Microsoft Outlook stores its data items into .pst files and it allows to import or export data items to or from Microsoft Outlook. The simplest way to import the data items is to copy the .pst file into your system and open the .pst file. This way all the items will be available and will display in their respective folders. But if the size of the .pst file is too big and you need only a few data items that met certain conditions, you have to use wizard-based import.
Microsoft Outlook provides an Import and Export Wizard to allow you to import the Outlook data items based on the given matching criteria. This article explains the steps to import Outlook data items using Import and Export Wizard.
This article applies to:
- Microsoft Outlook 2010
Step (1). Open Microsoft Outlook.
Step (2). Click on the File menu. From File menu items, click on Open menu item.
Step (3). Now click on the Import item which is used to import files, settings, and RSS feeds into Outlook.
Step (4). Once you click on the Import item, it will open the “Import and Export Wizard” dialog.
Step (5). Select Import from another program or file item from Choose an action to perform: list. This allows importing data from other programs or files.
Step (6). Click on the Next > button to continue to the next action in the wizard.
Step (7). Select Outlook Data File (.pst) item from Select file type to import from: list.
Step (8). Click on the Next > button.
Step (9). Select the file to import by clicking on the Browse… button.
Step (10). Select the option Do not import duplicates. By selecting this option, Outlook will not import the already existing Outlook data items into Outlook.
Step (11). Click on the Next > button. If the selected file is a valid Outlook data file (.pst), Outlook allows you to go to next up, otherwise, it will display an error message and not allow you to go to the next step.
Step (12). Once you provided the valid Outlook data file, it will display the “Import Outlook Data File” dialog. This allows you to select different options to what items you want to Import from the selected Outlook data file.
Step (13). Select the folder from where you want to import the data by selecting the folder from Select the folder to import from: list.
Step (14). Select Include subfolders check box if you want to import the data from subfolders also.
Step (15). Select the option:
- Import items into the current folder, if you want to import all the items from the Outlook data file into the currently selected folder in your Outlook application. For eg: if you select Archive Folders from the Outlook application, all the imported data items will be stored in Archive Folders.
- Import items into the same folder in:, if you want to keep the same folder structure in Outlook data file and you need to select the Outlook account where you need to import the data file by selecting the item from the combo box.
Step (16). Click on the Filter… button. It will open a Filter dialog, allow you to set the filters to import only particular Outlook data items from the Outlook data file which meets the filter conditions.
Step (17). Once you update your filter options click on the OK button to come back to the “Import Outlook Data File” dialog.
Step (18). Click on the Finish button to start importing the Outlook data items from the selected Outlook data file (.pst file) based on the selected settings and filters.
Once the import is done, the Outlook data items will be visible in your selected Outlook account folders.