Introduction
To Convert EML files to PST is a common requirement when you need to take your email data into Microsoft Outlook. EML files are supported by loads of email applications, including Windows Mail, Mozilla Thunderbird, Apple Mail, and loads of other email clients. On the other hand, PST is the primary data file format that Microsoft Outlook uses to store all your emails, contacts, calendars, tasks and other mailbox information.
In this guide, well show you 2 free methods to convert EML to PST manually, including all the required steps, limitations & important precautions to keep in mind to make sure your email data stays safe.
What Is an EML File?
An EML file is an individual email message file that stores all the details of an email, like the sender, recipient, subject, message body & attachments. EML files are normally created when individual emails are exported or saved from supported email applications.
Because EML emails are one per file, users can end up with hundreds or thousands of separate EML files over time. Managing a large collection individually can become a real pain, especially when you need to migrate the messages to Microsoft Outlook.
What Is a PST File?
A PST file, or Personal Storage Table file, is an Outlook data file that stores your mailbox information on your computer. Depending on how your Outlook is set up, a PST file can contain emails, folders, contacts, calendars, tasks, notes & other Outlook data.
When you move EML emails to Outlook, converting or importing them into a PST structure makes the messages a whole lot easier to organize and manage.
Why Convert EML File into PST?
There are loads of reasons why you might need to convert EML files to PST:
To be able to open EML emails in Microsoft Outlook - it’s that simple!
To move email messages from another email client to Outlook
To consolidate multiple EML files into an Outlook data file
To preserve old emails in an Outlook-compatible format
To sort individual EML messages into Outlook folders
To be able to access EML attachments directly from Outlook
To maintain a centralized mailbox archive
If you’re only dealing with a relatively small number of EML files, manual conversion might be a good option - especially if you don’t want to install some dedicated conversion software
2 Free Methods to Convert EML to PST Manually
We can use a couple of different approaches depending on the email application that’s available on your computer. The following two methods provide a couple of practical ways to move EML data into Outlook and eventually create a PST file.
Method 1: Convert EML to PST Using Windows Live Mail and Outlook
One old favorite is to use Windows Live Mail as an intermediate application. Windows Live Mail can import EML files and then export the email data to Microsoft Outlook.
This method is worth trying if you already have Windows Live Mail installed on your system.
Step 1: Launch Windows Live Mail
First, install or open Windows Live Mail on the Windows computer where the EML files are stored.
Make sure the EML files are accessible and organized in a folder. If there are multiple folders containing EML messages, maintaining the original folder structure can make the migration easier.
Step 2: Import EML Files into Windows Live Mail
Follow these general steps:
Open Windows Live Mail.
Click the File menu.
Select Import messages.
Choose the appropriate email format.
Select the option for Windows Live Mail or supported message data.
Browse to the folder containing the EML files.
Select the required folder.
Start the import process.
Wait until all selected messages have been imported.
After the import is complete, verify that the messages appear correctly in Windows Live Mail.
We should check several emails, especially messages containing attachments, HTML formatting, images, and special characters.
Step 3: Export Windows Live Mail Data to Outlook
Once the EML messages have been imported, we can use Windows Live Mail's export functionality to transfer the messages to Outlook.
The general process is:
Open Windows Live Mail.
Select File.
Choose Export email.
Select Microsoft Exchange or the appropriate Outlook export option.
Confirm the export operation.
Select the folders containing the imported EML messages.
Open or select the required Outlook profile when prompted.
Start the export process.
Depending on the installed versions of Windows Live Mail and Outlook, the available menu names and export options can vary.
Step 4: Verify the Converted Emails in Outlook
After the export finishes, open Microsoft Outlook and check the imported messages.
We should verify:
Email subject lines
Sender and recipient information
Email dates
Message body
Attachments
HTML formatting
Folder organization
If the messages appear correctly, we can proceed to create or save the Outlook data as a PST file.
Step 5: Create a PST File in Outlook
If the imported emails are stored in an Outlook mailbox or data structure, we can create a PST file using Outlook's export functionality.
Open Outlook and select:
File → Open & Export → Import/Export
Then select:
Export to a file → Outlook Data File (.pst)
Select the required folders and choose a destination for the PST file. Finally, click Finish to create the PST.
Method 2: Convert EML to PST Using Thunderbird and Outlook
Another manual approach involves Mozilla Thunderbird as an intermediate email client. Thunderbird can work with EML messages, while Outlook can subsequently be used to create a PST file.
This approach can be useful when Thunderbird is available and we need to migrate a manageable number of EML messages.
Step 1: Install and Open Mozilla Thunderbird
Install Mozilla Thunderbird on the Windows computer.
After launching Thunderbird, create or configure the required local mail folders. The goal is to establish a location where the EML messages can be organized before moving them into Outlook.
Step 2: Import EML Files into Thunderbird
Depending on the Thunderbird version and available extensions, EML messages can be imported into Thunderbird's local folders.
We can organize the emails into appropriate folders such as:
Inbox
Sent Items
Work
Personal
Projects
Archived Emails
Keeping the messages organized at this stage makes the subsequent migration easier.
Step 3: Transfer EML Messages to Outlook
Once the EML messages are available in Thunderbird, we need to move them into Outlook.
A commonly used manual approach involves opening or transferring individual EML messages and then placing them into the appropriate Outlook folders.
For a small number of messages, we can open an EML file and use Outlook to save or copy the message. However, this becomes increasingly inconvenient as the number of files grows.
Step 4: Organize the Messages in Outlook
After transferring the messages to Outlook, create the required folders and move the emails into their corresponding locations.
We should verify that:
The messages open correctly.
Attachments are accessible.
Dates and subjects are displayed properly.
Sender and recipient information is retained.
Folder organization is correct.
Step 5: Export Outlook Data to PST
Once the EML messages have been transferred into Outlook, we can create a PST file.
Open:
File → Open & Export → Import/Export
Select:
Export to a file
Then choose:
Outlook Data File (.pst)
Select the mailbox folder containing the imported EML messages, enable the option to include subfolders if required, and specify the destination location for the PST file.
Can We Convert EML to PST Without Outlook?
A completely manual EML to PST conversion without Outlook is difficult because PST is an Outlook-specific data format and Outlook provides the native tools for creating and exporting PST files.
The methods described above rely on Outlook at the final stage to create the PST structure.
If Outlook is unavailable, a dedicated ZOOK EML to PST Converter may be required for direct conversion. Such software can generally read EML files and generate a PST without requiring the same intermediate email-client workflow.
EML to PST Manual Conversion vs. Automated Conversion
Manual methods have the advantage of being free when the required applications are already installed. They also allow us to inspect the messages during the migration process.
However, automated conversion tools are designed specifically for situations where a large number of EML files need to be converted into a PST file.
A dedicated converter can be more practical when we need to process:
Multiple EML folders
Thousands of email messages
Large attachments
Multiple EML files in bulk
Complex folder structures
The appropriate approach depends on the size of the mailbox, available software, Outlook version, and migration requirements.
Conclusion
We can convert EML to PST manually using free methods, particularly when working with a limited number of email files. One approach involves Windows Live Mail, while another can involve Mozilla Thunderbird followed by Outlook.
The general migration process requires moving EML messages into an intermediate email application or Outlook and then using Outlook's Export to Outlook Data File (.pst) functionality to create the final PST file.
