Export Exchange server mailboxes to Outlook PST

Exporting mailboxes from an Exchange Server to Outlook PST format is a common requirement for organizations that need to safeguard email data, perform mailbox migrations, or retain information for regulatory compliance. PST files offer excellent portability and seamless compatibility with Microsoft Outlook, making it easy to access and manage mailbox data without relying on the Exchange server. This approach is especially useful for handling old server data, managing employee exits, and maintaining secure, long-term storage.

EdbMails provides a fast and reliable solution for exporting mailbox data from offline EDB files. Designed to support all versions of Exchange Server, the tool simplifies the entire export process. Users can recover full mailboxes or extract only selected items through an easy-to-use interface, while maintaining the original folder hierarchy and essential metadata remains intact.

In this guide, you’ll learn how to export an Exchange mailbox to a PST file using the EdbMails EDB to PST Converter. The tool supports granular exports, letting you selectively move mailbox data while keeping it properly organized. This ensures your emails, contacts, and other items remain intact, accessible, and easy to manage.

1. How to export mailboxes to PST in Exchange server 2019, 2016 and 2013?

   To export mailboxes to PST in Exchange server 2019, 2016, and 2013, you need to grant Mailbox Import and Export permissions to the Administrator account via the Exchange Management Shell (EMS). Once the permissions are set, you can export both user and Exchange archive mailboxes to PST using the classic Exchange Admin Center (EAC).

   Steps to export Exchange server 2019, 2016 and 2013 mailboxes to PST

   • Step 1: Launch the 'Exchange Management Shell' as Administrator.
   • Step 2: Assign the Exchange administrator account the 'Mailbox Import Export' permission.

     New-ManagementRoleAssignment –Role "Mailbox Import Export" –User "Administrator" .

   • Step 3: Next, create a new folder on your computer to save the PST files.
   • Step 4: Right click on the folder and select 'Give Access to' > 'Specific people'.
   • Step 5: Add your username to the list and give it Read/Write access.
   • Step 6: Copy the network path (UNC) of the shared folder by clicking 'Share'.
   • Step 7: Login to the Exchange admin center as global administrator user.
   • Step 8: Click recipients, then the three-dot menu under mailboxes.
   • Step 9: Click on 'Export to a PST file' and select the mailboxes to export.
   • Step 10: Finally, specify the shared folder's network path to start exporting the PST file.

2. How to export mailboxes to PST in Exchange server 2010?

   To export mailboxes from Exchange server 2010 to PST, first assign the Mailbox Import Export role to the administrator via the Exchange Management Shell (EMS). Next, create a shared network folder on your computer to store the PST files. Finally, run the MailboxExportRequest command as an administrator to export the user's mailbox to the designated folder.

   Steps to export Exchange server 2010 mailboxes to PST

   • Step 1: Click 'Start' on your Windows Server machine and launch the EMS as system Administrator
   • Step 2: To assign exporting rights to the Administrator account, run the cmdlet Mailbox Import Export
   • Step 3: Create a folder on your computer to export the resulting PST file
   • Step 4: Right click on the folder, click 'Properties' >'Sharing>Advanced Sharing'and enable 'Share this folder'
   • Step 5: Click 'Permissions' and add the 'Exchange Trusted Subsystem' object
   • Step 6: Assign the Exchange Trusted Subsystem Change/Read permissions
   • Step 7: Next, add the 'SYSTEM' object and assign the Full Control permission
   • Step 8: To export individual or bulk mailboxes to PST format, run the command New-MailboxExportRequest

     C:\>New-MailboxExportRequest -Mailbox "john.doe" -FilePath "\\ex02-2010\PST_2010\john.doe.pst"

     C:\>foreach ($Mailbox in (Get-Mailbox -ResultSize Unlimited)) {New-MailboxExportRequest -Mailbox $Mailbox.DisplayName -FilePath "\\ex02-2010\PST_2010\$($Mailbox.Alias).pst"}

   • Step 9: Check the status of the export operation by running Get-MailboxExportRequest
   • Step 10: Finally, look for the exported PST in the shared network folder you created.

3. How to export mailboxes to PST in Exchange server 2007?

   Install the Exchange System Management Tools and use the ExMerge utility to export Exchange 2007 mailboxes to PST, or export the mailboxes using the Export-Mailbox PowerShell cmdlet.

   Steps to export Exchange server 2007 mailboxes to PST

   • Step 1: Start the Exchange Management Console (EMC) on your computer
   • Step 2: Expand 'Microsoft Exchange' > 'Recipient Configuration' > 'Mailbox' in the left menu
   • Step 3: Right click on the mailbox and select 'Manage Full Access Permissions'
   • Step 4: Select users and groups to whom you want to grant the full access permission
   • Step 5: Finally, run the cmdlet Export-Mailbox to export Exchange 2007 mailboxes to PST

   Export-Mailbox -Identity  -PSTFolderPath C:\PSTbackup\PST_2007\mailbox.pst

4. How to export mailboxes from Exchange server to PST using Outlook?

   To export a mailbox along with its folders and subfolders to a PST file using Outlook, go to the File tab, choose Open & Export, then select Import/Export. From the list of options, pick Export to a file, and then choose Outlook Data File (.pst) to complete the export process.

   Steps to export Exchange mailboxes to PST using Outlook

   • Step 1: Launch Microsoft Outlook version 2019, 2016 or 2013
   • Step 2: Click 'File' on the left side top section and navigate 'Open and Export' > 'Import/Export'
   • Step 3: Select the option 'Export to a file' in the next window
   • Step 4: Under the 'Export to a File window', click 'Outlook Data File (.pst)'
   • Step 5: Select the folders to export and browse the location to save the PST file

   Using PowerShell or the Exchange Admin Center (EAC) to export mailboxes can be complex and time-consuming, especially if you're not familiar with technical commands. While tools like EAC or Outlook support exporting one mailbox at a time, they’re not ideal for handling multiple mailboxes efficiently. PowerShell scripts also vary depending on the Exchange server version, adding to the confusion. Another important point is that these native methods only work when the Exchange Server is fully functional and the database is accessible. If the server is down or the database is corrupted and won't mount, these options won’t help. In such cases, a specialized tool like EdbMails is the best solution for extracting and exporting mailbox data without depending on the live Exchange server.

5. Export mailboxes to PST from Exchange server 2019, 2016, 2013, 2010 and 2007 using EdbMails

   • Step 1: Download and install EdbMails software

     • Download and install the EdbMails application on any computer, even without Exchange Server installed and get started with exporting your Exchange server data right away.

       

     • Launch the EdbMails application and ‘Log in’ using your registered email address and password. If you don’t have an account, click ‘Start Your Free Trial’ to begin using EdbMails instantly without registration.   Note: The Free Trial lets you export mailboxes, but only up to 30 items per folder. To export all items, a valid license is required.

       Click here to purchase the license from the EdbMails website.

       After purchasing, restart the application and log in with the same email and password to activate your license.

       

     • From the list of available products, select ‘EDB Recovery (Offline) and Migration’.

       

     • Select 'EDB to PST' option.

       

     • You can either use the default job name or select ‘New Job’ to assign a custom name, making it easier to identify.
     • Then, click ‘Next’ to continue.

       

   • Step 2: Select the offline EDB file

     • Click ‘Browse for EDB file’.

       

     • EdbMails can effectively recover corrupted, offline EDB files and resolve the Dirty Shutdown error in Exchange Server databases.
     • Select the offline EDB file, then click the ‘Next’ button to continue.

       

     • Click ‘Browse’.

       

     • Select a location to save the exported PST files and ensure that there is enough available disk space for storage.

       

     • EdbMails scans the offline EDB file to recover mailbox data in case of corruption. The duration of the recovery depends on the database size and condition, so it’s recommended to wait until the process is fully completed.

       

   • Step 3: Select the mailboxes to export EDB to PST

     • After the recovery process is complete, expand the mailbox and select any folder to preview its contents, including emails, contacts, calendars, tasks, journals, and notes, in the preview pane on the right.
     • Choose the mailboxes or folders you want to export, then click ‘Next’ to continue.

       

   • Step 4: Convert EDB to PST

     • Check the mailboxes and folders selected for export. Ensure that the 'Action' is set to 'Export', then click the 'Start Export' button to begin the process.

       

     • EdbMails displays a real-time progress window during the export operation and shows a confirmation message once the export is successfully completed.

       

     • Click the ‘View Logs’ button to see a comprehensive summary of the export operation.

       

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Additional resources

• Restore an Exchange server database
• Export Exchange Public folders to Outlook PST
• Extract mailbox and export EDB to Outlook PST
• Export Exchange emails to PST by specific date