Import/Export Greyed Out in Outlook For Mac or Win? – Get Rid of It

Microsoft Outlook Import/Export option greyed out or disabled. Don’t worry, here you will get verified solution to either fix Outlook import/export greyed out issue or use alternate ways to archive, backup, manage New Outlook for Mac and Windows database. Let us find out:

Quick Navigation:

• New Outlook for Mac Export Greyed Out
• Windows Outlook Import/Export Not Working

Microsoft developed Outlook for Mac and Windows OS users and included it in the Office suite. It is popular among both home and professional users and widely used mail client. It provides an in-built Import/Export option to manage email data. But in some cases Import/Export option either does not work properly or is greyed out.  

Outlook Import/Export is either greyed out or unavailable due to a technical glitch or human error. Find the solution that best suits your needs. 

Note: New Outlook for Mac released by Microsoft for Mac OS users with some Coming Soon features. User will find the import/export option for OLM and PST  file in same list. So, after upgrading New Outlook for Mac user will not be able to use Import/Export option.    

Why Import/Export Option Greyed Out in Outlook?

Here are the following scenarios that will help to understand this when the Import Export option is unavailable in Outlook 2021, 2019, 2016, 2013, 2010, and 2007 File Menu more clearly. 

Reasons behind import/export greyed out or not working may be different for Windows and Mac Outlook. Let us understand:

For Windows Classic Outlook or New Outlook

• Users run an English version of the Windows machine. For example, users can run Windows XP, Windows Vista, or Windows 7.
• Users can install a non-English edition of MS Outlook. For example, users can install a non-English version of MS Office Outlook 2003, 2007, or 2010.
• Users will try to import or export data in Microsoft Outlook.

For Mac Outlook New

• New Outlook for Mac released without the Import/Export option. It leads to the Mac Outlook import/export greyed out issue. (Note: This issue will be fixed by Microsoft soon.)

In cases of the above scenarios, the Import and Export option on the File tab or the File menu becomes unavailable.

The main reason behind the occurrence of Outlook error is that the latest language for non-Unicode programs in Microsoft Windows is set to a different language than the installed version of the Outlook mail client.

Guide for Mac Outlook Users

Solution for New Outlook for Mac Export Greyed Out Issue

It is quite easy to try the New Outlook for Mac, but going back to Legacy Outlook is not that easy. It requires certain conditions to be met. As of the recent Microsoft update, the Import/Export option is still in the Coming Soon queue. In this case, SysTools provides an authenticated solution to overcome the Mac new Outlook export greyed out issue.

SysTools Mac Outlook Recovery provides an option to export the Mac Outlook mailbox with or without Mac Outlook. The user can use this tool to export a new Outlook for Mac mailbox even if the Export option is greyed out. SysTools developers are working for the alternate solution for the Outlook import option greyed out issue. 

Microsoft suggested users revert to legacy Outlook for exporting or backing up data from New Outlook for Mac. Follow the steps to revert to legacy Outlook:

• Launch New Outlook for Mac and Hit the Help Menu 
• Hit on Revert to Legacy Outlook.
  
• Now a pop-up will appear and ask you for feedback (Why reverting back to legacy Outlook?), it’s optional, hit the Submit button.
• Now you have successfully reverted back to legacy Outlook from New Outlook for Mac. Now you have to add accounts in legacy Outlook, in which you want to import/export data. After adding the account, click on the File menu and perform either the Import or Export process.

Guide for Windows Outlook Users

Quick Note: New Outlook for Windows does not allow the built-in Import/Export option to all its users. So the below-mentioned will not work on the New Outlook for Windows. So, an indirect workaround for this issue in New Outlook is to revert to classic Outlook first and then follow the steps below.

Fix the Import and Export option in Classic Outlook is Unavailable

To resolve this issue, set the recent language for a non-Unicode program in Windows to the same language as the installed version of MS Outlook. For this, follow the steps given below:

For Windows Vista or Windows 7

• Go to the Start icon and then click on the Control Panel.
• Then, choose Clock, Language, and Regional.
• After that, click on the Regional and Language.
• Select an Administrative tab.
• If the latest language for Non-Unicode programs is set to multiple languages from an installed edition of MS Outlook, click on Change system locale.
• In the latest system locale box, select the locale that matches an installed version of MS Outlook and press the OK button.
• Click the OK button to close the Regional as well as the Language dialog box.

Fix on Windows XP: Import/Export Option Not Available in Outlook 

a) Click the Start button and choose Control Panel
b) Select Date, Time, Language, and Regional Options
c) Now, choose Regional and Language Options
d) After that, click on the Advanced tab
e) Under the Select language to match the language version of a non-Unicode program you wish to use box, then choose the locale that matches an installed version of MS Outlook and press OK button.

Guide for IMAP Accounts in Outlook 

If you are using Outlook with IMAP configured profiles and you are unable to export or archive a mailbox. Then, SysTools OST converter can help you complete this task. It will help you backup mailbox with the same folder structure and data integrity. 

It will allow you to perform the export option and save output data from OST to PST, EML, MSG, MBOX, PDF, HTML, TXT, DOC, DOCX, RTF, etc. file formats. 

Use the free demo version of this tool:

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Step-1: Download and install the software, and click on the Add File button. 

Step-2: Browse the OST file into the software panel, preview the complete data, and click on the Export button.

Step-3: Select one export file type from the list and browse to the path to save the output, and hit Export button. 

Step-4: Now you have an accessible file that can be accessed easily.

Guide for POP Configured Outlook Profiles

If the users are not able to fix the Outlook error “the import and export option in Outlook is unavailable” by applying the above solutions. Then, users can take the help of a reliable third-party tool named SysTools PST Converter, which helps to export Outlook items, including emails, contacts, tasks, etc.

Moreover, it allows a user to migrate all or select data items from the Outlook PST file. It is designed in such a way to save all data in different file formats, i.e., EML, MSG, VCF, and PDF. Convert all or select items from an Outlook.pst file. It has an interactive interface that even a novice user can understand its working without taking external help or guidance.

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Working Guide of the Tool

• Run this software on your system, and you will see the tool’s home screen, as shown below.

• Click the Add File button and select PST files that you want to export.

• The software will then view the Outlook items stored in the PST file.

• Now, select the desired file format in which you want to export data.

Final Thoughts

It is necessary to eliminate any sort of Outlook-related error, as these errors may lead to data loss. Out of which, one such error is shown like this: “The Import and Export option in Outlook is unavailable”. Therefore, in this write-up, we have described a manual approach along with its symptoms and reasons. Furthermore, we have recommended a professional approach, so users can easily import all data items from Outlook PST without any difficulty.

Frequently Asked Questions