name or click ‘New Job’ if you want to set a different name.
- Click the ‘Browse’ button and choose the destination path where the PST file will be saved after migration.
- Choose a target folder to save the PST files and make sure the selected drive has enough free space for a smooth migration.
- Download EdbMails and install it on a computer running the Windows operating system.
Step 2: Connect to source Exchange 2016 server
- To establish a fresh connection to the source Exchange 2016 server, click on ‘Add New Connection’. If a connection was already set up earlier, you can select it from the list and continue by choosing ‘Connect to Existing’.
- Choose the required connection options and click the ‘Next’ button.
Learn more about Exchange server connection methods.
- Using EdbMails, you can export mailboxes, public folders, and archive mailboxes from your Exchange server to Outlook PST files.
- Provide the source Exchange 2016 Server details such as the IP address (Domain name), Exchange version, username, and password.
- Click the ‘Login’ button to continue.
- After signing in to the source Exchange server, select the preferred option to load mailboxes. EdbMails loads them automatically, but due to Microsoft API limits, only up to 100 mailboxes may be visible. If you have more than 100, use the ‘Load Mailboxes using .CSV file’ option
Learn how to load Exchange server mailboxes using a CSV file.
- Click ‘Next’ to proceed
- To establish a fresh connection to the source Exchange 2016 server, click on ‘Add New Connection’. If a connection was already set up earlier, you can select it from the list and continue by choosing ‘Connect to Existing’.
Step 3: Select the Exchange 2016 server mailboxes
- Choose the mailboxes you wish to export and click the ‘Next’ button to proceed.
- Choose the mailboxes you wish to export and click the ‘Next’ button to proceed.
Step 4: Start Exchange 2016 to PST export operation
- Verify the selected mailboxes for the export operation and ensure the ‘Action’ is set to ‘Export’.
- Optionally, use the ‘Settings’ button to filter your export by date, sender, recipient, CC/BCC, or message status. You can also enable PST splitting if needed. If you prefer to export everything without filters, just proceed without making any changes.
- Save the settings.
- Click the 'Start Export' button.
- The export process has now started and can be monitored using the progress bar. Once finished, click the ‘View Logs’ button to check the detailed export operation report. You can also pause or resume the export at any time as needed.
Advantages of EdbMails to export Exchange 2016 mailbox to PST
- Preserve Original Folder Hierarchy:
EdbMails ensures that the original folder structure of Exchange 2016 mailboxes is preserved during export. This means users can maintain the exact organization of folders like Inbox, Sent Items, and subfolders, avoiding any confusion or data loss during migration.
- Selective Folder Migration:
With EdbMails, users can export specific folders from Exchange 2016 mailboxes to PST. This selective export feature includes greater control, allowing only the required data to be included while leaving out unnecessary content, helping save both time and storage space.
- Comprehensive Language Compatibility:
EdbMails supports a wide range of languages, making it ideal for global enterprises. Whether you’re exporting mailboxes in English, Spanish, Germany, French, or any other supported language, EdbMails ensures full compatibility, offering a seamless experience for businesses worldwide.
- Automatic Throttling Management:
EdbMails handles throttling issues automatically during the export process. This feature ensures a smooth and uninterrupted mailbox export, even when exporting large volumes of data. The software adjusts the transfer speed to avoid throttling limitations imposed by Exchange 2016.
- Free PST Viewer Tool:
EdbMails provides a free PST viewer tool, allowing users to preview PST files without the need for Outlook. This feature simplifies the process of verifying exported data before finalizing the migration, ensuring the integrity and completeness of the exported mailboxes.
- Export Mailboxes Without Size Limitations:
EdbMails can export very large Exchange mailboxes without imposing any size limit and maintains full data integrity during the process. It efficiently handles oversized mailboxes that are difficult to export manually.
- Detailed Export Logs & Audit Reports:
EdbMails generates comprehensive log reports for every export or migration job, including mailbox-level item counts, skipped items, and any errors encountered, providing a clear audit trail. These reports help administrators monitor operations, validate completion status, and fulfil compliance documentation requirements.
- Handling of Network Interruptions:
EdbMails includes an auto-reconnect feature that detects network drops during export. It reconnects automatically and resumes the process from the last successful point. This prevents duplicate data and avoids restarting the export. It ensures smooth operation even with unstable connectivity.
