What is the best way to save a large number of emails when losing my Virgin email address?

[K123]

Is someone able to advise me on the best way to save the emails that I have in my virgin email accounts please. I have seen that I can load them in Outlook or Thunderbird and export them. I tried downloading Outlook and it did not seem to have an export facility.

I used IMAP when I loaded my email address into Outlook. Would they stay available in Outlook when my email is closed? I notice that Thunderbird is saying IMAP to sync with the server and POP to store emails on my computer.

If I store them on my computer then would I be able to move them to a new computer if I bought one?

I believe that another possibility is to import them straight into a gmail account from my virgin address.

Thanks for any help.

[ravenstar68]

If you are using Classic outlook there is an export function that will allow you to export the whole mailbox as a .pst file, which can then be imported back into Outlook to allow you to view them.  Make use you Select the address of the account you such to transfer and tick include subfolders.

Alternatively you can use a tool such as Mailstor - which has a free version, to do the same thing.

[K123]

Hi @ravenstar68,

Thank you for your reply.

I have just installed Outlook Classic but it looks like I would need to pay for a license to use it.

Would Mailstore be better than Thunderbird. I would like the easiest way as I am not very knowledgable in this area and am up against it timewise.

If I load the emails into these apps then would they still be available to see after my account has closed? Or would I have to export them before that happened?

I have had a quick look at your post, Backing up your Emails - One of many solutions, but the link to using Thunderbird add-on has been archived and cannot be seen.

I believe that I could also import the emails directly into a gmail account from my Virgin email address. Is that a good way of doing it?

Thanks for your help.

Ken

[Client62 · Accepted solution]

Remember to download the emails into a file stored on your computer you may need to configure a POP3 connection.

The more modern IMAP is just a view of the emails on a mail server.

[K123]

Sorry, @ ravenstar68, I assumed that I could mark multiple answers as helpful, I did not mean to mark it as solved. If you are able to be of any more help then that would be great. Thanks.

[Client62]

Outlook for the computer is a premium product so it is not free.

But Thunderbird should be able to download the emails via POP3 - be sure to select leave on the server so you get more than one chance to try the process.

[K123]

Thanks @Client62, I have accidentally marked this as solved, just meant to mark it as helpful. Are you able to give any other advice on the best/easiest way for me to backup my emails  before losing my account.

Thanks for your help.

Ken

[Adduxi]

+1 for @ravenstar68 regarding PST files and Maistore.   I have PST files going back years so the OP can certainly keep an easily accessible archive.  I would also suggest these files are kept in at least two separate locations for safe keeping.  One thing is clear for this whole debacle, no one should be storing years of emails on an email server, especially if it is run by an ISP. 

[K123]

Thanks. Do you know if there are instructions for using Thunderbird anywhere? I believe I would have to install an add-on to export the emails. I guess that all that needs doing in the short term though is loading them with POP3.

Do you think that Thunderbird is better/easier than Mailstore, which was the other suggestion.

Thanks.

[K123]

Thank you for your reply.

Is this straightforward to do?

Would it directly create a PST file from my Virgin account using IMAP?

Could I then look at that PST file from Outlook or something?

And to have 2 copies it that just a matter of copying the PST file somewhere else?

Is this easier than Thuderbird do you know? That was another suggestion.

Thanks for your help.

Ken