I need to migrate my Outlook email files and folders to my Apple iPhone.

Question

I use an Apple iPhone with an AT&T business email account which is a Microsoft Outlook application. Although the Outlook emails and file folders work well on my computer, my iPhone only shows a generic inbox folder. It does not show the entire set of folders of archived or stored emails from the past.

I need to utilize and access these Outlook folders from my iPhone. How can I transfer the folders - email organization to my iPhone so I can view the same Outlook setup as I use on my notebook computer.

Thanks for your assistance.

Dave R.

Answer 1

Hi Dave Engineer,

Welcome to Microsoft Q&A Forum!

Thank you for reaching out regarding the issue with accessing your Outlook email folders on your iPhone. Based on your description, the case may be that your email folders are stored locally on your PC in a PST file, which is not automatically synced to your mobile device. 

Outlook stores some emails and folders in a local PST file, which is not synced to the server.  The Outlook app on iPhone only displays folders that are stored on the Exchange or IMAP server.  If your account is set up as POP3 or uses PST archives, those folders will not appear on your iPhone. 

To ensure your iPhone displays the same folder structure and archived emails as your Outlook on PC, please follow the steps below: 

Step 1: Confirm Your Account Type 

1. Open Outlook on your PC. 
2. Go to File > Account Settings > Account Settings. 

3. Under the “Email” tab, check the “Type” column:  

If it says Microsoft Exchange or IMAP → your account supports syncing. 

If it says POP3 or only uses PST → you’ll need to migrate emails to an Exchange/IMAP folder. 

Step 2: Add Your PST File to Outlook 

1. In Outlook, go to File > Open & Export > Open Outlook Data File. 

2. Select your .pst file and click OK. 
3. You’ll now see the PST folders in the left-hand pane. 

If you're unsure how to locate or open your PST file, you can follow this official Microsoft guide: About Outlook Data Files (.pst and .ost)

Step 3: Move Emails to Your Server-Based Mailbox 

1. In the left pane, locate your Exchange/IMAP mailbox. 
2. Create a new folder (e.g., “Archived from PST”). 
3. Drag and drop emails from the PST folders into this new folder. 
4. These emails will now sync to the server and become visible on your iPhone. 

Step 4: Verify on iPhone 

1. Open the Mail app or Outlook app on your iPhone. 
2. Check that the newly moved folders and emails are visible. 

If any part of this process feels unclear or if you’re unsure whether your PST file has been downloaded or properly located, please don’t worry. We’re here to help. Migrating email folders can be a bit technical, and it’s completely normal to need guidance. Just let us know how far you’ve gotten, and we’ll walk you through the next steps together. Your experience matters to us, and we’ll make sure everything is set up smoothly so you can access your full Outlook setup on your iPhone without hassle. 

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