Manual Guide to Open OLM files into Windows Systems

Updated On - July 11, 2023 by Nasir Khan |

Reading Time: 6 minutes

If you have recently migrated from a Mac system to a Windows PC or received OLM files from a Mac user, you may find yourself in need of a solution to open and access those OLM files on your Windows system. OLM files are used by Microsoft Outlook for Mac to store emails, contacts, calendars, and other data. Since Windows uses the PST file format, opening OLM files can be a bit challenging. However, with the help of some manual methods and third-party tools, you can easily access and view OLM files on your Windows computer. In this blog post, we will guide you through the manual methods to open OLM files in Windows systems.

How to Add an OLM File to Microsoft Outlook

Before users can export OLM Items to Windows PST, they need to find the whole physical Mac OLM file. You don’t need to read this section if you already have the OLM on your system. Just skip to the manual and professional solutions.

By default, an OLM file is stored in one of two places on the system, depending on:

Documents/Microsoft User Data/Office 2011 Identities/Main Identity

Or

 Library/Group Containers/something.Office/Outlook/Outlook 15 Profiles/Main Profile

But in many cases, a user may not be able to find these files even if they go to the hard drive locations mentioned above. Users need to make these files again by storing mailbox data in Mac OLM format so they can access these files.

Steps to open OLM files into Windows Systems:

• Go to the Tools menu in Outlook for Mac and click on the Export option.
• Choose the information you want to export. This could be Emails, Contacts, etc.
• Then, click Save As to change the file name and choose where users can store the OLM file.
• Click “Save” and then save the OLM files.

After making the OLM file, it’s easy to convert it to an Outlook PST file by following the steps of the automated solution.

Open OLM files into Windows Systems by Configuring Gmail Account

This method allows the user to use IMAP Server to connect Windows Outlook and Mac Outlook. It’s the same as using an automatic storage device between the two computers to make it easy to copy files. The IMAP server makes it easy for users to get remote files. Let’s start with the steps of the manual way to export MAC Outlook emails to Windows Outlook.

Phase1: Create a Gmail account (or any other IMAP server)

If you have one already, go to step 2. If not, you can create a Gmail ID; I think everyone knows how to create one.

Phase2: Set up MS Outlook on Mac OS to work with Gmail

• Start MS Outlook for Mac and go to the “Tools” menu, then “Accounts.”
• Click the + button on the left side of the Accounts window to add a new account.
• Choose the pane for the email address.
• Type in your email address, password, and user name for your Gmail account.
• Put imap.gmail.com in the box for the incoming server.
• Pick the Use SSL Connect option.
• Type smtp.gmail.com into the “Outgoing Server” field.
• Choose both of the Outgoing Server options.
• Put 465 as the port number for the “Outgoing port,” then click “Add account.”
• A yellow button shows up on the left side of the window to show that a connection has been made. If the password is correct and the connection is made, it will turn green.

Phase3: Moving information from the Mac Outlook account to the Gmail account

• First, right-click on the mailbox folder that needs to be moved and choose “Copy.”
• Choose the folder you want to send mail to in your Gmail account.
• The search bar at the bottom of the screen shows that messages are being sent.
• Refresh your Gmail account when you’re done.

Phase4: Setting up Gmail to work with Windows Outlook

• Open MS Outlook and go to File > Info > Account Settings.
• In the window that just opened, click New Icon.
• Select the type of server you want to add.
• Afterward, Check your Internet Email.
• Type in your login information, such as your email address, password, and user name.
• Choose IMAP Account as the type of account.
• Choose imap.gmail.com as the Incoming Server.
• For the Outgoing Server, type smtp.gmail.com.
• Click on the option that says “More Settings.”
• On the Outgoing Server tab, choose “My outgoing server requires authentication.”
• On the “Advanced” tab, type “993” in the “Incoming Server Port.”
• Choose SSL as the type of encryption.
• Type 465 for the Outgoing Server Port. Press the OK button.
• Select “Test Account Settings” and then click “Finish.”

Phase5: Moving mailbox data from Gmail to Windows Outlook

• Log in to Gmail and click on the Settings icon.
• Choose the option for Forwarding and POP/IMAP.
• Click Enable IMAP Option under IMAP Access.
• Turn on Auto-Delete On if you need to.
• If a user wants to keep a copy of the messages, turn on the Archive option.
• Click the option to Save changes.
• Open MS Outlook and click Send/Receive message.

This option allows users to easily get their emails from MS Outlook for Mac to Windows Outlook.

Drawbacks of the Manual Methods

While the manual methods described above can help you open OLM files in Windows systems, they do have some drawbacks that are worth considering:

• Dependency on Outlook for Mac: The first method requires access to a Mac computer with Outlook for Mac installed. If you don’t have access to a Mac or the necessary software, you won’t be able to perform the export process. This can be inconvenient if you have limited resources or if you’re unable to borrow a Mac system.
• Complexity and Technical Knowledge: The manual methods involve multiple steps and settings, which may be complex for users who are not familiar with the process. Exporting OLM files and importing them into Windows Outlook requires some technical knowledge and understanding of the software interfaces involved. It can be time-consuming and prone to errors if not executed correctly.
• Potential Data Loss or Corruption: During the export and import process, there is a chance of data loss or corruption. Mistakes made during the conversion or import can result in missing or damaged data. It is essential to double-check the settings and perform backups to minimize the risk, but there is still a possibility of unintended data loss.
• Limited Conversion Options: The manual methods mainly focus on converting OLM files to PST format. While PST is widely supported by Windows Outlook, it may not be compatible with other email clients or applications. If you need to access OLM files in a different email client or software, additional steps or conversions may be required.

Recommended solution to open OLM files in Windows Systems

Regain OLM to PST converter is a recommended and versatile solution to convert OLM files into PST format and make them accessible in the Windows system. Several professionals use the tool, which eases the opening process of OLM files. Below I’ve mentioned a few highlights of the tool so you can know why the tool is a picture-perfect utility to open OLM files in Windows Systems.

Free Download100% Secure Buy NowPrice: $29

Why should you use Regain OLM to PST converter tool?

• Easy Conversion from OLM to Microsoft Outlook PST
• All attributes of OLM data (including email, contacts, calendar, tasks, and notes) will be converted.
• Contains the original email metadata, including To, CC, BCC, Sent, Received, Date/Time, Subject, and Attachments
• PST, EML, MBOX, EMLX, HTML, vCard, MSG, RTF, MHTML, and PDF are all supported for saving converted OLM data.
• Transfer Information From OLM to an Online Office 365 Account or a Production Exchange Server
• Emails from MAC Outlook (.olm) can be imported into Google, Yahoo, Microsoft, AOL, and other popular services.

How to use Regain’s automated utility?

• Firstly, install and open the Regain OLM to PST converter tool.
• Now, add the OLM files you want to view and convert.
• Following, click on the Export option and choose PST as a file format.
• Browse the location to save the resultant PST files and click the Save data option.

Now the tool will process all your added OLM files into PST format, and you can easily open them in Outlook.

Conclusion

Opening OLM files in Windows systems might seem challenging at first, but with the help of the manual methods mentioned above, you can easily access and view the contents of OLM files on your Windows PC. Whether you choose to export OLM files to PST using Outlook for Mac or utilize a third-party converter tool, both methods provide you with a seamless way to open OLM files and access your important data. Choose the method that suits you best and effortlessly access your OLM files on your Windows system. You can use the Regain OLM to PST converter for free, so you must install and use it once.