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How to Import PST to New Outlook? 2025 Updated Guide

  Mark Regan
Mark Regan
Published: April 16th, 2025 • 6 Min Read

Are you an Outlook user and recently switched to Outlook New? If yes, you might be fighting with the problem of how to import PST to new Outlook. Today, within this technical column, we are going to describe a step-by-step guide to overcome the problem. The new Outlook provides the import feature, but it has some pitfalls. You need to have a Microsoft 365 subscription. Additionally, you can only access the PST file emails data with the new Outlook import feature. Otherwise, you can go with some alternate third-party solution to get rid of your conundrum.

Table of Contents
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  1. Understanding Limitations of PST Import Option in New Outlook
  2. How to Move PST files to New Outlook Directly?
  3. How to Import PST to New Outlook Via Switching Back
  4. Drawbacks of the DIY Solution
  5. Professional Solution to Import PST to New Outlook
  6. How to Move PST Files to New Outlook Using Pro Utility
  7. Why Professional Approach is Better than the DIY Way?
  8. Final Words

Understanding Limitations of PST Import Option in New Outlook

Direct PST Import with Limitations: Users can directly import PST to new Outlook using the import functionality in Outlook. However, users can access only the email data in the PST file. The contacts, calendars data of PST file is still present in the PST but not compatible for accessing in new Outlook.

Limited Local Data Management: The new Outlook works on the fully cloud-only model. Therefore, there is no local data management facility is provided in this new Outlook version. Hence, if you are someone who needs to add PST files to new Outlook. You need to switch back to Outlook Classic or go with some third-party solution.

Unsupported Add-ins and Scripts: If you are thinking that you can easily move PST to new Outlook using add-ins and scripts. Then, new Outlook also stops supporting these. Since, at some point, these add-ins might be vulnerable to Outlook’s new cloud-only application.

No Local File Access: Another notable limitation of the PST import option in new Outlook is that it does not support local file access. Which makes it nearly impossible to directly add PST to new Outlook by accessing your local storage.

Till now we have discussed the reasons and limitations of the Import option in new Outlook for better understanding. Now, let us deep delve into understanding the solution to overcome these Outlook new adding PST limitations.

How to Move PST files to New Outlook Directly?

  1. Launch the New Outlook application on your PC.
  2. Next, click on the gear icon in the top-right corner.
  3. After that, click on the Files option from the pop-up menu.
  4. Thereafter, click on the Add File option to import PST to new Outlook.
  5. Finally, browse the PST file required to import click on the Open button.

How to Import PST to New Outlook Via Toggle Switch

  1. At the start, launch Outlook new on your desktop.
  2. Next, go to the Help option from the ribbon.
  3. After that, click on the Go to Classic Outlook option.
  4. Then, follow the on-screen instructions to switch back to Outlook Classic.
  5. Thereafter, go to the File tab open & Export >> Import/Export.
  6. Now, choose Import from another program or file.
  7. Next, choose Outlook data file (.pst) and click on Browse.
  8. Then, choose the Outlook data file that needs to be imported into the new Outlook.
  9. Lastly, switch back to the new Outlook using the toggle switch or by launching the new Outlook on your PC.

Drawbacks of the DIY Solution

  • The above-described manual approach is a very time-consuming solution. Especially when you are handling multiple PST files for the import process into new Outlook.
  • Another drawback of the manual solution is that it does not support automation which makes the process more labor-intensive. Additionally, if you are a working professional this approach might slow down your productivity.
  • As we have discussed earlier in this blog post the new Outlook follows the cloud-only model. Therefore, you might find inconsistency in imported data.
  •  The new Outlook provides the import feature, but it has some pitfalls. You need to have a Microsoft 365 subscription. Additionally, you can only access the PST file emails data with the new Outlook import feature.

Professional Solution to Import PST to New Outlook

As we have discussed above the DIY solution is full of limitations with the possibility of data loss or formatting issues. Therefore, to flawlessly import PST files to new Outlook, you can choose the BitRecover PST Converter as the expert-tested solution. This is a dedicated utility that can smartly add your Outlook Classic data file into the new Outlook.

Moreover, this solution is backed by several custom filter settings and rules for selectively importing the required data only to the new Outlook. Now, let us discuss how to use this dedicated solution to overcome your issue in quick and simple steps.

How to Move PST Files to New Outlook Using Pro Utility

  1. Initially, install and run the PST to new Outlook import wizard.
    run the expert utility
  2. Now, click on the Select Files or Select Folder option for the import process.
    click on select files or select folders
  3. After that, enable the folders from the inserted PST file required for adding.
    enable folders required for import
  4. Thereafter, choose the saving option as IMAP & enter new Outlook configured account details.
    choose IMAP
  5. Next, go to the filter options and enable the required filters according to your needs.
    choose filter settings
  6. Finally, click on the Convert button to add PST files to new Outlook.
    click convert to import PST to new Outlook

Why Professional Approach is Better than the DIY Way?

Criteria DIY Solution Professional Solution
Direct Support to import PST to new Outlook Not-Supported Supported
Selective Import Filters Not available Available
Risk of Data Loss Potential risk of data loss Expert recommended solution to maintain data integrity during the import process.
Compatibility to New Outlook No Direct Support Direct Support to New Outlook
Ease of Use Requires to switch back to Outlook Classic Simple UI/UX based expert-guided approach

Final Words

In conclusion, the above blog is on the topic of how to import PST to new Outlook. We have started our discussion by understanding the limitations of the new Outlook for the import process. Thereafter, we have seen detailed working steps to move PST files to new Outlook by switching back to Outlook classic approach.

However, this approach is not very relevant and has many limitations. Therefore, we have discussed and described the working steps of the professional solution along with its future sighted functionality. Lastly, we have seen a small comparison of the DIY and the Professional ways.