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Short answer: New Outlook for Windows can import a defined subset of classic Outlook preferences, but it is not a settings-for-settings replacement. Its PST support is still partial, and rules import/export is unsupported according to Microsoft’s feature comparison updated September 23, 2026. Treat the change as three separate jobs: migrate supported preferences, confirm where each account’s data lives, and make an independent copy of any PST you need to preserve.
For a Microsoft 365, Exchange, IMAP, or Outlook.com mailbox, the OST on your PC is normally a synchronized copy that Outlook can download again. A PST is different: it is a separate file that may contain POP mail, archives, or exported items. The safest switch is to verify feature compatibility first, export important PST data, and only then move to new Outlook.
New Outlook and classic Outlook: the practical differences
Both applications use the Outlook name, but they do not expose the same feature set or the same file workflows. Classic Outlook is the Windows desktop client with the longest history of local data-file and add-in support. New Outlook for Windows is the newer client, with a feature set that continues to change. Microsoft’s comparison page, last updated September 23, 2026, is the current reference for feature-level differences.
| Decision point | Classic Outlook | New Outlook for Windows |
|---|---|---|
| Settings migration | Source of the preferences that can be imported during new Outlook setup | Imports a documented subset when cloud settings storage is enabled in classic Outlook |
| Rules | Supports the classic rules workflow | Rules import/export is marked unsupported in Microsoft’s feature comparison |
| COM add-ins | Runs compatible classic Outlook COM add-ins | May install web-add-in counterparts during preference import; a COM add-in itself is not guaranteed to run |
| PST handling | Can create, open, export, and import PST data through the established desktop workflow | PST support is partial; exact capabilities depend on the installed version and account |
| OST handling | Uses an OST as a local synchronized copy for supported server accounts | Also relies on synchronized server data rather than treating an OST as a user backup |
| What a backup preserves | PST export copies selected messages and other Outlook items, but not every profile setting | Exports available through Settings > Files > Export; verify the data types offered by your build |
The table is a planning aid, not a promise that every build behaves identically. Before changing clients, check the live Microsoft feature matrix for the functions your organization actually uses.
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Can I transfer my Outlook settings to the new Outlook?
Yes, but only selectively and only when the required classic Outlook setting is enabled. During new Outlook’s first setup, choose the option to import settings from classic Outlook. Microsoft documents imported preferences for mail and calendar, including reading-pane position, density, signatures, automatic replies, Quick Steps, default font, meeting hours, time zones, reminders, and calendar view.
Prepare classic Outlook for the import
- Open classic Outlook for Windows.
- Go to File > Options > General.
- Under the Outlook settings storage option, select Store my Outlook settings in the cloud.
- Restart Outlook after changing that option. Microsoft specifies a restart before the setting is available for migration.
- Keep classic Outlook available while you start new Outlook and run its first-time setup.
Run the import during new Outlook setup
When new Outlook presents its setup choices, select the option to import settings from classic Outlook. The import is based on the documented preference set, not on a complete copy of your profile. It does not establish that every account profile, local configuration, rule, or customisation will transfer.
What happens to add-ins
New Outlook can install web-add-in counterparts for some existing classic Outlook COM add-ins as part of preference import, subject to administrator restrictions. This is a conversion to the web-add-in version where one exists; it is not a guarantee that the original COM add-in will run in new Outlook. Confirm that any add-in used for compliance, signatures, CRM, encryption, or document handling has a supported new-Outlook version before switching.
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Which settings move, and which need separate work?
The following list reflects Microsoft’s documented import scope. Anything outside it should be treated as a manual migration item unless the current feature matrix explicitly says otherwise.
| Area | Examples Microsoft lists for import | Planning implication |
|---|---|---|
| Mail reading and layout | Reading-pane position and display density | Check the resulting layout after the first launch; do not assume every view customisation is included. |
| Compose and identity | Signatures and default font | Verify each account’s signature and the font used for new messages and replies. |
| Message actions | Quick Steps | Test the actions against the same folders and accounts; dependencies on local folders or add-ins may not carry over. |
| Automatic responses | Automatic replies | Review dates, message text, and account scope before relying on an imported response. |
| Calendar configuration | Meeting hours, time zones, reminders, and calendar view | Check working hours and time-zone display, especially when travelling or managing shared calendars. |
Microsoft does not describe this process as a full profile clone. Rules, blocked senders, permissions, folder views, AutoArchive configuration, and other local metadata may require separate documentation or recreation. Rules import/export is specifically listed as unsupported in new Outlook’s comparison, so preserve a record of important rules before you change clients.
How different are the features?
Feature parity is the most important check for power users. New Outlook’s feature list is evolving, and a function that is absent or partial today may change in a later build. Use Microsoft’s live feature comparison, dated September 23, 2026 in the current documentation, and check the row for every workflow you depend on.
Rules and automation
Do not plan a rules migration as if it were a settings import. Microsoft marks rules import/export unsupported in new Outlook. If rules control filing, alerts, compliance handling, or delegation, document their conditions and actions in classic Outlook and confirm an approved replacement with your administrator before moving.
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Local files and archives
Classic Outlook has the broadest established PST workflow. New Outlook’s PST support is partial, so distinguish among creating a PST, opening an existing PST, importing selected items, and exporting data. These are separate capabilities; support for one does not prove support for all four.
Organisational controls
Administrators can restrict add-ins and may control which settings or data operations are available. A successful personal test does not override a work tenant’s policy. Test with the account and permissions that will be used in production.
Does new Outlook support PST files?
Partially. New Outlook can work with PST content in defined scenarios, but Microsoft’s feature matrix does not describe PST support as complete. The action you need determines whether the client is suitable.
Opening a PST as a separate file
When you open a PST, the file remains a separate data source. Its items are not silently merged into your mailbox. This is useful for consulting an archive without changing the mailbox, but it is not the same as importing those items into folders that synchronize with the server.
Importing selected PST content
An import copies selected items into a destination mailbox. That creates a second copy in the destination; it does not convert the original PST into a mailbox or delete the source file. Confirm folder mapping and available item types in the import dialog before starting a large operation.
Requirements for opening a PST in new Outlook
- Classic Outlook must also be installed on the Windows computer.
- Both Outlook clients must use matching 32-bit or 64-bit architecture.
- The account used in new Outlook must have a Microsoft 365 subscription.
- The installed new Outlook must be a non-ARM version.
- Safe mode and Recovery mode are not supported for this operation.
If any requirement is missing, use classic Outlook for the PST operation or correct the installation before attempting the new-Outlook workflow.
Where does Outlook store email?
PST: a separate Outlook data file
Microsoft describes a PST as a container for Outlook messages and other items, including contacts, appointments, tasks, notes, and journal entries. PSTs are used for POP3 account data, older-item storage, archives, and exports. Classic Outlook ordinarily places them under DocumentsOutlook Files, although a user or administrator can choose another destination.
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A PST is independent of the server mailbox. If the file contains the only copy of an archive or POP account data, losing the file means losing access to that content unless another copy exists.
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For Exchange, Microsoft 365, IMAP, and Outlook.com accounts, Outlook may use an OST. It is an offline copy of information held on the server so the client can work when connectivity is limited. Microsoft says a separate OST backup is unnecessary because Outlook can download a fresh synchronized copy after the account is set up again.
That guidance concerns the local OST file, not the organisation’s retention policy. A server mailbox may have retention limits, deleted-item policies, litigation holds, or other recovery arrangements. Work-account users should ask their administrator what server-side recovery actually covers.
How do I back up Outlook emails before switching?
Export from classic Outlook to a PST
- Open classic Outlook and select File > Open & Export > Import/Export.
- Choose Export to a file, then select Outlook Data File (.pst).
- Select the account or folder to export. Choose Include subfolders when the archive must contain the folder tree below that selection.
- Choose a destination and filename. Use a location with enough free space and avoid overwriting an earlier backup unless that is intentional.
- Complete the export. Export creates a copy; it does not remove the source messages from the mailbox.
- If prompted, set a PST password. Record it in an approved password manager because Outlook cannot recover a forgotten PST password for you.
- After the export completes, copy the PST to a separate safe location. Microsoft names a USB flash drive, another hard drive, or cloud storage as possible destinations.
Keep the original export until the copy has finished and you have checked the file size and opened it successfully. A second location protects against failure of the computer that created the export.
Export from new Outlook
Microsoft’s current guidance describes an export route at Settings > Files > Export. Labels and available data types can change between builds, so read the export summary in your installed version and confirm that the messages, contacts, calendars, or other items you need are included. If the required data type is not offered, perform the export from classic Outlook instead.
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A PST is not a complete Outlook-profile backup. Microsoft says export omits metadata such as folder views, permissions, AutoArchive settings, message rules, and blocked senders. It also does not prove that every account-level preference or add-in configuration was captured.
Before switching, separately record settings that matter to daily work: rule logic, blocked-sender lists, shared-folder permissions, archive schedules, critical views, add-in dependencies, and any administrator-managed policies. Recreate or verify them in the destination client rather than assuming the PST contains them.
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How do I open or import a PST in new Outlook?
Choose between opening and importing
- Open: leaves the PST separate so you can browse or search it without copying its items into the mailbox.
- Import: copies selected content into a destination mailbox, where the copied items can synchronize according to that mailbox’s policies.
Use opening for occasional archive access. Use importing when the items must become part of the mailbox’s normal folder structure and server synchronization.
Prepare the installation
- Install classic Outlook on the same Windows computer as new Outlook.
- Confirm that both clients are 32-bit or both are 64-bit.
- Sign in to new Outlook with an account that has a Microsoft 365 subscription.
- Verify that new Outlook is a non-ARM build.
- Start the clients normally, not in Safe mode or Recovery mode.
Perform the operation
Use the current PST command in your installed new-Outlook build, select the file, and follow the prompt for either opening it or importing selected folders and item types. For an import, select the destination mailbox and review the folder choices before confirming. Allow time for a large copy and for the mailbox to synchronize after the import.
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One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchKeep the original PST unchanged until you have checked representative messages, attachments, contacts, calendar items, and folder placement in the destination. An import is a copy, so the source remains your fallback.
Do I need to back up an OST file?
Usually, no. An OST for a server-backed account is a cache that Outlook can rebuild by downloading the mailbox again. Copying it as if it were an archive does not create an independent, portable backup.
Instead, protect the data that is not guaranteed to exist elsewhere:
- Export important mailbox content when organisational policy permits and when a portable copy is required.
- Preserve every PST used for POP mail, archives, or older items.
- Ask the administrator how retention, deletion, legal holds, and mailbox recovery work for a work account.
- Do not delete the old Outlook profile or local files until the new client has been tested and the required data has been verified.
A safe migration plan from classic Outlook to new Outlook
- Inventory your dependencies. List accounts, PST files, rules, signatures, Quick Steps, shared mailboxes, calendars, add-ins, archive jobs, and custom views.
- Check feature support. Compare each dependency with Microsoft’s current new-versus-classic feature matrix. Treat partial PST support and unsupported rule import/export as migration risks.
- Enable settings storage. In classic Outlook, turn on File > Options > General > Store my Outlook settings in the cloud, then restart Outlook.
- Export irreplaceable data. Create PST exports from classic Outlook, include the necessary subfolders, and copy the completed files to separate storage.
- Document metadata. Record rules, blocked senders, permissions, AutoArchive choices, important views, and add-in requirements because these are not guaranteed to be in the PST.
- Run new Outlook setup. Import the supported settings and inspect signatures, fonts, calendar hours, reminders, time zones, density, and Quick Steps.
- Test real work. Send and receive messages, open attachments, use shared resources, run critical Quick Steps, and verify calendar behaviour.
- Handle PSTs deliberately. Open archives separately when that is sufficient; import selected items only when they need to live in the mailbox.
- Keep the fallback. Retain classic Outlook and the untouched PST copies until the verification period is complete and your organisation’s retention requirements are satisfied.
Common problems and fixes
Settings did not appear
Confirm that Store my Outlook settings in the cloud was enabled in classic Outlook before setup and that Outlook was restarted afterward. The documented import is available during new Outlook’s initial setup; settings outside Microsoft’s listed subset may need manual recreation.
A COM add-in is missing
Look for a supported web-add-in counterpart and check whether an administrator has blocked it. If no compatible version exists, keep the workflow in classic Outlook or obtain an approved replacement before uninstalling anything.
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The PST option is unavailable
Check the installation prerequisites: classic Outlook present, matching 32-bit or 64-bit architecture, a Microsoft 365 subscription on the new-Outlook account, a non-ARM build, and normal (not Safe or Recovery) mode. If the build still lacks the required operation, use classic Outlook for the PST task.
Imported items are in the wrong place
Opening a PST and importing a PST are different actions. Opening leaves the source separate; importing copies selected folders into the destination mailbox. Review the destination and folder-selection choices before repeating an import, and remove duplicate copies only after confirming which set is complete.
The export is missing rules or views
That is expected for a PST profile backup. Rules, folder views, permissions, AutoArchive settings, and blocked senders are metadata that Microsoft says export omits. Recreate or verify them separately.
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A user wants to copy the OST instead
For a server-backed account, copying the OST is generally unnecessary and does not replace a PST export. Verify server-side recovery with the administrator and export any content that must exist independently of the mailbox.
Which Outlook should you use?
Stay with classic Outlook when local workflows are essential
Classic Outlook is the safer choice when your work depends on rules that must be exported, a COM add-in without a web equivalent, extensive PST operations, or local configurations that new Outlook does not import. Keep it patched and maintain separate PST copies.
Move to new Outlook when supported workflows are sufficient
New Outlook is reasonable when your work is primarily server-backed, your required settings are within the documented import list, your add-ins have supported web versions, and the feature matrix confirms the functions you use. The move still warrants a PST export and a verification period.
Use both during a controlled transition
Installing both clients can provide a staged path: use new Outlook for supported daily work while classic Outlook handles a legacy PST, rule documentation, or an essential COM add-in. This arrangement is especially useful until imported settings and mailbox content have been checked.
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Quick Recap
Final pre-switch checklist
- Feature dependencies checked against Microsoft’s comparison updated September 23, 2026.
- Classic Outlook cloud settings storage enabled and Outlook restarted.
- Signatures, Quick Steps, calendar hours, time zones, reminders, and views identified for verification.
- Rules, blocked senders, permissions, AutoArchive settings, and folder views documented separately.
- Important PST files exported or identified, with copies stored on separate media or storage.
- OST files not treated as standalone backups for server-backed accounts.
- PST opening/import prerequisites confirmed for the installed new-Outlook build.
- New Outlook tested with real messages, attachments, calendars, shared resources, and add-ins.
- Classic Outlook and original PSTs retained until the migration is proven successful.
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