Outlook for Mac: PST vs. OLM File

[Jimmysb]

Hi, I am a new Mac user, and in my previous life with Windows was an Outlook use (O365 subscription), however I wish to move away from my old habits, and as such ditch Outlook.
My issue is I have been using Outlook (and Exchange before that) for over 25 years, and have a large amount of PST files where I have archived old emails. I have converted these to OLM via Outlook for Mac, but I understand that with the exception of Outlook, there is no easy method of accessing the files - hopefully you will prove me wrong.
Also, how can I archive files out of the Mac mail system to enable to remove them from my server, many thanks

 

[Raz0rEdge]

If you are trying to ditch Outlook, what new service/application where you hoping to switch to?

Depending on that, you might want to see if there's a way of importing your old emails into that service so that it's accessible, ideally, in a generic way so that you can access it in the future without trouble.

 

[Randy B. Singer]

I have converted these to OLM via Outlook for Mac, but I understand that with the exception of Outlook, there is no easy method of accessing the files - hopefully you will prove me wrong.

This product will allow you to convert those files into any other format that you like, to import into any other e-mail program:

Emailchemy ($30)

Emailchemy - Email Migration Software - Weird Kid Software

Email migration software for moving email between email apps and for preparing email for forensic analysis, eDiscovery, and archival.

weirdkid.com

You can choose another e-mail client program from any of a large number of choices. See:
Macintosh Email Software

Though the overwhelming number of Macintosh users use Apple's included Mail program:

Mail User Guide
Mail User Guide for Mac

Also, how can I archive files out of the Mac mail system to enable to remove them from my server, many thanks

There are a number of Macintosh e-mail archiving programs. Here is a list:
Macintosh Email Software

 

[Jimmysb]

@Randy B. Singer many thanks, I was hoping to use Apple's email client, for both reading my PST/OLM files, and find out how to archive (off my server) older emails, similar to Outlook's PST.
As said in other posts I am trying to move away from being reliant on paid for 3rd party software, if something is available via the app store.

 

[michelangelo]

Hello. I have been a home mac user and an office windows user for the whole of my professional life. Mac user, I was a claris=Eailer user and contributed for a long time to emailer-talk, dedicated to the jewel created by jud Speccer and his friends and successors. jus was, last time I checked, working in the mac software group of Microsoft, particularly on outlook for mac.

Upon retirement time, the issue for mas not been the matter of continuing exploiting my professional mails, but simply to have a working archive system permitting easy retrieval in case of need.

I have installed PST Bridge on my mac together with the PST files and kept my .PST files literally unchanged.

I can access (and reply to as well) all of my past email messages. The truth is I never feel the need to do so.

So I can conclude PST Bride is a success for me, but I don't use it, which makes my advice poorly
justified.

If I were to pursue a career with my .pst files, I would give a chance to jud's work and try outlook for mac.

HTH

 

[Jimmysb]

Hello. I have been a home mac user and an office windows user for the whole of my professional life. Mac user, I was a claris=Eailer user and contributed for a long time to emailer-talk, dedicated to the jewel created by jud Speccer and his friends and successors. jus was, last time I checked, working in the mac software group of Microsoft, particularly on outlook for mac.

Upon retirement time, the issue for mas not been the matter of continuing exploiting my professional mails, but simply to have a working archive system permitting easy retrieval in case of need.

I have installed PST Bridge on my mac together with the PST files and kept my .PST files literally unchanged.

I can access (and reply to as well) all of my past email messages. The truth is I never feel the need to do so.

So I can conclude PST Bride is a success for me, but I don't use it, which makes my advice poorly
justified.

If I were to pursue a career with my .pst files, I would give a chance to jud's work and try outlook for mac.

HTH

I have O365 licence, and have put Outlook on my Mac to get access to my PST files, however my plan was to ditch MS. The New Outlook does not have to option to import or export files at all (greyed out), and no option to customize (or even change) alert sounds, and it is quite clunky, the Old Outlook, does allow import/export, but I was surprised that when I swapped I had to add all the accounts as it does not move them across. Alerts cannot be changed, and unlike Outlook in MS Windows, I cannot use my Apple contacts but would have to import them. Generally the current offering of Outlook for Mac does not encourage me to use it especially after using the windows versions for over 20 years, you would not know it is was same product.
PST Bridge looks okay, and maybe the way to go.

 

[Randy B. Singer]

@Randy B. Singer many thanks, I was hoping to use Apple's email client, for both reading my PST/OLM files, and find out how to archive (off my server) older emails, similar to Outlook's PST.

I believe all of the recommendations that I gave for doing that in post #3 will accomplish your goals. It sounds as if you are just dismissing all of my recommendations, and I'm wondering why.

As said in other posts I am trying to move away from being reliant on paid for 3rd party software, if something is available via the app store.

I can only guess that because you are a "Mac newbie" that you think that third party software that you don't get from the Mac App Store is somehow inferior or dangerous. While that might be the case for Windows, neither is the case for the Macintosh. While it is true that software available for download from the Mac App Store has been vetted by Apple, there has been no significant problem with third party software for the Macintosh that you download directly from the developer's Web site being dangerous or inferior. This is especially so if you stick to applications that come from companies that have existed for some minimal amount of time and which have good reputations. (You should, however, avoid "software downloading sites" that act as a middleman, as in recent times they have been known to bundle adware with their software.)

For various reasons that I won't get into here, lots of excellent software never makes it into the Mac App Store. If you limit yourself to getting all of your software from the Mac App Store, you will be depriving yourself of some really awesome software.

 

[Jimmysb]

@Randy B. Singer many thanks, I will re-read your post again, however, I was hoping to Apple Mail, though it seems I need additional software for my PST/OLM files.
There are two areas that alludes me, archiving mail in Apple Mail, as with Outlook PST, and the fact that if I use a third party mail client integrating it with Apple contacts and calendar, as iCloud for windows does. Obviously more delving is required from me.

 

[Jimmysb]

@Randy B. Singer I used the demo of Emailchemy 14, and it converted my mail in a single folder, with the header changed (understandably), does the purchased version convert into the original folders.
Edited, I see now that each folder is a different MBox file, and each needs to be opened separately to view, I was expecting to see a single file containing all the folders.