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Convert Mail from Windows to Mac
How to...
- Import a windows based *.pst file (from Outlook® 2001 for Mac to Entourage)
- Import from Microsoft Exchange Server 2000 or later
- Import .csv file
- Import .pst file
- Import .eml file
- Open a .oft file in Entourage
- Notes in Outlook to Entourage
- Import Mail from Thunderbird
- Import information into Entourage (Mactopia article)
- Import email, address book, contacts and calendar New!
- Other options to convert your Outlook mail into the MBOX format
- Transfer Contacts and Calendar
- Use an IMAP account
- Use Eudora as an intermediary
- How to move to a Mac on apple.com (covers several options including networking)
Switchers Guide: Move your files from PC to Mac (Macworld article)
Read review of applications by a switcherThird party option to import everything into Entourage:
- Outlook to Entourage from "Convert My Email". Transfers your email, address book, contacts and calender to your new Mac's Entourage account. This will create an Entourage account just like your Outlook account. Free beta 19 June 09. New!
Import a windows based *.pst file (from Office XP) into Entourage
Microsoft's Macintosh Business Unit released the .PST Import Tool to migrate data from Outlook® 2001 for Mac to Entourage® 2004. See instructions and download PST Import Tool for Entourage 2004. (works in Entourage 2008)
- Office XP (aka Office 2002) PSTs can not be used with the MS PST Import Tool.
- Although the documentation makes specific reference to Entourage 2004, the PST Import Tool can be used with versions of Entourage released after Entourage 2004, such as Entourage 2008.
Outlook uses a .pst file format which is not recognized by most other programs. Your .pst files need to be converted into .mbox files so Entourage can import.
See these articles on the Entourage Help Blog for additional help importing .PST files:
- Importing from Outlook for Windows based PST to Entourage
- Use an empty Exchange profile to open PST files in Outlook 2001
Microsoft Exchange Server 2000 or later?
If you are a member of an organization that uses Microsoft Exchange Server, Entourage provides access to the e-mail messages in your Exchange mailbox without importing anything. Just set up your Exchange account in Entourage.
Other options to convert your Outlook mail
- Use Mozilla Mail. See Dave Riches tutorial here (freeware) [Popular]
- EmailChemy... Excellent! Can read AOL for Windows ("PFC" files), Outlook for Windows (.PST and .OST files), Outlook Express for Windows, any UNIX-style or mbox-format mailbox and many other files types.
- Use Paul Berkowitz's Export-Import Scripts (shareware). Download here $20 [Popular] The script does work under Leopard but the "unlock all" script does not. You will have to enter the code for each script You also need to download a newer version of Satimage.osax.
- Outlook2Mac...Transfer Windows® Outlook® email, contacts, and calendar appointments from your PC to your Macintosh® computer! $10 [Popular]
- O2M does not convert proprietary categories, that is, categories that are not part of the standard .vcf file format. When the conversion is run, categories that are not standard to the .vcf file format are placed into the notes field.
- MessageSave... MessageSave makes it very easy to export your Outlook email and import it into a Mac mail client, such as Mail.app, Entourage, etc. MessageSave will work with any Outlook email account (PST or Exchange). MessageSave preserves attachments, sender email addresses, message timestamps, multiple languages. Download the trial version. MessageSave supports exporting contacts in addition to migrating messages. $34.97 USD with current discount. MBOX format is supported only when using MessageSave with Outlook 2002 or newer.
Transfer Mail using Thunderbird
- Installed Thunderbird on your Win computer. Import from Outlook. One user reports It took a while since my PST was like 3 Gb. At first I was crashing it but then I let it work for a try and it imported everything perfectly, but not showing any progress bar during the process.
- Export as MBOX using a plugin with Thunderbird. extension to import and export mbox files.
- Select each folder one by one and export them using this plug-in. Add .MBOX extension to every file.
- Drag and drop MBOX files to the Entourage folder window or use File --> Import --> Contacts or Messages from a text file --> Import messages from an MBOX-format text file. More on MBOX file import,
- More on importing from Thunderbird
Transfer Contacts and Calendar
Outlook to iCal Export Utility for Windows (freeware)
The outlook2ical utility is a VB macro that can be used to export a set of appointments from an Outlook Calendar as .ics file.
Plaxo for Mac allows you to synchronize your existing Plaxo Address Book to your Apple Address Book. Wherever you install a Plaxo toolbar your address book will be consistent and stay updated automatically. You can also access your Plaxo Address Book on the web through Plaxo Online.
Works with Mac OSX 10.3.9 and above, 10.4 and above for Calendar sync. Unfortunately they don't do email, just contacts and calendar. It's great service to back-up your data and it's FREE.
Calgoo Connect — free calendar sync. Merge PC, Mac & online calendars
It's a desktop app that syncs the Google Calender with iCal. It allows you to choose which iCal calender to sync with, choose the Entourage one in iCal. Make sure you have the Entourage Sync preferences set to sync with iCal.
Spanning Sync Synchronize Google Calendar and Apple iCal. $25 gets you a one-year subscription to the service and $65 gets you a permanent license.
Entourage can sync with iCal when Sync Services are enabled.
Try Mark Space's Sync Together
Note, currently, Leopard and Entourage 2008 have serious sync problems. March 31, 2008 See Update on the Leopard iCal Sync Bug for details.
Save the .eml files to your hard drive by selecting them in the Attachments box, then click Save. Now, select one on the Desktop, and go to File -> Get Info. Under "Open With", change the application to Entourage. Click the button to change all. Now try dragging them into the Entourage window or double-clicking them to open them there.
There is no way to open an .oft file in Entourage.
IMAP
You can transfer messages from any Windows email client to Entourage via an IMAP Account, but if you are coming from Outlook Windows (or Mac) on Exchange Server, you have an advantage in that you can have your Exchange account set up as an IMAP account and simply use it in Entourage without limitation. Otherwise you still have the choice of using a free IMAP account, or using Eudora Windows as intermediary. IMAP is the best way, as it preserves attachments, which the Eudora method doesn't, but may not be feasible if you have a lot of mail and are not on Exchange Server.
IMAP If you are using Outlook — whether any of the Windows versions or 2001 for Mac — at work with an Exchange Server, ask your System Administrator to set up your email account(s) with IMAP access. Keep all your mail folders, sent mail, etc., on the server and access them from Entourage as you would any IMAP account. If you have Outlook without Exchange Server on an individual PC, then use a free IMAP account and set it up both in Outlook and Entourage. Check with IMAP Service Providers for free IMAP providers.
For help using a Gmail IMAP account see Connect Entourage 2004 to Gmail’s IMAP service and Create Gmail labels and make Entourage folders.
- Drag-copy messages from your exporting program to similarly-named IMAP server folders.
Eudora
Alternatively, if you have hundreds of MB of messages, use Eudora (free "sponsored" version) as an intermediary. You can find detailed instructions on how to do this from Outlook Windows in the ReadMe (Outlook section) of Paul Berkowitz's Export-Import Entourage scripts. (The scripts themselves are shareware, but the ReadMe - with the instructions for transferring messages - is free. If you have Outlook Express Windows, use the same Eudora importer and continue with the instructions from there. For your contacts, calendar events, tasks and notes, get the "Export-Import Entourage" scripts themselves at the same location (shareware).
Export-Import Entourage
[Note: the site indicates the scripts do not work with Leopard, but it's only the "unlock all" script that does not work. You will have to enter the code for each script, but they do work. You also need to download a newer version of Satimage.osax.]
Export-Import Entourage (shareware $20) 50 scripts to export and import almost everything Contacts, Groups, Calendar Events, Tasks, Notes, Messages, Folders, Accounts, Signatures, Mailing Lists and Categories from one identity of Entourage X or 2001 to any other, and to transfer Contacts, Calendar, Tasks and Notes to and from other PIM programs on the Mac and Windows, with special converters for Microsoft Outlook, Excel and other programs.
You can import/export between all versions of Entourage, Outlook, Palm Desktop and other PIMs. The scripts enable archiving, restoration, and data synching or transporting. Some operations are not possible for all types of data, and some are not possible to or from programs that do not support the functions required. The Outlook and Other Converters transfer contacts, calendar, tasks and notes there are instructions for transferring messages without scripts in the ReadMe.
The current scripts work only with English language and Western European versions of Entourage. Export-Import Entourage is shareware. You can find these scripts here:
