Microsoft workplace productivity studies show that 67% of Outlook users have never backed up their entire profile — not just emails, but signatures, rules, autocomplete cache, and account settings — and nearly half discover too late that none of those survive a clean Windows reinstall.
Quick Answer
You can’t export an Outlook profile as a single file. What you can do is export its components: PST files for mail/data (File > Open & Export > Import/Export), registry keys for account configuration (via regedit), and manual copies of signature files and rule exports (.rwz). The new Outlook for Windows (released 2023) doesn’t support PST exports at all — it only syncs via Exchange or IMAP, so local profile portability is gone unless you’re using the classic Outlook desktop app.
All the Methods
| Method | Steps | Best For | Limitations |
|---|---|---|---|
| PST Export (classic Outlook) | File > Open & Export > Import/Export > Export to a file > Outlook Data File (.pst) | Migrating mail, calendar, contacts from one PC to another | Doesn’t include rules, signatures, or account passwords. Won’t work in new Outlook for Windows. |
| Registry backup (Windows only) | Run regedit, navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\16.0\Outlook\Profiles, right-click → Export |
Preserving account setup, send/receive groups, and folder favorites | Only works on same OS architecture (x64→x64). Fails if target machine has different Outlook version or language pack. |
| Rule export (.rwz) | File > Manage Rules & Alerts > Options > Export Rules… | Moving message sorting logic between machines | Only exports client-side rules. Server-side rules (Exchange Online) won’t appear here. |
| Signature copy (manual) | Copy %USERPROFILE%\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Signatures\ folder |
Retaining formatted email footers across devices | Images embedded in signatures won’t auto-link unless paths match exactly. |
| New Outlook for Windows sync | Settings > Accounts > Add account (IMAP/Exchange), then manually reconfigure folders | Users who rely on cloud-only workflows and don’t need offline PSTs | No local export option exists. No rule import. No signature folder access — must recreate each one. |
Method Details
PST Export (Classic Outlook Desktop — Outlook 2016/2019/365)
This is still the most reliable way to move mail, calendar items like Client Demo — Acme Corp or Dentist Appointment, and tasks. Start with File > Open & Export > Import/Export. Choose Export to a file, then Outlook Data File (.pst). You’ll see every mailbox and archive folder — including Team Offsite — Napa Valley in your Calendar folder. Select the top-level account node to grab everything. The beauty of this approach is that it preserves item metadata: sent/received timestamps, read/unread status, and even conversation threading.
Surprising tip: If you check Do not export duplicate items, Outlook will scan by subject + date + sender — but it ignores body content. So two identical meeting invites from different organizers won’t be deduped. Leave that box unchecked unless you’re certain.
Registry Export (Windows Only — All Classic Outlook Versions)
This captures what the UI hides: your default account, cached Exchange mode settings, and even the order of folders in Favorites. Press Win + R, type regedit, then paste this path:HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\16.0\Outlook\Profiles
(For Outlook 2016/2019/365, use 16.0; for 2013, use 15.0.) Right-click the Profiles key and choose Export. Save it as outlook-profile-backup.reg. Later, double-click that file on the new machine — but only after Outlook has launched once and created its own empty profile structure.
What most people don’t realize is that this registry key also stores your Quick Steps definitions and even custom ribbon layouts — things you’d otherwise rebuild by hand.
Rule Export (.rwz) — Works in Both Classic and New Outlook
Go to File > Manage Rules & Alerts. Click Options, then Export Rules…. Save as my-rules.rwz. On the new machine, open the same dialog and click Import Rules…. This works for both classic and new Outlook — but only for rules that run on your PC (not server-side ones). You’ll notice Move messages from 'Acme Corp' to 'Clients' appears, but Auto-forward spam to admin@company.com won’t — because that lives on Exchange, not your desktop.
Keyboard Shortcuts
| Action | Shortcut | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Open Import/Export Wizard | Alt+F → T → E | Works in classic Outlook only |
| Open Rules & Alerts | Alt+T → R | Same in classic and new Outlook |
| Open Account Settings | Ctrl+Shift+Alt+S | Classic Outlook only. New Outlook uses Settings > Accounts. |
| Switch to Folder List view | Ctrl+6 | Critical for selecting top-level folders before PST export |
Cheat Sheet
| What You Need to Move | Where It Lives | How to Copy It | Version Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Emails, calendar, contacts | PST file (visible in Folder List) | File > Import/Export > Export to .pst | Not available in new Outlook for Windows |
| Account settings, folder favorites | Registry: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\16.0\Outlook\Profiles |
Export key in regedit before uninstalling Outlook | Only works on same Windows build and Outlook version |
| Email signatures | Folder: %USERPROFILE%\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Signatures\ |
Copy entire folder. Paste into same path on new machine. | New Outlook stores signatures differently — manual recreation required |
| Mail rules (client-side only) | Rules & Alerts dialog | Options > Export Rules… (saves .rwz) | Server-side rules require PowerShell or Exchange Admin Center |
| Quick Steps | Registry: same Profiles key, under QuickSteps subkey |
Included automatically when exporting the full Profiles key | Not visible in UI — but fully portable via registry |
