How to Bulk Export Microsoft 365 to EML Files in Easy Steps?

Do you want to export emails from Office 365 to EML files? Good news — you don’t need any complex setup or advanced technical skills to do it. With the right method, you can securely save your Microsoft 365 emails as EML files without losing attachments or folder hierarchy.

An EML (Electronic Mail) file stores an individual email message with its complete content — sender, receiver, subject, formatting, and attachments. It is supported by various popular email clients like Mozilla Thunderbird, Apple Mail, Windows Mail, and Outlook Express, making it ideal for email sharing, backup, and migration purposes.

Although Office 365 is a robust cloud-based platform, users often need to export emails to EML for backup, migration, or offline access. In this blog, we’ll explain why exporting to EML is beneficial and discuss both manual and automated methods to do it efficiently.

Reasons to Export Office 365 to EML

Exporting Office 365 emails to EML format has several practical advantages:

• Easy Backup & Archiving – Create individual email backups that can be stored securely offline.
• Cross-Platform Compatibility – Access EML files in different email clients like Thunderbird or Apple Mail.
• Simplified Migration – Move your Office 365 emails to other platforms without losing formatting or attachments.
• Offline Accessibility – Open and read emails anytime without needing an internet connection.
• Lightweight and Portable – EML files are compact and easy to share via email or external drives.
• Data Security & Compliance – Helps maintain compliance and preserves email records for audits or legal needs.
• Readable in Text Editors – EML files can be opened in Notepad or any text editor for quick inspection.

How to Export Emails from Office 365 to EML?

There are two main ways to export Office 365 to EML:

• Manual Method: Free but time-consuming, ideal for saving a few emails individually.
• Automated Methods: Use professional tools to export emails in bulk with full accuracy and structure.

Manual Methods to Export Office 365 to EML Format

Below are multiple manual techniques you can use to save emails as EML files. Each has its own steps and limitations.

Way 1: Using Outlook Web App (OWA)

1. Open your browser and log in to Outlook.com with your Office 365 credentials.
2. Locate the email you want to export.
3. Click the three dots(…) on the top-right corner of the email.
4. Choose Save As and select a folder on your device.
5. The email will be downloaded and saved as an EML file.

Way 2: Using Mozilla Thunderbird

1. Install and open Mozilla Thunderbird.
2. Go to Existing Mail Account and add your Office 365 account via IMAP.
3. Once your mailbox syncs, right-click on any email and select Save As > File to save it as an .eml file.

Alternatively, Bulk Export Option:

• Install the ImportExportTools NG add-on.
• Right-click the desired folder you want to export > ImportExportTools NG > Export all messages in folder > EML format.

Way 3: Using Microsoft Outlook Desktop Client (Older Versions)

1. Launch Microsoft Outlook.
2. Select the message you want to export.
3. Navigate to File > Save As.
4. Choose the Text Only (.txt) format and save it.
5. Manually alter the file extension from .txt to .eml.

Way 4: Drag-and-Drop Technique (Outlook Desktop/Web)

1. Open Outlook Desktop or Outlook Web.
2. Select one or multiple emails.
3. Drag and drop the emails onto your desktop or any folder.
4. The dropped emails will automatically be saved as an .eml file.

Drawbacks and Limitations of Manual Methods

While free, manual approaches have several drawbacks:

• Manual export of emails is slow and impractical for bulk operations.
• Requires installing and configuring additional tools like Thunderbird or Outlook.
• Involves manual steps that increase the risk of errors, data loss, or missing emails.
• Limited compatibility with the older Outlook version and certain browsers.
• Lacks options for filtering, selective export, or preserving folder structure.
• No automation or scheduling options for exporting emails from Office 365.
• May cause formatting or attachment issues during conversion.
• Requires multiple tools and technical knowledge to perform correctly.

Manual methods work for small-scale email export but can be tedious for large mailboxes. Suppose you export multiple Office 365 emails or complete mail folders quickly and securely. In that case, an automated solution is strongly recommended.

Professional method – Export Office 365 to EML

If you want to avoid manual techniques, then you have a secure and reliable way to export Office 365 to EML. The Shoviv Office 365 Backup & Restore Tool is the ideal solution. This professional utility enables bulk export of Office 365 emails to EML format while maintaining the original folder hierarchy, metadata, and attachments. It supports incremental backup, selective folder export, and scheduling options to automate future backups.

Follow the Steps to Export Office 365 Data to EML Format Using Shoviv Software

• Download and install Shoviv Office 365 Backup & Restore Tool.

• Open the software and add your Office 365 account after entering the job name to create a backup job.

• Apply filters to export selected folders or specific date ranges.

• You can also select job run action: if needed, you can schedule the backup process.

• Do other settings as per the need.

• Choose the backup directory where you want to save. Moreover, select the EML format option as the file type.

• Click Create Backup Job to begin the export process.
• Once completed, all selected emails will be saved in .eml format.

The Shoviv tool ensures a safe and efficient export process with no data loss, making it the best solution for professionals and organisations handling large mailboxes.

Conclusion:

Exporting Office 365 emails to EML format can be done both manually and with automatic methods. While manual methods work for single or limited emails, they are not efficient for bulk operations.

To save time and prevent data loss, the Shoviv Office 365 Backup & Restore Tool is the most reliable choice. It provides batch export, data integrity, and advanced features like filtering and scheduling — ensuring an effortless and accurate conversion process.

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