Restore outlook email Time Machine

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Level 1

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Restore outlook email Time Machine

I’ve lost all my email folders in outlook on mac. I’ve been in contact with Network Solutions (my domain) and Outlook has no help they say all the email folders are gone. Can I restore from Time Machine or back up? I think I know how to restore the outlook database but my question is if I restore the database and it connects to the internet won’t it erase all the emails in outlook when it syncs? I assume I will need to disconnect from the internet and somehow export and import to save it as local on my mac folders? Any advice or steps on how to do this would be appreciated. Thanks

MacBook Pro (2017 – 2020)

Posted on May 5, 2023 09:46 AM

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Answer 1

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steve626

Level 6

13,047 points

May 5, 2023 11:36 AM in response to GregLA18

How did you "lose" all the emails? Are you using IMAP/Exchange? If so, then, yes, the IMAP process works to make your local emails match what is on the server. Did you delete everything on the server? Can you recover them from the deleted folder?

If you restore those emails from Time Machine, before connecting to the Exchange server, you can move or copy all of them to the On My Mac folders. You can do that by simply dragging and dropping or by right clicking on the folder and telling it to move/copy it to an On My Mac location.

I would try just copying them and leaving the restored emails in place to see if that updates the Exchange server. If it doesn't work, you will have that On My Mac copy of the emails.

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Answer 2

GregLA18 Author

Level 1

4 points

May 5, 2023 02:26 PM in response to GregLA18

Thanks Steve. This is very helpful.

its not mine but a clients mac so they just said that all folders are gone and they contacted network solutions and they said that there is nothing that can be done.

There are not using pop It’s either IMAP or exchange. I will do what you said :)

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Restore outlook email Time Machine

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