How to back up your email

Maintaining a backup of your email is a useful step in protecting valuable personal or business data. The steps required to back up your email vary by client.

Microsoft Outlook 2016

Open Outlook and select File.  In the menu that appears, select Open & Export, then Import/Export.

Open & Export menu

In the Import and Export window that opens, select Export to a file and click Next >.

Import and Export Wizard

In the next window, Export to a File, select Outlook Data File (.pst) and click Next >.

Choose file type

You can now select the mailboxes you’d like to back up. We recommend that you back up all your mailboxes, so select your email address in the Export Outlook Data File window and ensure that the box next to Include subfolders is checked. Click Next > to continue.

Folder selection

Use the Browse button to select a location on your computer for your backup. Click Finish to continue.

Save location

To keep your backed-up emails secure, you can create an optional password for the file. Enter a password and click OK, or Cancel to proceed without.

Securing the export

The backup will now be saved to your computer.

Microsoft Outlook 2016 for Mac

Open Outlook and select File.  In the menu that appears, select Export

File Menu

In the Export to Archive File (.olm) panel that opens, ensure Mail is checked and click Continue.

Export Options

Use the dropdown arrow to select a location on your computer for your backup. Provide a memorable file name and then click Save to continue.

Save options

The archive will now be saved to your computer. Now click Finish.

Export complete

 Microsoft Outlook 2013

Open Outlook and select File.  In the menu that appears, select Open & Export, then Import/Export.

Outlook 2013 File Menu

In the Import and Export window that opens, select Export to a file and click Next >.

Export Wizard

In the next window, Export to a File, select Outlook Data File (.pst) and click Next >.

Export File Type

You can now select the mailboxes you’d like to back up. We recommend that you back up all your mailboxes, so select your email address in the Export Outlook Data File window and ensure that the box next to Include subfolders is checked. Click Next > to continue.

Export Settings

Use the Browse button to select a location on your computer for your backup. Click Finish to continue.

Export Location

To keep your backed-up emails secure, you can create an optional password for the file. Enter a password and click OK, or Cancel to proceed without.

Export File Security

The backup will now be saved to your computer.

Apple Mail

Open Apple Mail and select one or more mailboxes. From the top menu, select Mailbox > Export Mailbox.

Export Mailbox Setting

Choose a location for your backup or create a new folder, then click Choose. Mail exports your mailboxes as .mbox files.

How to back up the Thunderbird profile on Linux

To start this process, first you need to close Thunderbird (in case it is open). Then, please copy and paste the profile folder to another location.

  1. Find for your profile folder.
  2. Close Thunderbird.
  3. You need to go one level higher than your profile’s folder, i.e. to ~/Library/Thunderbird/Profiles/
  4. Copy your profile folder with right click and then Copy,  for example, profilename.default
  5. Go to a backup location like a CD or a USB stick. 
  6. Right click on the backup location folder and click Paste

 

For further questions, or if you need help, please open a support ticket from your HostPapa Dashboard. Follow this link to learn how.

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