How to Import PST to Office 365 Account?

Importing PST to Office 365 is a process of moving Outlook data files (email, contacts, calendars, etc.) into a Microsoft 365 mailbox securely. It helps users to centralize their data with better accessibility and security. Almost every professional and firm needs to import PST to Office 365 occasionally due to reasons like better collaboration, easier accessibility, etc.

If you use Microsoft 365 and deal with Outlook data files (PSTs), then you should know the right steps to import PST to Office 365. Here, we’ve mentioned a complete stepwise process of different methods that really help to import PST files to Office 365. Let’s get started now!

Manual Stepwise Process to Import PST to Office 365

If you’re familiar with Microsoft 365, you can use the manual ways to take your PST file data to Office 365. Use Network Upload, Drive shipping method, import data from PST to Office 365 using Outlook, or get a all-in-one email migration software. Go through each of the mentioned methods and move the data.

Method 1: Import PST to Office 365 via Outlook

For a small volume of data, you can use Outlook to import PST file to Office 365. However, you must configure your Office 365 account in Outlook to do so. Here are the steps to follow:

1. Open Outlook, go to File, then Add Account. Now, connect the Office 365 account using the correct credentials.
2. Once added, go to the File tab again and click on the Import/Export option. 
3. Select Import from another program or file. Click Next.
4. Choose Outlook Data File (.pst). Click Next.
5. Click Browse and select the resultant PST file.
6. Select the options accordingly and tap on Next.
7. Check the folder, apply the filter and other options accordingly, and click Finish.
8. Your PST file import to Office 365 process will start. Wait for a few minutes to complete.

Once the import process is done, you can find your PST email data in the targeted Office 365 mailbox.

Method 2: Import PST to Office 365 via Network Upload Method

The network upload method is generally preferred by IT admins and users who have tech expertise and are experienced in working with Office 365. It involves a few dependencies and consecutive steps, which are:

1. Sign in to Microsoft Purview portal using the admin credentials.
2. Create a new job and name it.
3. Copy the SAS URL and download AzCopy.
4. Upload your PST files to Microsoft 365.
5. View a list of the uploaded PST files.
6. Create the PST Import mapping file.
7. Create a PST Import job.
8. Filter data and start the PST Import job.

It will take a little time, depending upon the size of the PST file you imported.

Method 3: Import PST to Office 365 via Drive Shipping

Drive Shipping is another method to import bulk PST files to Office 3654. In this method, you need to copy your PST files to a hard drive and send them to the Microsoft data center. Once Microsoft receives your hard drive containing PST files, data center personnel import them to your Office 365 cloud storage. After that, you can add, edit, delete, and perform selective data import using the filters.

Once you start the import job, the import service imports the PST file from the storage area to your mailboxes. Generally, big firms and enterprises use this method because they have a large quantity of emails that cannot be imported to Office 365 manually.

Conclusion

The above methods work quite well, and Microsoft recommended them. However, each method has its own complexities and risks. The Outlook import method allows you to import only a few GB of a PST file, while Network Upload requires you to be technically proficient. But with Drive Shipping, you can import a bulk PST file to Office 365, but it takes time. However, each method has its own limitations too. If you want to go with a manual solution, I recommend Network Upload. Although it is tedious to perform on your own, you can get the desired results. If you want to import a bulk PST file, along with a more safe and quicker approach, opt for a reliable email migration.