Need to see folders, use rules from PC version pf Outlook to web version

Question

I have Outlook on my PC (Windows 10), have had it for many years. I have also had a subscription for 365 family for a few years now. I like Outlook on the PC, but I would like to be able to access my emails on line - including folders that I have setup with rules. I converted all my email accounts from pop3 to Imap, saved the backup pst files. Seems like you can't import the pst files on the web version of outlook. Also I don't see rules available on the on line version I have. I did see it on another one....how many versions are there?

Please help!

Answer 1

Hello Mark Hartzell, thanks for posting in the community.

The only way to make your folders and rules appear online is to move the emails from your PST file into your IMAP mailbox using the classic Outlook on your PC, because the new Outlook does not support PST import. After moving the data into the IMAP account, the server will sync everything, and your folders will show up in Outlook on the web, including any new rules you recreate there. Once the data is stored on the server, it will appear on every device where you sign in.

Kind regards,

John Oli

Answer 2

How can I get messages and folders moved into the server mailbox?

Answer 3

Outlook on the web cannot import .pst files directly. To see existing folders and data from a .pst in an online mailbox, the data must be in a server-based account (Exchange/Microsoft 365/Outlook.com/IMAP) that Outlook on the web connects to.

Key points for the scenario:

1. POP3 vs IMAP and .pst files
   • POP3 accounts typically store mail in a local Outlook Data File (.pst). Those folders and messages exist only on the PC unless they are copied to a server mailbox.
   • IMAP, Microsoft 365, Exchange, and Outlook.com accounts store mail on the server. Outlook on the web shows whatever is on the server.
   • Outlook on the web cannot open or import a .pst file; .pst is a local Outlook (desktop) format.
2. Getting .pst content into an online mailbox
   • Use classic Outlook for Windows (desktop) to open the .pst and then move or copy items into the IMAP or Microsoft 365/Exchange mailbox folders that are on the server.
   • Once messages and folders are moved into the server mailbox, they will sync and appear in Outlook on the web under that account.
   • If the account is Microsoft 365, Exchange, or Outlook.com (not POP/IMAP), the data is backed up on the server and no .pst is required for normal access.
3. Rules in Outlook on the web
   • Outlook on the web supports inbox rules that run on the server and can automatically move messages into folders as they arrive. These are created and managed in the web interface and are separate from classic Outlook’s local rules.
   • In classic Outlook on the web, rules can be created from a message using Create rule and configured with conditions, actions, and exceptions. These rules can automatically move messages into folders as they are received.
   • Desktop Outlook (classic) can import/export rules via File > Manage Rules & Alerts, but this .rwz-based feature is for classic Outlook only and does not apply directly to Outlook on the web.
4. Versions involved
   • Classic Outlook for Windows (desktop) – uses .pst/.ost, supports full rules management and import/export.
   • New Outlook for Windows – uses server-based mailboxes; rules for third-party accounts (Gmail, Yahoo, iCloud) must be configured at the provider; it does not use local .pst in the same way.
   • Outlook on the web / Outlook.com – browser-based; shows server folders and supports server-side rules, but cannot import .pst.

To achieve online access to folders and rules:

1. Use classic Outlook for Windows to open the .pst files.
2. Drag/copy mail and folders from the .pst into the IMAP or Microsoft 365/Exchange mailbox so they sync to the server.
3. In Outlook on the web, create inbox rules that mirror the behavior of desktop rules (for example, move messages from specific senders into specific folders) using the Create rule option described in the classic Outlook on the web instructions.

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References:

• Find and transfer Outlook data files from one computer to another
• Working with message folders in Outlook on the web
• Manage email messages by using rules in Outlook
• Organize your inbox in Outlook on the web
• Import or export a set of rules in classic Outlook