# How to import an OLM file in Outlook on Mac: legacy steps for 2026

> Import an OLM file in Outlook on Mac with legacy Outlook: Tools, Import, then Outlook for Mac archive file. Steps, fixes and the 2026 deadline.

URL: https://www.lazur.app/how-to/import-an-olm-file-in-outlook
Updated: 2026-11-07

In legacy Outlook for Mac, open the Tools tab, choose Import, select Outlook for Mac archive file (.olm), click Continue, then pick your file and click Import. The new Outlook for Mac does not currently support .olm files, so you may need to switch to legacy Outlook first.

## Quick answer

- Import .olm files in legacy Outlook for Mac. The new app does not currently support them.
- Path: Tools > Import > Outlook for Mac archive file (.olm) > Continue, then pick the file and click Import.
- Imported items show under On My Computer in Mail, Calendar, People, Tasks and Notes.
- To get to legacy from the new app, use Help > Revert to Legacy Outlook.
- Microsoft 365 mailboxes may not connect to legacy Outlook after October 2026, so check that before you start.

Applies to: Legacy Outlook for Mac in Microsoft 365, Outlook 2024 and Outlook 2021 for Mac. Time: 15 min. Difficulty: Medium.

## What you need

- Legacy Outlook for Mac, which the official import article covers
- Outlook for Microsoft 365 for Mac, Outlook 2024 for Mac or Outlook 2021 for Mac
- The .olm file saved on your Mac, with a backup copy somewhere else
- A Mac where your organization has not restricted the Tools tab or Import

## How to Import an OLM file in Outlook for Mac in Outlook on a Mac

1. **Check that you are in legacy Outlook.** (Tools) Look at the ribbon at the top of the Outlook window for a Tools tab. The official import steps are for legacy Outlook for Mac. If you do not see Tools, switch first using the next step.
2. **Switch from the new Outlook, if needed.** (Help > Revert to Legacy Outlook) In the new Outlook for Mac, click Help in the menu bar and select Revert to Legacy Outlook. Accounts do not move automatically between the two versions, so check your mailboxes after the switch. Tip: Older forum posts show different labels, so match the wording you see on screen.
3. **Open the Tools tab.** (Tools) Click Tools in the ribbon at the top of the window. The Import command lives here in legacy Outlook for Mac.
4. **Choose Import.** (Tools > Import) Click Import. The Import box opens and lists the file types you can bring in.
5. **Select the Outlook for Mac archive file.** (Import > Outlook for Mac archive file (.olm) > Continue) In the Import box, select Outlook for Mac archive file (.olm), then click Continue.
6. **Locate and import your OLM file.** (Import) Find the .olm file in the file picker, select it, and click Import. Leave the file where it is until the import finishes.
7. **Wait for the import to finish.** Leave Outlook open until the import completes. Do not start a second import while the first one runs. Tip: A large archive takes longer, so plan for a longer wait.
8. **Find the imported items.** (Mail > On My Computer) Open Mail, Calendar, People, Tasks or Notes and look for On My Computer. Imported items sit in that group in each module.
9. **Show On My Computer if it is hidden.** (Outlook > Settings > General) If On My Computer does not show, open Outlook > Settings, select General, and clear Hide On My Computer folders. Tip: Build 16.108 redesigned Settings, so the General section may look different on your screen.
10. **Switch back to the new Outlook, optional.** (Legacy Outlook switch) In legacy Outlook, select the toggle that turns off the Legacy Outlook switch. Do this only after you have checked the import.

An OLM file is an archive that Outlook for Mac uses to hold mailbox data. You import it into Outlook for Mac, not Outlook for Windows. Microsoft's Windows support page says Outlook for Windows does not support .olm files. It also says Microsoft has no tool to convert .olm to .pst. So the Mac is the place to do this job.

![Person working at a Mac laptop, ready to import an OLM file in Outlook on Mac](https://images.lazur.app/content-images/howto/import-an-olm-file-in-outlook/how-to-import-an-olm-file-in-1-809985.jpg)

## Before you start: check which Outlook you have

Start by checking which Outlook you run. Two versions of Outlook for Mac exist side by side right now. One is the new Outlook for Mac. The other is legacy Outlook for Mac. Microsoft's import article covers only legacy Outlook for Mac, so that is the one you need.

Accounts do not move between the two. Microsoft's support page says accounts added in the new app are not automatically added to legacy Outlook, and the reverse is also true. If a mailbox shows up in only one app, that is why. The import article applies to Outlook for Microsoft 365 for Mac, Outlook 2024 for Mac and Outlook 2021 for Mac.

Check your build too. The latest build in Microsoft's release notes is 16.114.3, dated October 27, 2026. Find your build number in the About box. If you run an older build, update through Help > Check for Updates or the Apple App Store, as Microsoft's end-of-support page suggests.

- Find the .olm file on your Mac and note the folder it sits in.
- Make a copy of the .olm file somewhere else, such as an external drive, before you import anything.
- Confirm which account the archive belongs to, and that the account is set up in legacy Outlook.
- Check whether your mailbox is a Microsoft 365 account. The October 2026 section below explains why that matters.
- If you use a work Mac, ask your IT team whether the Tools tab or Import is restricted.

## Import an OLM file in legacy Outlook for Mac

The core route is short. Microsoft's official steps are Tools > Import, then Outlook for Mac archive file (.olm), then Continue. After that you locate the file and choose Import. The steps below follow that route in order, with the menu names as Microsoft writes them.

Menu labels move between builds. Microsoft's release notes say the 16.108 build, dated April 14, 2026, redesigned Settings. Some older forum threads show different labels, such as File > Import. If a name on your screen does not match, look for the same command in the Tools tab and nearby menus before you give up.

Here is what a normal run looks like. You open Tools, choose Import, pick the archive type and click Continue. You then select the file and click Import. Leave Outlook open while the data moves in. When it finishes, open Mail and look under On My Computer. Compare a few folders with the original to confirm the import worked.

## Where the imported items go

Microsoft says imported items appear under On My Computer in Mail, Calendar, People, Tasks and Notes. Each module has its own group, so an email folder will not show your contacts. Check every module you care about, not only Mail. Calendar and People are easy to forget, and so are Tasks and Notes.

The label matters. On My Computer points to storage on this Mac. Do not assume the imported items will show up on your phone or in a web browser. Release 16.102 added a Sync window setting. It controls how much email Outlook keeps locally, with a default of 60 days and a maximum of 180 days. This guide did not test how that setting treats imported items.

## When the Tools tab or Import is missing

Two problems come up often in Microsoft's community forums. The first is a missing Tools tab. A 2023 thread about Outlook for Mac 16.78 says to click the See more items button, choose Customize Toolbar, drag the Tools icon onto the toolbar, and click Done. The second is an Import command that is greyed out.

Community answers give a few causes for greyed-out Import. One says to check Outlook preferences. Another says the .olm file may be corrupt. Your organization can also restrict the command. No fix on your Mac will change that. Ask your IT team if the command stays unavailable.

## Switch from the new Outlook for Mac to legacy

If you only see the new app, switch first. Open Outlook, click Help in the menu bar, and select Revert to Legacy Outlook. Microsoft's support page lists this as the way back to legacy. When the import is done, you switch back by turning off the Legacy Outlook switch in legacy Outlook.

Switching is not free of side effects. Accounts added in one version do not carry over to the other. After you revert, check that the mailbox you want is in the account list. Only then start the import. That order saves you a second trip through the menus.

## The October 2026 deadline for Microsoft 365 mailboxes

This is the part many guides skip. Microsoft's end-of-support page says that starting October 2026, legacy Outlook for Mac stops working against Exchange Online mailboxes. Exchange Web Services retires on October 1, 2026. Legacy Outlook keeps working with Exchange On-Premises mailboxes until October 9, 2029, with security updates through that date.

As of November 7, 2026, the October 2026 date has passed. If your mailbox is Exchange Online, the revert route may not connect at all. This guide did not test the workaround against a Microsoft 365 mailbox, so treat it as unverified. Microsoft's pages do not describe a fix for that case.

- **Oct 1, 2026** Date Exchange Web Services retires. Legacy Outlook for Mac stops working against Exchange Online mailboxes from October 2026. ([source](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/outlook/end-of-support-for-legacy-outlook-for-mac))
- **Oct 9, 2029** Date until which legacy Outlook for Mac keeps working with Exchange On-Premises mailboxes, with security updates only. ([source](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/outlook/end-of-support-for-legacy-outlook-for-mac))
- **16.114.3** Latest Outlook for Mac build in Microsoft's release notes, dated October 27, 2026. ([source](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/officeupdates/release-notes-office-for-mac))
- **16.110** Build where Import PST arrived, June 16, 2026. The release notes do not mention OLM files. ([source](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/officeupdates/release-notes-office-for-mac))

Microsoft strongly recommends moving to the new Outlook for Mac, according to the end-of-support page. A Microsoft Community moderator says the new app does not import OLM files yet. That leaves you in a gap. Before you spend a long session on this, confirm your mailbox type with your admin or in your account settings.

## Common mistakes with OLM imports

- Importing in the new app. The new Outlook for Mac does not currently support .olm imports, according to a Microsoft Community moderator from December 4, 2024.
- Deleting the original archive. Keep it until you have checked the folders and items in each module.
- Checking only Mail. Calendar, People, Tasks and Notes each have their own On My Computer group.
- Following old labels. Forum posts from earlier builds use different names, so match what you see on screen.
- Expecting cloud sync. The label On My Computer points to local storage on this Mac.
- Assuming PST works the same way. Build 16.110 added Import PST, but the release notes do not say whether it covers new Outlook or .olm files.

## If legacy Outlook is not an option

Sometimes legacy Outlook is not available. Your admin may have removed it, or the mailbox may not connect. In that case, the .olm file has no direct route into the new app. Microsoft's PST article says importing a mailbox or calendar using a .pst file is currently not supported in new Outlook at this time.

That article is about PST files, so it does not answer the OLM question directly. Your realistic options are to ask your admin, contact Microsoft support, or post a request on the Microsoft Ideas portal. The 2024 Microsoft Community answer points to the Ideas route for requests about .olm files. Check the release notes for new builds, because support can change.

## How to check the import worked

Open Mail and find the On My Computer folders. Pick a few folders you know well and compare the most recent messages with your original Outlook. Then check Calendar for events you remember, People for a contact you use every week, and Tasks and Notes for anything you wrote there.

![Laptop on a desk with an email app open, a good place to work through how to import an OLM file in Outlook on Mac](https://images.lazur.app/content-images/howto/import-an-olm-file-in-outlook/how-to-import-an-olm-file-in-2-a30891.jpg)

Keep the .olm file until you are satisfied with the result. Store a copy in a folder you back up. If something is missing, the archive is your second source. Deleting it early removes that option.

## Why menu labels changed in 2026 builds

The 2026 builds changed the layout more than once. Build 16.109, dated May 12, 2026, added a reorderable left rail. Build 16.111, dated July 14, 2026, added left navigation rail customization, so you can pin, unpin and reorder modules. Both changes move items around, so a button you remember may sit in a new place.

The 16.108 build, dated April 14, 2026, redesigned Settings. If Outlook > Settings looks different on your screen, look for the General section inside the new layout. Microsoft's release notes do not list every menu move. Match names by what they do, not by where they used to sit.

## Next steps after the import

If you still need to add the account in the new app, see [How to add an email account in Outlook on Mac](https://www.lazur.app/how-to/add-an-email-account-in-outlook). That page covers both the new and legacy versions, so you can compare the two paths.

Once the mail is in place, you may want to organize it. [How to create a folder in Outlook on Mac](https://www.lazur.app/how-to/create-a-folder-in-outlook) walks through making folders for the imported mail. The Microsoft pages behind these steps are listed in the sources. They were accessed on November 7, 2026.

## If it does not work

- **The Tools tab is missing.** Click the See more items button in the toolbar, choose Customize Toolbar, drag the Tools icon onto the toolbar, then click Done. A 2023 Microsoft Community thread describes this fix. Organizational policy can still hide the tab.
- **Import is greyed out.** Check Outlook preferences, as one community answer suggests. If the .olm file may be corrupt, try a different copy of the file. If the command stays greyed out, ask your IT team whether it is restricted.
- **On My Computer does not show.** Open Outlook > Settings, select General, and clear Hide On My Computer folders. Then look again in Mail, Calendar, People, Tasks and Notes.
- **The new Outlook has no OLM import.** Click Help > Revert to Legacy Outlook. Then run the import from the Tools tab in legacy Outlook.
- **Legacy Outlook will not connect to my mailbox.** Microsoft says legacy Outlook for Mac stops working against Exchange Online mailboxes from October 2026. Ask your admin to confirm the mailbox type. This guide did not test a fix for that case.
- **A menu item is not where the steps say.** Menu labels changed across 2026 builds. Match the name you see on screen, and check the release notes for your build. Older posts use Help > Try the New Outlook.

## With Lazur

Lazur is a voice assistant for the Mac that lives in the notch. Hold ⌥ ⌘ and ask; it sees your screen, answers out loud, points at buttons and walks you through apps. Hold fn to dictate. Free for 3 days, then $18/month: https://www.lazur.app/download

- “Where's the Tools tab in Outlook?”: Lazur circles the Tools tab and labels it. You click it yourself, then ask again for Import. (Points at it)

## FAQ

### Can the new Outlook for Mac import an OLM file?

Not directly, according to a Microsoft Community moderator on December 4, 2024. That answer says the new app does not currently support .olm imports and that it is not on a stated roadmap. Microsoft's official import article covers legacy Outlook only, so check the release notes before you assume this has changed.

### Why is the Import command greyed out?

Community answers point to Outlook preferences, a possibly corrupt .olm file, or organizational restrictions. A 2023 thread on version 16.78 says the Tools tab can also be missing. If the command stays unavailable, ask your IT team, since they control that policy.

### Will importing an OLM file delete my Exchange email?

A Microsoft Community answer says Exchange Online data stays intact through the revert and import route. That is community guidance, not an official promise. Keep your original .olm file until you have checked your mailbox.

### Where do imported items show up?

Microsoft says they appear under On My Computer in Mail, Calendar, People, Tasks and Notes. If you do not see that group, open Outlook > Settings, select General, and clear Hide On My Computer folders.

### Can Outlook for Mac import a PST file?

Build 16.110, dated June 16, 2026, added Import PST for Outlook for Mac. The release notes do not say whether it applies to new or legacy Outlook, and they do not mention .olm files. Read the notes for your build before you rely on it.

### Can I convert an OLM file to PST?

Microsoft's Windows support page says it has no utility to convert .olm files to .pst. That page is in Traditional Chinese for Hong Kong, so check Microsoft's English pages before you rely on it.

### What if my mailbox is on Microsoft 365?

Microsoft says legacy Outlook for Mac stops working against Exchange Online mailboxes from October 2026, when Exchange Web Services retires on October 1, 2026. That date has passed, so the revert route may fail. Ask your admin to confirm your mailbox type.

### Is there a keyboard shortcut for the import?

Not that I found in Microsoft's pages. Use the Tools tab and the menu path in the steps above.

## Sources

1. [Import email messages, contacts, and other items into legacy Outlook for Mac](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/outlook/import-email-messages-contacts-and-other-items-into-outlook-for-mac), Microsoft Support, checked 2026-11-07
2. [Outlook for Mac](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/outlook/outlook-for-mac), Microsoft Support, checked 2026-11-07
3. [End of support for legacy Outlook for Mac](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/outlook/end-of-support-for-legacy-outlook-for-mac), Microsoft Support, checked 2026-11-07
4. [Release notes for Office for Mac](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/officeupdates/release-notes-office-for-mac), Microsoft Learn, checked 2026-11-07
5. [New Outlook / .olm file on Mac](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/4700034/new-outlook-olm-file-on-mac), Microsoft Q&A (community), checked 2026-11-07
6. [How could I import a .olm file in Outlook for Mac version 16.78](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/4638730/how-could-i-import-a-olm-file-in-outlook-for-mac-v), Microsoft Q&A (community), checked 2026-11-07
7. [Cannot import .olm files from Outlook for Mac to Outlook for Windows](https://learn.microsoft.com/zh-hk/microsoft-365-apps/outlook/import-export/cannot-import-olm-files), Microsoft Learn, checked 2026-11-07
8. [Export emails, contacts, and calendar items to Outlook using a .pst file](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/outlook/export-emails-contacts-and-calendar-items-to-outlook-using-a-pst-file), Microsoft Support, checked 2026-11-07