How to Download Emails from Exchange Server; Learn the Secure Way
Due to the immense popularity of Exchange Server, many organizations still use it as their primary email communication platform. As the rate of cyberattacks is increasing at a rapid pace, it is quite risky for organizations to keep their email data in a single place. Thus, a need to download all emails from Exchange Server arises, and administrators look for an efficient and secure solution to perform the process.
Now, if we consider two scenarios of downloading emails, in the first scenario, the administrator wants to download emails from a single mailbox. In another scenario, there is a need to download all emails from the Exchange Server in bulk. Similar to these, there can be various reasons behind the downloading of Exchange Server emails.
Some of them are as follows:
- Backup and recovery in case of server issues or data loss.
- Offline access to emails is beneficial during travel or low connectivity.
- Migration to different servers, platforms, or email clients.
- Compliance and legal requirements for data retention.
- Improved performance compared to accessing emails directly from the server.
- Enhanced security and privacy by storing emails locally.
In the coming section, let’s discuss solutions for both ways. In the first process, we will discuss the manual way that will download emails from a single mailbox at a time.
Method 1: Download Exchange Server Emails Using the EAC (Exchange Admin Center)
If you are looking for a way to download emails from a single mailbox, then the best solution is to go with the Exchange Admin Center. It is quite a simple and efficient way to get the job done. However, this solution will export an entire mailbox to a PST file instead of emails only.
Thus, if you have a need to apply an email filter and want to download emails only, then you must consider the automated solution. This method applies to many different types of mailboxes in Exchange. You must first check your Exchange Server Version before you can execute the following steps to get your email downloaded to the system:
Step 1. Log in to Exchange Admin Center using Admin credentials and navigate to recipients >> mailboxes.
Step 2. Right-click on the mailbox from which you want to download emails and click on the Export to a PST file option.
Step 3. Following that, you will get the option to export only the mailbox content or the content of the mailbox’s archive.
Step 4. To proceed further, you need to choose the path to the Network Shared folder where your emails will be downloaded.
Step 5. Finally, you can choose if you want to notify any user after the completion of the process or not. Click on the Finish button to initiate the process.
Method 2: Downloading All Emails from the Exchange Server for Multiple Mailboxes
Downloading emails from tens or hundreds of mailboxes could be a tedious task if you perform the task one by one. Thus, to make your job quick and efficient, it is highly recommended to go with the professional solution recommended by experts, i.e., SysTools Exchange Mailbox Export Tool. This solution enables users to perform a bulk download process that will make the Exchange administrator’s job effortless.
Additionally, the advanced features offered in this utility, like a date-based filter, four export options, simultaneous download process, detailed dashboard, and delta export, are extremely useful in making the process secure and efficient. Most Exchange administrators prefer this tool only when they are downloading emails from the Exchange Server. This simple and user-friendly interface also makes the task hassle-free. Not only this, you can also export an Office 365 mailbox to PST.
You can use the trial version of the application for free and download emails from two user accounts.
Working Guide of the Application to Download All Emails from Microsoft Exchange Server
Step 1. Download, install, and launch the utility on your computer. Choose Exchange as the source and Outlook as the desired export option.
Step 2. Enable email from workload selection. Apply the Date-filter checkbox and choose the range within which you want to download emails from Exchange Server.
Step 3. Choose the Exchange Server version and enter additional details as required.
Step 4. Select the export path on your system, and choose the export file size from the drop-down menu. Click on the validate button to validate the required permissions. Then
Step 5. Now select the users to download data and validate the required permissions.
Step 6. Finally, click on the start button to download Exchange emails in bulk.
Method 3. Download Emails from the Exchange Server Using Outlook
Admins can use Outlook to connect Exchange server mailbox and manually download emails to PST files. This method works even for the recently released Exchange Server SE. Check out the steps below:
- Open Outlook and connect to the Exchange mailbox.
- Go to File > Open & Export > Import/Export.
- Choose Export to a file > Outlook Data File (.pst).
- Select the folders to export and choose the location to save the PST file.
Pros: Straightforward and doesn’t require additional software.
Cons: Not suitable for bulk exports, lacks advanced filters, and can be time-consuming for large mailboxes.
Method 4. PowerShell Command (Exchange Management Shell)
Administrators can download Exchange server emails using PowerShell commands in the Exchange Management Shell.
Step 1. Open Exchange Management Shell and use the New-MailboxExportRequest command:
New-MailboxExportRequest -Mailbox "username" -FilePath "\\NetworkShare\Mailbox.pst"
Step 2. Monitor export status using:
Get-MailboxExportRequest
- Pros: This method is useful for bulk mailbox exports and can be filtered with parameters like date ranges or item types.
- Cons: Requires PowerShell knowledge and permissions; not supported on Exchange Online (only for on-premises Exchange).
Conclusion
Downloading emails from Exchange Server could be a difficult task if you don’t follow the right procedure. Although Microsoft provides a free way to download data, you cannot directly download emails from Exchange mailboxes in bulk. Thus, we have recommended an automated solution that enables you to apply filters and download only selective data from Exchange Server.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. How to download all emails from Exchange Server to Outlook?
Instead of downloading data, it would be faster to just set up your Exchange Server ID on the Outlook client itself.
Q. When I try to download data from Exchange Server, I get an error. What to do?
This happens when you don’t have the necessary permission to complete the download/export request. Either elevate your permissions to at least the “Mailbox Import Export” role or use another method.
Q. How do I make Outlook download all of my Exchange Emails instead of just the last year?
By default, Outlook only pulls the data that was generated in the last year from the time of your request. To bypass this limitation, go to the Outlook Account Settings and there, shift the “Cached Exchange Mode” slider all the way to the right to “All”.
Q. Is there a way to put a duration filter on the PowerShell cmdlets I am using to download Exchange Server data?
Yes, by adding the -ContentFilter flag to your New-MailboxExportRequest, you can add start and end dates. If you are an admin, an easier way would be to just use the tool we have specified in this post; it can apply a date filter and also grant you the ability to select a user, plus prioritize the download queue.
Q. Why am I unable to select a regular folder for downloading Exchange Server data while using the Exchange admin center?
It is because the process only works with network-shared folders; this is a data leakage prevention mechanism. So, you must first make a network folder on a PC that is part of the same Active Directory as your Exchange server and use it to download the emails.
