Companies and end users are shifting from on-premises servers and email clients to cloud-based systems. Cloud services enable access to data from anywhere, update it automatically, minimize security risks, and offer greater scalability. MBOX is a commonly used email file format. This Outlook format is not compatible with Exchange Online/ Microsoft 365. This article examines the steps involved in importing MBOX files into Office 365.

How can you import MBOX files into Office 365?

Office 365 does not have a native method to import MBOX files. MBOX to PST conversion is not supported by all email services. Mozilla Thunderbird and Office 365 migration share a similar migration process. It works as follows.

Import MBOX files into Outlook

• Add Outlook to the system used for accessing MBOX files.

• Select the emails within a particular folder in the desired mailbox and store them in EML/PST format.

• Make a new folder in Outlook to import these emails.

• Drag and drop local files into Outlook

using the Importing Emails From Outlook to Office 365

You import emails to Microsoft 365/Office 365 using the network upload method. The use of the Azure AzCopy tool is necessary for performing this task. Steps to import files into Microsoft 365:

• Navigate to the Microsoft 365 Admin Center and go to the Security & Compliance Center >Data Governance >Import.

• Select the Upload your data option to create a new import job.

• Use the SAS URL copy to create a shared SAS signature key for the import permission in the Import Data dialogue box. AzCopy can be downloaded from the same dialogue box used for transferring the emails.

• To provide the inputs for the PST path location and SAS URL to be used with the Azure AzCopy tool, use the command prompt.

• Create Microsoft 365 mailboxes from PST files using a sample CSV file.

• Use filters to select data for import into Microsoft 365 after mapping file testing has been completed.

• To do that, have Microsoft 365 import the files when the Status reads ‘Completed’ in the tool.

Manually importing MBOX to Office 365 offers what advantages?

However, when importing MBOX files into Office 365/Microsoft 365 mailboxes, there are several drawbacks.

• Several applications must be installed on each device on multiple devices before MBOX files can be migrated.

• This method is unable to migrate contacts, calendars, tasks, and meetings.

• The Admin Center needs specialised knowledge.

• Migration can be error-prone due to large volumes of data.

MBOX files with small volume users can manually convert their PST into Office 365 but content in larger mailboxes with archives and other items cannot be imported. We will be able to assist you with moving MBOX files to Office 365

To visit our RecoveryTools MBOX to Office 365 Migration Tool in its transfer from Outlook to Microsoft 365. Please try out our free demo and tell us what you think.

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