Transferring Outlook from PC to Mac

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Transferring Outlook from PC to Mac

SEOW WEI YEO 5

Transferring Outlook from PC to Mac

How to migrate from Outlook PC to Outlook Mac with the Legacy Outlook being phrased out?

Why some functions grey out in outlook mac 2024?

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Answer 1

SEOW WEI YEO 5

Microsoft - Please put back the import and export function / legacy outlook in Office - Mac 2024

Teddie-D 13,755 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-03-11T02:10:26.3066667+00:00

Hi @SEOW WEI YEO
Please note that this is a user-to-user support forum. Moderators, contributors including external Microsoft employees cannot directly intervene in Microsoft product features or access back-end systems. Our role is limited to providing technical guidance based on publicly available resources and experience.
Given these limitations, the most appropriate avenue for product changes or feature requests is to submit feedback through the official Microsoft feedback channels.
Thank you for your understanding.

Answer 2

Teddie-D 13,755 Microsoft External Staff Moderator

Hi @SEOW WEI YEO

Thank you for posting your question in the Microsoft Q&A forum.

To help narrow down the issue, please provide more details:

-Are you signing in with a personal Microsoft account (for example, @outlook.com or @hotmail.com) or with a work/school account?

-What type of account is configured in Outlook (POP, IMAP, or Exchange)?

If your mail, calendar, and contacts are stored in a cloud-based service such as Outlook.com, Microsoft 365, or Exchange, then on your Mac you just need to sign in to Outlook with the same account(s) you use on your PC. Because the data is stored on the server, it will sync automatically to the Outlook app on your Mac, no file import/export required. Emails, calendars, and contacts should appear once you sign in.

Regarding the greyed‑out functions in Outlook for Mac 2024, this behavior is expected in the current version of the application. Outlook for Mac has transitioned to the New Outlook for Mac, which uses a cloud‑focused architecture. As part of this design, some legacy features are not supported in the New Outlook for Mac and, in some cases, have been intentionally removed. As a result, certain options may still appear in menus but remain disabled.

Please know that while our initial response might not resolve the issue right away, your input is incredibly valuable. With a bit more detail, we’ll work together to find the best solution for you.

Note: Please follow the steps in our documentation to enable e-mail notifications if you want to receive the related email notification for this thread.

Teddie-D 13,755 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-03-04T02:29:17.21+00:00

Hi @SEOW WEI YEO
Would you please get back to me at your earliest convenience? Your response is important for continued troubleshooting. If you need further help, please provide more detailed information so that we can offer more accurate suggestions.
SEOW WEI YEO 5 Reputation points

2026-03-07T12:52:51.8266667+00:00

Hi

I am using a POP account for work
Teddie-D 13,755 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-03-09T06:25:36.5433333+00:00

Hi @SEOW WEI YEO
Thank you for the clarification.

Since the account is configured as a POP account, the migration process from Outlook on Windows to Outlook for Mac differs from cloud‑based accounts.

With POP accounts, email messages are typically stored locally in a PST file on the Windows computer rather than on the mail server. Outlook for Mac (New Outlook in Outlook 2024) does not support direct import of PST files, and the Legacy Outlook interface that previously allowed certain local data imports is being phased out.

Because of this limitation, there is no supported direct migration method to move POP mailbox data from Outlook for Windows into the New Outlook for Mac.

You may consider the following options instead:

-Switching the account to IMAP (if supported by the mail provider) so that messages can sync through the mail server and then appear automatically on both devices.

-Uploading existing mail by copying the locally downloaded POP messages in Outlook for Windows into a server‑based mailbox (such as IMAP), allowing them to sync and display in Outlook 2024 on Mac.

-Keeping the PST file archived on Windows for reference if the messages only need to be retained locally.
Teddie-D 13,755 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-03-10T04:12:21.1766667+00:00

Hi @SEOW WEI YEO
Is there any update from you?
If yes, please feel free to let us know.
SEOW WEI YEO 5 Reputation points

2026-03-10T07:28:24.2233333+00:00

Will it be workable to import pst file to Apple Mail, and keep it like a "Archive" ?
Teddie-D 13,755 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-03-11T02:05:36.3166667+00:00

Hi @SEOW WEI YEO
Apple Mail does not support importing PST files. PST is a Windows‑only Outlook data format, while Apple Mail uses MBOX/EMLX mailboxes. Because of this, a PST file cannot be opened or attached as an archive in Apple Mail by itself.
However, you may refer to How to import PST to Apple Mail? - Apple Community.
This information is provided as a convenience to you. These sites are not controlled by Microsoft, and Microsoft cannot make any representations regarding the quality, safety, or suitability of any software or information found there. Please ensure that you fully understand the risks before using any suggestions from the above link.
dendevil666 0 Reputation points

2026-03-23T07:20:51.2833333+00:00

Hi Teddie,

In continuation from your reply to Seow and I understood that MS has removed the toggle feature between Legacy and New Outlook. How do I import emails which was previously exported in .PST to my new Outlook in Mac? (license = Office Home and Business 2024)
I have connected to my webmail in CPanel but some of the emails are not available online, hence a manual import from PST is required. TiA.
Teddie-D 13,755 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-03-23T08:04:00.9866667+00:00

Hi @dendevil666
PST import was supported only in Legacy Outlook for Mac. In current versions of Office Home & Business 2024 for Mac, the Legacy Outlook client is no longer available, and the New Outlook for Mac does not support PST import. As a result, there is no supported method on macOS to import PST files. If the messages are not present on the mail server, they must be uploaded using Outlook for Windows, or the PST must be retained outside of Outlook for Mac as an offline archive.
dendevil666 0 Reputation points

2026-03-23T08:07:41.8333333+00:00

Thanks very much for your prompt response.

Is there any workaround apart from your recommendation to use them as archive?
Teddie-D 13,755 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-03-23T23:15:13.98+00:00

Hi @dendevil666
Apart from keeping the PST as an offline archive, the only supported workaround is to upload the PST to a server‑based mailbox using Outlook for Windows. From Outlook for Windows, you can move the emails into an IMAP mailbox (if supported by your provider). Once uploaded, the messages will sync normally to the New Outlook for Mac.

Answer 3

Migrating from Outlook on Windows (PC) to Outlook on Mac

Because the .pst import feature is only available in Legacy Outlook for Mac, migration from Outlook on Windows relies on that legacy client:

On the Windows PC, export Outlook data to a .pst file (Outlook for Windows → File → Open & Export → Import/Export → Export to a file → Outlook Data File (.pst)).
Copy the .pst file to the Mac (for example, via USB drive or cloud storage).
On the Mac, open Legacy Outlook for Mac (not the new Outlook experience).
In Legacy Outlook for Mac, select File > Import….
Choose Outlook for Windows archive file (.pst), then select Continue.
Browse to and select the transferred .pst file, then select Import.
When the import completes, select Finish.

The imported items appear in the navigation pane under On My Computer.

Important points:

The .pst/.olm import feature is explicitly marked as only available in Legacy Outlook for Mac.
If On My Computer folders are hidden, enable them via Outlook > Preferences… > General, then clear Hide On My Computer folders.
Legacy Outlook for Mac will stop working with Exchange Online mailboxes starting October 2026, but will continue to work with Exchange on-premises. For long‑term use with Exchange Online, switch to the new Outlook for Mac after completing the import and any needed data moves.

Why some functions are greyed out in Outlook for Mac 2024

There are two main reasons features may appear unavailable or greyed out:

Client limitations and feature changes between Legacy and new Outlook
- Some features (such as importing .pst/.olm files and certain “On My Computer” scenarios) are only available in Legacy Outlook for Mac and are not present in the new Outlook experience.
- Microsoft has also discontinued the toggle to revert to Legacy Outlook in some editions (for example, Office 2024 Home and Business for Mac), so those legacy-only features are not accessible in that SKU.
Specific known issues in Legacy Outlook for Mac
- A recent issue caused Preview, Open, Save-As, and Remove options in the attachment dropdown menu to be greyed out in Legacy Outlook for Mac.
- This issue is marked STATUS: FIXED in build 16.90.3 (16.90.24110120) Production. Updating Outlook for Mac to at least this version restores those options.

If functions are greyed out in Outlook for Mac 2024:

Confirm whether the client is Legacy Outlook or the new Outlook. Some options simply do not exist in the new Outlook.
If using Legacy Outlook and seeing greyed-out attachment options, update to version 16.90.3 or later where the issue is fixed.
Be aware that some legacy-only features (like .pst import) will not be available if the environment or license no longer exposes the Legacy Outlook client.

References:

SEOW WEI YEO 5 Reputation points

2026-03-07T12:53:57.4433333+00:00

Using outlook 2024 - not legacy outlook function.

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Transferring Outlook from PC to Mac

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