Author Topic: Importing emails into a Windows client  (Read 1382 times)

Importing emails into a Windows client
« on: 02 June, 2019, 06:23:12 pm »
My old computer is a Mac with Mail version 4.6 (1085)

I've got a new Dell laptop with Windows 10, and there is an email client, also imaginative called Mail. It's Version 16005.11629.20174.0 if that makes any difference.

I can export my historic emails from the Mac to a bunch of .mbox files. How can I import these onto the Windows Mail? Should I use another email client?
Quote from: Kim
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madamemugwump

Re: Importing emails into a Windows client
« Reply #1 on: 02 June, 2019, 06:58:11 pm »
Thunderbird is cross platform. I've gone from Windows to Linux with it, and they're is a Mac version, so it might do what you want.

Feanor

  • It's mostly downhill from here.
Re: Importing emails into a Windows client
« Reply #2 on: 02 June, 2019, 07:11:19 pm »
Do you actually need to do anything?

If the e-mail accounts are IMAP, then the mail all lives on the server anyway, and local copies on any individual client are disposable.
A new client will pick them up from the server.

If you are still using POP3, then the mail will only be on the client and that's harder.
In this case, I'd see it as the time to migrate to IMAP, and set up a new IMAP account.
Configure the old machine to see the IMAP account.
Copy the local messages to the IMAP folders.

Then continue as normal, configure the new machine for the IMAP account.

Re: Importing emails into a Windows client
« Reply #3 on: 02 June, 2019, 07:31:45 pm »
Do you actually need to do anything?

If the e-mail accounts are IMAP, then the mail all lives on the server anyway, and local copies on any individual client are disposable.
A new client will pick them up from the server.

If you are still using POP3, then the mail will only be on the client and that's harder.
In this case, I'd see it as the time to migrate to IMAP, and set up a new IMAP account.
Configure the old machine to see the IMAP account.
Copy the local messages to the IMAP folders.

Then continue as normal, configure the new machine for the IMAP account.

This ^. Friends don't let friends use POP3.
I think you'll find it's a bit more complicated than that.

Re: Importing emails into a Windows client
« Reply #4 on: 03 June, 2019, 11:47:18 pm »
MBOX is a pretty standard mail file format. The question is what you want to convert to. I've done a quick look, and I don't think Windows 10 Mail has an import facility. Converting to the PST files used by Outlook seems much easier. Thunderbird also looks a good option. I'm still using Pegasus Mail, and I'm pretty sure that would read MBOX files too, because it uses standard formats ;D

If you're desperate, one trick is to stop your old client downloading new mail, forward the mail to yourself, and download it with the new one. Works better if you can bounce-forward from your old client (so that messages are sent intact, from the original sender, and not within new messages sent from your account). May mess up your message dating though - depends whether it's the messages that you need, or the timestamps as well.

Kim

  • Timelord
    • Fediverse
Re: Importing emails into a Windows client
« Reply #5 on: 04 June, 2019, 12:14:18 am »
Given a LAN-speed IMAP server that can use mbox files as a store, most mail client import/export issues become easily solvable.

Kim

  • Timelord
    • Fediverse
Re: Importing emails into a Windows client
« Reply #6 on: 04 June, 2019, 12:16:28 am »
I'm still using Pegasus Mail

Through choice?

Re: Importing emails into a Windows client
« Reply #7 on: 04 June, 2019, 12:23:34 am »
Yes. Just no need to move. And it's very good from a safety point of view because you can always see what you're dealing with.