How to Migrate PST to Office 365 Account in Easy Steps

In today's cloud-based world, many businesses are transitioning from traditional desktop email clients like Outlook to cloud-based solutions like Office 365. In this case, many users look for a quick solution to migrate PST to Office 365. So, here we are sharing the process to solve your problem. In this blog firstly we will learn about the major needs of converting PST to Office 365. After that, we will go through the methods to perform so.?

Now, let’s have a walk-through to understand the need for conversion.

Top Reasons to Migrate from PST to Office 365:

There are numerous convincing factors to perform this. However, we will discuss a few of the most common ones.

• Cloud-Based Convenience: PST files are local to your device, making them inaccessible from anywhere else. Office 365 stores your emails in the cloud, allowing you to access them from any internet-connected device (phone, laptop, tablet).
• Enhanced Security: Local PST files are vulnerable to data loss due to hardware failure or accidental deletion. Office 365 offers amazing security features and automatic backups, ensuring your emails are always protected.
• Storage Management: PST files can grow large over time, consuming valuable storage space on your local device. Office 365 offers ample storage capacity, eliminating local storage concerns.
• Integration with Other Services: Office 365 integrates seamlessly with Microsoft services like OneDrive and Teams, enabling a more streamlined workflow.

These are some common needs to migrate PST to Office 365. There could be a few more like centralized management of Office 365 or automatic updates of this and many more. Now we will learn the methods of doing this migration.?

Migrate PST Files to Microsoft Office 365: Top 3 Solutions

In this section, we will learn the three major techniques to migrate PST to Office 365. Firstly we will discuss the most optimal solution. After that, we will learn two manual approaches to performing so.?

#1: PST to Office 365 Migration Tool - Automated Method

The Cigati PST to Office 365 Migration Tool is the best choice for professionals to migrate PST to Office 365.? It boasts features like efficient bulk migration, seamless handling of attachments, and a user-friendly interface. This can significantly improve efficiency and save valuable time during the migration process. This tool ensures smooth migration with its various features. Let’s learn the step-by-step process to migrate PST to Office 365.?

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Step-by-Step Guide to Transfer PST Files to Office 365:

• First, download and install the PST to Office 365 Migration Tool on your computer.
• Next, locate and browse the PST files you want to migrate to your Office 365 account.
• After selecting the PST files, you can Preview the folders and items within each file.
• Moving on, you'll need to enter the Login Credentials for the target Office 365.
• Now, press the Restore Options and click the Next key.
• In the end, by clicking the Convert key, users can start transferring PST Files to Office 365.

Now, you have your converted files. This Cigati software also helps in removing duplicate files while converting. Moreover, users don’t have to worry about the PST files created in any version of MS Outlook. There are two other methods to migrate PST to Office 365. These manual methods require technical skills to perform.

#2: Using Outlook's Import/Export Feature:?

MS Outlook provides an amazing feature for migrating files. This feature is an Import/Export option. However, there is a shortcoming of this as it is fruitful for limited conversion. Let’s walk through the steps to migrate PST to Office 365.

To start this method users need to configure Microsoft Outlook with Office 365. Here's a breakdown of the steps:

Step 1: Integrating the Microsoft Outlook with Office 365:

• Open the Microsoft Outlook application on your computer.
• After that, Click on the File tab. Then, under the Info section, select Account Settings.?
• Now in Account Settings, click Add Account.
• Then, In the Add Account window, select Email Account and click Next.
• Afterwards, Enter your Office 365 email address in the Email Address field and press Next.
• Now, enter your Password and click Connect.
• Outlook will configure your account automatically.

Now you have configured it, you can start using Outlook with your Office 365 account. Now we will go through the steps to migrate PST to Office 365.

Step 2: Transfer PST to Office 365 Manually:?

• Open the Microsoft Outlook application on your computer.
• Next, navigate to the File tab. Then, under the Open & Export section, click on Import/Export.
• In the Import and Export Wizard, select Import from another program or file and click Next to proceed.
• Now, choose Outlook Data File (.pst) as the file type you want to import and click Next.
• After that press, Browse to choose the PST file and press Next.
• Then, choose the Microsoft 365 email account and press Finish.
• Now, you can easily access the mail files from your Microsoft 365 mailbox.

With this users can migrate PST Files to Microsoft Office 365.? Users can also migrate PST files to other Office 365 accounts by repeating these steps. Now we will go through the different methods to transfer the PST file.?

#3: Direct Network Upload via Azure AZCopy Tool:

It's technically possible to use AzureAzCopy to upload PST files directly to Office 365. However, users need to understand a few conditions before migrating PST to Office 365.

Few Conditions Before Performing the Migration Process:

• User Permissions: For the Import/Export method using the Outlook client, Office 365 Administrators need to assign the Mailbox Import Export role to the users who will be performing the migration.
• Network Uploads and AzCopy: Only the AzCopy tool supports uploading PST files directly to your Office 365 storage. The Azure Storage Explorer cannot be used for direct PST file upload.

• PST File Size Limits: Uploading huge PST files is not recommended. It's best to keep PST files under 20 GB for a smoother migration process.

• Network Folder Access: The migration tool used (AzCopy) cannot access folders unless the PST files are located in a network-shared folder to which the tool has access.

• Inactive Mailboxes: You can also choose to import the PST file data into an inactive mailbox within your Office 365 environment. This might be useful for specific scenarios during migration.

Now we will learn the steps to Upload PST files to Office 365 with AzureAzCopy Tool. The steps are mentioned Below.

The Process to Migrate PST to Office 365 via AzureAzCopy Tool:

Part 1: Assigning Permissions

Here, we mention the steps to assign the roles in the Exchange Admin Center.

• Begin by logging in to the Exchange Admin Center (EAC) and navigate to the Roles section.
• Now, under Admin Roles, search for Import Export.
• After that, in the Assigned section, click Add.?
• Then, choose the users who will be authorized to import PST files. You can select individual users or entire groups using the Add button.

Part 2: Creating a New Import Job

• Now,? From the EAC homepage, navigate to Data Lifecycle Management and then Import.
• Then, click on Import PST Files.
• After that, select + New import job, provide a descriptive name for the import process, and click Next.
• Now, choose the Upload your data option and click Next.
• Click Show Network Upload SAS URL. Copy the URL to your clipboard and download the Azure AzCopy tool, which will be used to upload the PST files.

Part 3: Uploading PST Files with AzureAzCopy

• Then, download and open the AzCopy tool and navigate to the folder containing your PST files.
• Now, open a Command Prompt window. Use the cd command to change directories to the folder where azcopy.exe is located.?
• ?After that, execute the following command in the command prompt, replacing placeholders with your actual details:

Azcopy copy "pathToFolder/ContainingPST" "SAS URL" --recursive=true

Part 4: Verifying Upload

Now, we will learn the Azure Storage Explorer to verify the PST files are uploaded within AzureAzCopy. Moreover, This software can be used in any type of environment including Windows, macOS, and Linux. The steps are given below:?

• Download and install the Azure Storage Explorer tool.
• After that, Open the tool and paste the SAS URL obtained earlier into the Blob container SAS URL field. Click Next and then Connect.
• The uploaded PST files should be listed within the Blob container.

Part 5: Mapping PST Files to Mailboxes

This separate step requires defining how data from your PST files will be imported into specific Office 365 mailboxes.? A separate configuration file needs to be created for this purpose.

Part 6: Initiating the Import Job

• Once the mapping file is prepared and uploads are verified, return to the EAC and the Import Job Creation Process.
• Now, check the boxes for I'm done uploading my files and I have access to the mapping file and press Next.?
• After that, click + Select mapping file, choose your prepared mapping file, and click Validate to confirm its compatibility.
• ?At last, click Submit and then Done to initiate the PST import process. The EAC will display a message indicating Import completed once finished.

The Final Frontier:?

We have mentioned the three major methods to migrate PST to Office 365.? Starting with the familiar Outlook Import/Export Wizard (limited to smaller files), AzureAzCopy for cloud uploads (more technical), and Professional Software Cigati PST to Office 365 Migration Tool. While the first two methods have limitations. On the other hand, Cigati offers functionalities like advanced filtering, smart previews, and automated mailbox mapping for a potentially faster and smoother migration experience.