3.6.10   Importing Mail From Outlook

The recommended way to import from Microsoft Outlook 365, Outlook 2016, or Outlook 2011 is to select some messages (or a folder and no messages) and press the capture key (F1 or fn-F1). EagleFiler will preserve the message flags, read status, and categories. EagleFiler skips messages that have been assigned the “OmitFromArchive” category in Outlook.

Note: Dragging individual mailboxes or messages from Outlook to EagleFiler may also work, but using the capture key is recommended because it is more reliable.

Compatibility and “New Outlook”

Recent versions of Outlook have two different modes of operation, with the “New Outlook” switch either on or off. The “new look” version of Outlook does not support AppleScript yet, but it is in development and expected for December 2025. For now, the switch needs to be in the Off position in order for capturing using EagleFiler to work. Although there is now a free version of Outlook, AppleScript functionality is only available to paid users. In some situations, the New Outlook switch is not visible, but you can still control it via Terminal. EagleFiler will offer to turn it off when you press the capture key.

Importing Message Files

To import messages as individual .eml files instead of as mailbox files, capture one message at a time or use the Import From Outlook script.

Importing All Your Mail

To import all your mail at once, use a smart folder to show all the messages:

1. In the upper-right corner of the Outlook window, click in the search box. This will make the Search tab active.
2. In the Search tab, select All Mailboxes.
3. Then click the Advanced button.
4. Click on the Item Contains pop-up menu and change it to say Date Created. The pop-up menu next to it should now say Any Date.
5. You can now use Edit ‣ Select All to select all of your messages at once and import them by pressing the capture key.

EagleFiler creates a mailbox file for each folder that you imported messages from. The folders are preserved, but their hierarchy is not. That is, all the mailboxes are created at the same level; if desired, you can create folders in EagleFiler and drag and drop the mailboxes organize them.

Importing a Folder and Its Subfolders

To import from multiple folders at a time, use a smart folder to show messages from multiple folders at once:

1. Select the folder in Outlook.
2. In the upper-right corner of the Outlook window, click in the search box. This will make the Search tab active.
3. In the Search tab, select Subfolders.
4. Then click the Advanced button.
5. Click on the Item Contains pop-up menu and change it to say Date Created. The pop-up menu next to it should now say Any Date.
6. You can now use Edit ‣ Select All to select all of the messages at once and import them by pressing the capture key.

As with “Importing All Your Mail” above, folders are preserved but their hierarchy is not.

Importing PST Files From Outlook for Windows

There are several ways to import .pst files from the Windows version of Outlook to EagleFiler:

• If you have Microsoft Office for Mac, you can import the PST file into the Mac version of Outlook. Then select the messages and press the capture key.

  Note: The Mac version of Outlook has a bug that can prevent it from exporting some messages imported from Windows Outlook. This can prevent the message bodies from transferring to EagleFiler, making the messages appear blank (aside from the headers). To work around this bug, instead of importing via the capture key, import by dragging the mail folder (or individual messages) from Outlook to a folder in the Finder; this will export the messages (but not the message flags, read status, or categories). You can then drag the files from the Finder into EagleFiler to import them. Sometimes this won’t work, either, as the message files exported by Outlook are also flawed.

• You can import the messages into EagleFiler with the help of another mail client, such as Apple Mail. Make sure that both Windows Outlook and Apple Mail are set to connect to the same IMAP server. In Outlook, drag the messages to a folder on this IMAP server. The messages will then appear in that folder in Apple Mail. Then follow the Importing Mail From Apple Mail instructions.

• You can use a Mac utility such as PST Converter Pro to convert the PST file to mbox format. Then import the mbox files into EagleFiler.

• You can use a Windows utility such as O2M that can convert the PST file to mbox format. Then import the mbox files into EagleFiler.

Importing OLM Files From Outlook for Mac

To import an Outlook for Mac Data File (.olm), first import it into Outlook, then follow the regular instructions at the top of this section to import from Outlook to EagleFiler.

Opening Messages in Outlook

You can use Open With or Always Open With to open EagleFiler’s copy of a message in Outlook.