# Outlook inbox to new computer

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/outlook-inbox-to-new-computer/223147>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [January 7, 2004, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/outlook-inbox-to-new-computer/223147 "2004-01-07T04:09:34Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![HubZilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ccd318/32.png) [@HubZilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HubZilla)\
**Post date:** [January 7, 2004, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/outlook-inbox-to-new-computer/223147/1 "2004-01-07T04:09:34Z")

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I got a new computer and I want to import all my Inbox folders and contents (I have over 20 folders) to my Outlook on my new computer. How do I do this?

I have both computers networked and a shared drive. So physically moving them isn’t a problem from one computer to another.

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**Author:** ![Bill\_H](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a5b964/32.png) [@Bill\_H](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bill_H)\
**Post date:** [January 7, 2004, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/outlook-inbox-to-new-computer/223147/2 "2004-01-07T04:17:23Z")

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Well, you can copy the file over; it’s in /Documents and Settings/\<username\>/Local Settings/Application Data/Microsoft/Outlook, and is something.pst (default Outlook.pst, but you could’ve changed it). At least that’s the directory on XP; it’s similar in others, but some of the directories are hidden, so you’ll need to work around that.

The problem with this is that it won’t save your account names and passwords; you’ll need to set this up manually. Likely there’s a solution, but I don’t know what it is.

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**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\
**Post date:** [January 7, 2004, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/outlook-inbox-to-new-computer/223147/3 "2004-01-07T04:31:58Z")

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After you’ve copied the file, I think there is an option within Outlook to import the folders, so that it is properly done and not ‘bodged’

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**Author:** ![HubZilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ccd318/32.png) [@HubZilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HubZilla)\
**Post date:** [January 7, 2004, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/outlook-inbox-to-new-computer/223147/4 "2004-01-07T04:51:44Z")

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Thanks! Worked perfectly!