Simple Steps to Export Emails From Office 365 to MBOX

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Updated on
September 29, 2025

5 minutes Read

User Query: ”I have been using Office 365 for a long time to manage my email communications. Now, I want to migrate my emails to Thunderbird for easy offline accessibility. So, is there any dependable way to export my Office 365 email? “

Summary: Office 365 is a widely used platform by professionals and organizations for email communications. While Office 365 is reliable, there are some situations where users need to export their emails from Office 365. Therefore, in this blog, we’ll guide users with the methods to export emails from Office 365 to MBOX. We’ll cover both a manual method and a professional MacSonik Office 365 Backup Tool. Hence, this blog is a complete solution for users looking for a conversion method, either free or paid.

Why Users Export Office 365 Emails to MBOX?

Exporting Office 365 mailboxes into MBOX has several benefits, such as:

  1. The MBOX is compatible with many popular email clients like Apple Mail, Thunderbird, and more.
  2. Also, the MBOX file allows users to store their mailboxes locally on their system and
  3. It keeps a secure backup of users’ Office 365 emails to protect them during emergencies.
  4. Additionally, allows users to back up and clear emails from the server to recover cloud storage.

Methods to Export Emails from Office 365 to MBOX

There are two approaches we’ll discuss in this blog for completing our migration. The first one is a manual method that is best suited for small migrations. After that, a professional tool specially crafted for a quick, safe, and bulk export.

Manual Method to Migrate Office 365 Mailbox into MBOX

In this method, users will know how to convert their Office 365 email data to a MBOX file. This method mainly includes three steps to complete the migration. Follow the steps carefully to complete the migration manually:

Step 1: Configuration of Office 365 in Outlook

  1. First, open the Outlook application on your system.
  2. Then, add your Office 365 account using IMAP settings.
  3. After configuration, allow Outlook to sync all your mailbox emails.

Step 2: Export Outlook Mailbox as PST

  1. Then, go to the File tab > Open & Export > Import/Export.
  2. After that, select Export to a file > Outlook Data File (.pst) and choose the mailbox folders you want to export.
  3. And, save the resultant PST file to your system.

Step 3: Convert PST File to MBOX via Thunderbird

  1. Further, open Thunderbird and install the ImportExportTools NG Add-on.
  2. Moving on, go to Tools > ImportExportTools NG > and choose Import PST.
  3. After that, select the PST file that was exported from Outlook.

Thunderbird will import the data, which automatically stores emails in MBOX format.

Limitations of the Manual Method

  1. This manual method is very lengthy and requires technical skills to perform.
  2. Users need to set up two email clients, Outlook and Thunderbird.
  3. The method is not suitable for exporting large mailboxes or emails in bulk.
  4. This method possesses a high risk of data loss or missing attachments during export.

Professional Tool to Export Emails from Office 365 to MBOX

To help with these issues, it’s best to use the Office 365 Backup Tool for safe migration. The tool works without any external tools or add-ons. It also preserves email structure and metadata, including attachments. Additionally, it allows users to convert selective email data because of its advanced features. Moreover, users can export Office 365 email to multiple file formats and email clients.

Simple steps to be performed for exporting Office 365 into MBOX file:

  1. First, install and launch the backup tool on your computer.
  2. Then, log in with your Office 365 credentials.
  3. After that, choose the mailbox items you want to export.
  4. Further, select MBOX as the saving File Format.
  5. Next, apply advanced filters to condition your export, if needed.
  6. Finally, click Start Process to begin the export process.

Why Choose CloudMigration Office 365 Backup Tool?

Advanced Features

Offer: Multiple Saving Options to export Office 365 to MBOX, PST, EML, PDF, and more. Also, the ability to export Office 365 email to EML and other email clients.

One-Time Service

 

For a more customized and cost-effective Office 365 backup, users can request a one-time service from our technical support. No need to install the tool.

Free Demo Version

A free (Demo) version of this tool is available to understand its features and functionality. Furthermore, compatible with all versions.


Conclusion

Altogether, it’s best to export the Office 365 emails to MBOX to ensure data security and accessibility across multiple platforms. We have shown two methods to export emails from Office 365 to MBOX. While users can choose the manual method, it’s quite complex and lengthy. Therefore, we suggest that users use a professional Office 365 Backup Tool for faster and reliable conversion. Moreover, the tool provides users with the option to filter emails based on their preferences. Also, there is a free version available to check the tool’s functionality.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. How to Export Office 365 Mailbox to MBOX File on Mac?

Ans. On Mac, there is no direct option to save Office 365 emails in MBOX. First, you need to configure your Office 365 account on an email client, like Apple Mail or Thunderbird, using IMAP. Once the account is synced, you can use the built-in export option to save the mailbox in MBOX format.

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