Restore Outlook from Time Machine

[dmt43]

I am fairly new to Mac and am learning how Time Machine works. I use Outlook email. I have to switch from Legacy Outlook to “New Outlook” and some users have reported losing emails. I need to understand how to restore Outlook.

I read that Outlook is stored here (I have a Macbook) /Library/Group Containers/UBF8T346G9.Office/Outlook/Outlook 15 Profiles/Main Profile
I updated a Word document to test how Time Machine restore works. I went into Time Machine, selected thata file from the prior day, highlighted it and clicked “Restore”. I was offered the option to keep both copies or replace. I replaced the file and it was back to the original.

To restore Outlook, would I navigate to Time Machine Outlook from the prior day and select the “Main Profile”? Would that have all my emails? If not, how would I restore Outlook? Can anyone help me out with this? thanks! Donna

 

[FreakinEurekan]

The first question is - are you using IMAP/Exchange mail or POP mail? Most people these days use IMAP or Exchange, in which case - it's irrelevant; the emails are automatically stored on your Mail server and just synced to the Mac. So there'd be no REASON to restore from Time Machine; worst-case simply delete the email account & re-add it and everything will sync over.

If you're using local folders, not IMAP folders, then you would potentially need your Time Machine backup. But be sure you really need it, before you bother learning what folders are necessary.

 

[dmt43]

The first question is - are you using IMAP/Exchange mail or POP mail? Most people these days use IMAP or Exchange, in which case - it's irrelevant; the emails are automatically stored on your Mail server and just synced to the Mac. So there'd be no REASON to restore from Time Machine; worst-case simply delete the email account & re-add it and everything will sync over.

If you're using local folders, not IMAP folders, then you would potentially need your Time Machine backup. But be sure you really need it, before you bother learning what folders are necessary.

It used to be Exchange when I was using Outlook on my Windows PC and I knew how to check it. But now that I’m on a Mac I don’t know what it is or how to check. How can I tell? thanks.

 

[JonaM]

To a certain extent you don't need to worry which it is - your restore will set it back again whether it's local files or stored on IMAP and wasn't affected by the change in the first place.

As a note the name of your outlook folder will vary as it's unique per install so you may need to look for a similar named folder in that location

As an aside I took the opportunity to move Applemail as the Outlook switchover was so buggy and required the same amount of work to migrate my emails to Apple, so worth considering if you are open to a move away.

 

[dmt43]

To a certain extent you don't need to worry which it is - your restore will set it back again whether it's local files or stored on IMAP and wasn't affected by the change in the first place.

As a note the name of your outlook folder will vary as it's unique per install so you may need to look for a similar named folder in that location

As an aside I took the opportunity to move Applemail as the Outlook switchover was so buggy and required the same amount of work to migrate my emails to Apple, so worth considering if you are open to a move away.

Are you saying if I do a restore from Time Machine, it won’t matter? Also - you found it as much work to migrate to the new Outlook as it was to migrate to Apple mail?? I did consider it, but I’d have to update my email address in so many places - online accounts, contacts, etc. And then I’d have to keep Outlook because emails will still be sent there, until the new email is in use/known for months. That seemed like a lot more effort to me! Did you change your email to theApple mail id?

 

[dmt43]

It used to be Exchange when I was using Outlook on my Windows PC and I knew how to check it. But now that I’m on a Mac I don’t know what it is or how to check. How can I tell? thanks.

I looked for the server on my Mac. It shows in Accounts, under Advanced. but it doesn’t say if it’s Exchange or IMAP. It just has the office365 server and port. This website https://support.microsoft.com/en-us...look-com-d088b986-291d-42b8-9564-9c414e2aa040
says that address is an IMAP server. Different port # tho. So I guess it’s IMAP….??? I’m not very knowledgeable in this area.

 

[FreakinEurekan]

Exchange and IMAP behave identically in this instance. Your email is on the server; you won't need to restore from Time Machine.

 

[dmt43]

Exchange and IMAP behave identically in this instance. Your email is on the server; you won't need to restore from Time Machine.

Thank you but, I failed to mention that the POP server had the same server url. I don’t know how POP works vs. IMAP vs Exchange. Would it matter if my server was POP? I don’t recall setting up anything when I moved from my Windows PC to the Mac. I think I just downloaded MS365 and logged on.

 

[8767092]

IMAP and Exchange leave the email on the server so it is available on your workstation, mobile phone, tablet, and more. If you use POP, it downloads the messages to a single device and deletes them from the server. That can be useful if you are limited on space. Most M365 users use IMAP or Exchange enabling email address on multiple devices. If that is you, just login and download the messages normally. They are all there on the server

 

[dmt43]

IMAP and Exchange leave the email on the server so it is available on your workstation, mobile phone, tablet, and more. If you use POP, it downloads the messages to a single device and deletes them from the server. That can be useful if you are limited on space. Most M365 users use IMAP or Exchange enabling email address on multiple devices. If that is you, just login and download the messages normally. They are all there on the server

Yes it is me, I am using Outlook on my Mac, iPhone and iPad. thanks for your help!