How to Migrate PST to Office 365? A Complete Guide

Short Summary: In this write-up, we have described different manual methods to migrate PST to Office 365. Along with that, we have also explained a suitable solution to perform this operation hassle-free. Go through this step-by-step guide to know the limitations, shortcomings, and reliable solutions for the same.  

Several users and organizations are moving towards Office 365. Are you one of those who want to upload PST to Office 365 Webmail? As it provides various benefits of shifting to Office 365. Which includes 100% security. Office 365 is compliant with most international security standards like GDPR, HITECH, and HIPAA.

There might be several reasons, but the goal is the same to improve working efficiency and provide better outcomes. However, migrating the PST files to Office 365 with older emails creates several issues for the admins. As a result, most of the users are not able to crack this migration process after putting a lot of effort into it. For them here is the quick way for the same.

5 Simple Steps to Migrate PST to Office 365

• Step 1. Download, Install & Run Software on PC.
• Step 2. Check Required Mailbox Items & Apply Filter.
• Step 3. Add PST Files & Complete Destination credentials.
• Step 4. Map the Source and destination users.
• Step 5. Start the Import PST files to the Office 365 process.

So, in this article, we have discussed two manual methods and a professional method to transfer PST file to Office 365 without any data loss.

Why Should You Upload PST to Office 365 Webmail Account?

1. Shifting to Office 365 cloud platform which is a single location from which you can access and share files easily. 
2. Office 365 maintains data integrity and eliminates data redundancy and duplicity.
3. It is a productivity suite that includes SharePoint, Teams, OneDrive, etc.
4. Office 365 offers a simplified backup and recovery process.

How  to Migrate PST to Office 365 Manually?

You can use these methods to move your PST files to the destination Office 365 account manually.

• Outlook Import/Export Wizard
• Network Upload
• Drive Shipping 

#1 Method – Outlook Import/Export Wizard to Upload PST to Office 365 Webmail Account

Using this method, you can transfer PST files to Office 365, however, you have to configure your Office 365 account before going to transfer PST file to Office 365.

Follow the Steps to Migrate PST Files to Office 365.

• Step 1. Launch Microsoft Outlook and select “File” from the menu.
• Step 2. Choose “Open & Export” and click on “Import/Export.”
• Step 3. Opt for the “Import from another program or file“.
• Step 4. Choose “Outlook Data File (.pst)” and click “Next.”
• Step 5. Browse and choose the PST file for import.
• Step 6. Select the desired options and click “Finish” to begin the migration.

Limitation of Outlook Import/Export Wizard

• Limited to Individual PST Files – The Outlook Import/Export Wizard is suitable for migrating individual PST files to Office 365. Additionally, if you have to migrate PST to Office 365 with multiple files, then it becomes cumbersome and time-consuming.
• Requires Manual Configuration – In the very first step, you have to manually set up your Office 365 account in Microsoft Outlook. Furthermore, the wizard also requires manual configuration for each PST file, including selecting the file, choosing import options, and mapping folders. Hence, it could be a complex and error-prone task for naive users to upload PST to Office 365 webmail.
• Dependency on Outlook – Last but not least, the Import/Export Wizard relies on Microsoft Outlook, which means it further requires Outlook to be installed and configured on the system before performing this migration. This reliance becomes restrictive for users who do not have access to Outlook or if they are migrating from non-Windows platforms.

#2 Method – Drive Shipping to Transfer PST File to Office 365 Mailbox

Using this method, you can migrate PST to Office 365 by transferring your files to an encrypted hard drive. And then shipping that drives physically to Microsoft, for every 1GB data file it costs $2, and you also have to pay the shipping charges. Once that data is validated by Microsoft. Then, Microsoft uploads data on the temporary Azure cloud. From there using Office 365 import service all mailbox data files get uploaded to your Office 365. 

Step 1. Prepare the Migration Environment:

• Set up an Office 365 subscription and create user mailboxes for each PST file.
• Ensure that you have administrative access to the Office 365 tenant.

Step 2. Gather PST Files:

• Identify and collect all the PST files that need to be migrated.
• Make a note of the location of each PST file.

Step 3. Set up the Migration Endpoint:

• Log in to the Exchange Online Admin Center (https://admin.microsoft.com) using your Office 365 administrator credentials.
• Navigate to “Recipients” and select “Migration.”
• Click on the “+ New” button and choose “Migrate to Exchange Online.”
• Select “Drive Shipping” as the migration method.

Step 4. Prepare the Storage Device:

• Obtain an external hard drive or another storage device with sufficient capacity to store the PST files.
• Connect the storage device to a computer that has network connectivity and supports the Azure AzCopy utility.

Step 5. Download and Install Azure AzCopy:

• Visit the Azure AzCopy download page (https://docs.microsoft.com/azure/storage/common/storage-use-azcopy-v10) and download the latest version of AzCopy.
• Install AzCopy on the computer connected to the storage device.

Step 6. Create the Destination File Share:

• In the Azure portal (https://portal.azure.com), navigate to “Storage accounts” and create a new storage account if needed.
• Within the storage account, create a new file share to store the PST files during the migration.

Step 7. Copy PST Files to the Storage Device:

• Open a command prompt or terminal window on the computer connected to the storage device.
• Use the AzCopy utility to copy the PST files from their current location to the destination file share in Azure storage.
• Run the following command, replacing the placeholders with the appropriate values:
• azcopy copy [source path] [destination URL] –recursive

Step 8. Ship the Storage Device:

• Safely package the storage device, ensuring it is adequately protected during transit.
• Arrange for the storage device to be shipped to the Microsoft Datacenter address provided during the migration setup.

Step 9. Prepare the Migration Batch:

• Once the storage device reaches the data center, Microsoft will copy the PST files to the designated Azure storage account.
• After the data transfer is complete, Microsoft will provide you with the necessary details to complete the migration batch setup.
• Log in to the Exchange Online Admin Center and navigate to “Recipients” and “Migration” as in step 3.
• Click on the “+ New” button and choose “Migrate to Exchange Online.”
• Select “Drive Shipping” as the migration method and follow the prompts to create the migration batch, specifying the storage account and file share information.

Step 10. Start the Migration:

• Once the migration batch is created, select it from the migration batch list.
• Click on the “Start” button to upload PST to Office 365 webmail.
• Monitor the migration progress using the Exchange Online Admin Center or PowerShell commands.

Step 11. Migrate PST to Office 365: Completed

• After the migration process completes, verify that all the PST files have been successfully migrated to Office 365.
• Update any necessary configurations or settings, such as mail routing or client access, to ensure a seamless transition.
• Communicate the migration completion to the users and provide them with instructions on accessing their migrated data in Office 365.

Limitations of Drive Shipping:

• Cost – Drive Shipping involves the physical shipment of storage devices, which incurs shipping costs and may require additional expenses for packaging and handling. Also, Microsoft charges $2/GB to migrate PST files to Office 365.
• Physical shipment logistics – Drive Shipping involves physically shipping storage drives containing the PST files to a data center for migration. This process can introduce logistical challenges, such as packaging, shipping, and tracking the drives, which may add complexity and time to the migration process.
• Downtime and data security concerns – During the drive shipment period, there is a temporary downtime for accessing the PST files until the drives reach the data center and the data is transferred. This downtime can impact productivity and accessibility. Additionally, there may be concerns about the security of the data during transit.
• Limited scalability – Drive Shipping is primarily suitable for large-scale or bulk migrations. It may not be feasible or cost-effective for organizations or individuals with a smaller number of PST files to migrate.

Also Read: How to Import Yahoo Mail to Office 365?

#3 Method – Network Upload to Migrate PST to Office 365

With the help of this method, you can store PST files in a temporary Azure Storage location over the network by using the PowerShell commands that are required to upload them, and then in the second stage you have to use Office 365 Import service to transfer PST files to Office 365 mailboxes.  

Limitations of Network Upload:

• Complexity Of Process – Network Upload for PST migration involves a complex setup and configuration process. It often requires administrative access to set up network shares, configure permissions, and ensure proper connectivity between the source location and Office 365. This complexity can be challenging for users who are not familiar with network configurations, leading to potential errors or delays in completing the migration.
• Network Bandwidth Restrictions – Migrating PSTs through the network upload method requires high-speed network bandwidth without any disruption. Otherwise, it becomes a time-consuming task, especially when dealing with large-sized files with limited network bandwidth. Which eventually leads to significant delays in completing the migration process.
• Network stability – Network interruptions or connectivity issues can cause disruptions during the migration process. In such cases, the upload may need to be restarted, leading to additional time and effort spent on completing the migration.
• Administrative access and infrastructure requirements – Network Upload often requires administrative access to set up and configure network shares. Additionally, organizations need to ensure the availability of suitable network infrastructure, including sufficient storage space, to accommodate the PST files during the migration.  

Also Read: How to Migrate Mail from One Office 365 Account to Another? Stepwise Solution

Automated Solution to Upload PST to Office 365 Webmail

To streamline the migration process, consider utilizing a reliable tool such as the Office 365 PST Import Tool. It is specifically designed to simplify the transfer of PST files, ensuring a smooth and error-free migration.

Here’s how it works:

Step 1. Download and install the software on your local system.

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Step 2. Choose Outlook as the Source and Office 365 as the destination.

Step 3. Tick the checkbox of the items under the workload for moving to Office 365. Apply the data filter to filter out the relevant data only.

Step 4. Enter the path of the PST file, validate it, and move to Next.

Step 5. Now, complete the Destination Office 365 credentials and Next after validating them.

Step 6. Load all the users into the tool using several options such as Fetch Users, Import Users, and Download template.

Step 7. Fetch the destination users and map them to the Source users.

Step 8. After validating the Source and Destination users, Click on the “Start Import” button to migrate PST to Office 365.

Smart Features of This Migration Tool

This tool provides several different features that can be used to migrate PST files to Office 365. 

• Using the Admin Credentials, you can transfer multiple PST files into different Office 365 accounts.
• It can migrate PST to Office 365 Shared mailboxes from the Admin Account.
• It supports all Windows OS and all versions of Microsoft Outlook.
• Maintains data integrity throughout the process.
• Enables Smart-Range date filter to transfer selective data from PST files.

It migrates complete PST files which include Emails, contacts, notes, calendars, and Tasks.    

 Conclusion 

Migrating PST files from multiple accounts becomes a very tough job to perform and PST files are fragile, so they should be handled carefully. To tackle this situation, in this article, we have discussed some manual and professional methods to migrate PST to Office 365 without any data loss. Moreover, it is suggested to use the above-mentioned software solution to perform this task safely.