Import Wizard
Using Import Wizard you can import messages, address book and other data supported by the wizard. To start it, select main menu option File » Import.
Once started, you can select the type of data you want to import. After selecting an option and clicking Next button there will be more options shown which are related to the option you have just selected. These specific options/pages are described here.
Please ensure that the program you are importing from is not running at the moment when you start import operation. This prevents two programs accessing the same data files at the same time. OE Classic importer keeps your old data unmodified and simply makes an additional copy (in its own format) so it is safe to use.
How to import everything from Outlook Express or Windows Mail?
To import messages and folders
- Before importing from Outlook Express you should compact Outlook Express folders. To do so, in the main menu of Outlook Express click on File » Folder » Compact All Folders. Compact does not alter data inside folders - it just removes any wasted space. Do not ignore this step, it is important to ensure correct import of folder/email data and may prevent some errors.
- In Outlook Express main menu click Tools » Options, click Maintenance tab and finally click Store Folder button. This will reveal location of store folder.
- Using file manager (e.g. Windows Explorer or any other) browse to above store folder and copy all the data (all the DBX files and everything inside store folder) to a folder on external disk drive (USB drive, thumb drive etc.).
- After copying, connect the external drive to Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 10 or Windows 11 computer.
- In OE Classic main menu click File » Import. Select Microsoft Outlook Express 6 option.
- Select Import from OE6 store folder option and use Browse button to point to external disk drive folder where you have copied the DBX files in step #2.
- Click Next button to start import process. On completion, you will see your Outlook Express folders and emails imported. The import process takes some time if you have a large store folder so please be patient and give it time to finish the task.
To import Address Book
Outlook Express uses WAB format to store Address Book (Windows Address Book). This file cannot be imported directly but it can be converted to CSV file format which can then be imported.
- Read How to export to CSV file from some other programs (includes Outlook Express). It is in the CSV file (Comma Separated Values) or text file section.
- Once you have a CSV file following the guide above, transfer it to Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 10 or Windows 11 computer.
- In OE Classic main menu click File » Import. Select CSV file (Comma Separated Values) or text file option.
- Using Browse button, point to CSV file you want to import.
- Click Next button to start import process.
To import account settings
- In Outlook Express main menu click Tools » Accounts.
- Click on account you want to export and click Export button. This will save account settings in an IAF file format.
- Repeat the above for all accounts you want to export.
- Transfer all the resulting IAF files to Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 10 or Windows 11 computer.
- In OE Classic main menu click File » Import. Select IAF file (Internet Account File, Microsoft Outlook Express/Outlook account settings) option.
- Using Browse button, point to IAF file you want to import. You can use SHIFT or CTRL keys to multiselect files.
- Click Next button to start import process.
How to import everything from IncrediMail?
To import messages and folders
- In OE Classic main menu click File » Import. Select the IncrediMail option.
- Use Browse button to point to the starting folder of the IncrediMail identity. OE Classic will attempt to recognize the file format as IncrediMail may use various formats. To recognize the IncrediMail starting folder, search for a folder which contains *.imh files (e.g. Inbox.imh), *.imm files (e.g. Inbox.imm), Containers.db or MessageStore.db files (the folder may contain either of these, or all of these files but at least one of these files will be present in the correct folder).
- Click Next button to start import process.
Note: Automatic detection may not always figure out the right IncrediMail data format. If you don't get a satisfactory result after importing, try manually selecting the file format between the available 1.0, 2.0 and 2.5 file formats.
To import Address Book
- Select the address book in IncrediMail and use the menu File » Export option, and then export the address book using the .CSV format (Comma Separated Values).
- In OE Classic main menu click File » Import. Select CSV file (Comma Separated Values) or text file option.
- Using Browse button, point to CSV file you want to import.
- Click Next button to start import process.
Microsoft Outlook Express 6
This option can import folder and message data from Outlook Express 6. It is compatible with 32-bit version of Outlook Express (there is also another importer for Windows XP 64-bit edition). It reads data directly from DBX files (folder files from Outlook Express) and as such, can be used on any version of Windows, not just Windows XP.
- Import from OE6 identity - Choose this to import from Outlook Express 6 identity. In Outlook Express, identity is a complete set of messages, address book and settings that belongs to one user. "Main Identity" is the default and most commonly used identity. This option automatically detects identity location on disk but this works only on Windows that has Outlook Express installed (e.g. Windows XP). On more recent Windows this option cannot auto-detect identity location on disk and you have to use Import from OE6 store folder option instead. If this is the case the OE6 store folder field will be blank.
- Import from OE6 store folder - If you know location of OE6 store folder you can select it here using Browse button. This also gives you opportunity to use this importer on version of Windows more recent than Windows XP. You need to point to correct folder which stores your Outlook Express DBX files (files containing OE6 messages).
- Merged with existing folders (drop-down option) - If this option is selected, messages in mandatory Outlook Express folders Inbox, Outbox, Sent Items, Deleted Items and Drafts will be imported into OE Classic mandatory Inbox, Outbox etc. The rest of user-created folders will be copied in the "Local Folders" (subfolder structure is preserved), always creating a new folder if there is already a folder with the same name present.
- Imported into new folder (drop-down option) - If this option is selected, a new folder (with the name you choose) will be created just before the import and all Outlook Express folders will be placed inside this folder including mandatory Inbox, Outbox etc. Subfolder structure inside is preserved.
Microsoft Outlook Express 6 - Advanced use tips
This option also allows you to import your DBX files in two ways, depending on whether the Folders.dbx file is present or not.
- With Folders.dbx file: The Folders.dbx file in Outlook Express stores the nested structure of the DBX folder files. If this file is present in the import folder, OE Classic will read data from it and recreate the nested folder structure from the rest of the DBX files. If you are using it this way, please make sure you include in your import folder all the DBX files and the Folders.dbx file, so the complete Outlook Express store folder contents.
- Without Folders.dbx file: If the Folders.dbx file is absent from the import folder, OE Classic will scan all DBX files in the folder (like Inbox.dbx, Sent Items.dbx, etc.) and import them one by one. However, without the Folders.dbx file, the folders will be imported as a flat tree without any nesting.
You can also selectively import DBX files by creating a new folder, copying only the DBX files you want to import into it, and running the import tool on this folder. But remember, in this case, do not include the Folders.dbx file. This file references other DBX files, and if they are not present, the import tool may encounter errors. Removing Folders.dbx from the import folder does not support importing folders with a nested structure - this can only be used if the folders are imported as a flat tree.
Microsoft Windows Mail (Windows Vista), Microsoft Outlook Express (Windows XP x64)
This option works only on Windows XP (both 32-bit and 64-bit) and Windows Vista. It cannot be used on Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 10 or Windows 11 - that is because Outlook Express and Windows Mail are no longer present on Windows more recent than Windows Vista. It uses Outlook Express/Windows Mail API to read folders and messages instead of reading directly from data files. The program will not prevent you from running the importer but if you run it on non-XP or non-Vista system it will likely misbehave since the Microsoft API is not available on more recent versions of Windows (7, 8 or 10) and the API was designed only for older Windows.
This importer can import data from Outlook Express 32-bit, Outlook Express 64-bit and Windows Mail on Windows Vista. If you cannot properly import using the Outlook Express 6 importer on a Windows XP or Windows Vista computer, you may use this one as an alternative (and perhaps transfer OE Classic data after importing to a computer running more recent version of Windows).
There is only one option available - Merged with existing folders or Imported into new folder and its function is the same as with Outlook Express 6 importer above.
IncrediMail
This importer can import data from IncrediMail. Supported formats are 1.0 (Unicode and non-Unicode), 2.0 and 2.5, so basically all the formats it supports.
- Browse - Allows you to select starting folder of IncrediMail identity which contains the files to be imported.
- Data format - Auto detect - OE Classic can auto-detect the format, but not perfectly because IncrediMail can have more than one set of files in the same folder. For this reason, you can use this format reference as a guide if you need to choose the format manually. 1.0 format uses paired .IMH and .IMM files for each folder, 2.0 format uses Containers.db index file and .IMM file for each folder, 2.5 format uses MessageStore.db index file and under the folder "Messages" it stores individual .IML files (one per message).
- Imported folders will be - Merged with existing folders - If this option is selected, messages in mandatory IncrediMail folders Inbox, Outbox, Sent Items, Deleted Items and Drafts will be imported into OE Classic mandatory Inbox, Outbox etc. The rest of user-created folders will be copied in the "Local Folders" (subfolder structure is preserved), always creating a new folder if there is already a folder with the same name present. Imported into new folder - If this option is selected, a new folder (with the name you choose) will be created just before the import and all IncrediMail folders will be placed inside this folder including mandatory Inbox, Outbox etc. Subfolder structure inside is preserved.
Multiple .EML files (raw email files from selected folder and its subfolders)
This importer will scan a disk folder of your choice for .EML (*.EML) files. It will also scan disk subfolders as well. After scanning, a folder structure will be created inside OE Classic to replicate the folder structure on your disk starting from the selected disk folder and all of its subfolders. Finally, all the EML files which are contained inside disk folders will be imported into appropriate OE Classic folders.
This importer can also be used to import data from Windows Live Mail or any other program which stores emails in EML files. All you have to do is to point to the top-level folder which contains EML files (and subfolders with more EML files) and the program will do a scan of selected folder and subfolders importing EML files and ignoring other file types.
There is only one option available - Merged with existing folders or Imported into new folder. Merged with existing folders option will place all the subfolders inside a folder you select. So if you selected for example EML Files folder, the folder with same name will be created inside OE Classic and all data will be imported inside. Imported into new folder will create additional folder and place the EML Files from previous example inside this additional folder.
CSV file (Comma Separated Values) or text file
CSV file stores data like numbers and text in a tabular, plain text form. CSV file can have any number of records, separated by line breaks (new lines) and each record consists of fields (columns) which are separated by some character, most commonly a comma, semicolon or a tab character. They can be used to exchange data between various programs and are commonly used as simple databases and address books.
Example content of a simple address book CSV file may look like this:
First Name;Last Name;E-mail Address;Home Street
Bob;Smith;bob@example.com;Street 123
Alice;Smith;alice@example.com;Street 123
Color coding is used to highlight specific parts of this example file - first row represents column names row (also called header row) and holds no real data. The rest of rows are actual address book data. This CSV example could be translated into following table:
| First Name |
Last Name |
E-mail Address |
Home Street |
| Bob |
Smith |
bob@example.com |
Street 123 |
| Alice |
Smith |
alice@example.com |
Street 123 |
How to export to CSV file from some other programs:
| Program or web service |
Description |
| Microsoft Outlook Express 6 |
1. From the main menu choose File » Export » Address Book
2. New window will open - select Text File (Comma Separated Values) and click Export button
3. Type in name of CSV file to create or use Browse button to select a file and click Next button when done
4. Check the checkboxes next to fields you want to export. The best would be to export all the fields but if not possible make sure you include at least E-mail Address, First Name, Middle Name, Last Name and Name.
|
|
Hint: For best results with Outlook Express, Windows Mail and Windows Live Mail make sure to add checkmark to all unchecked fields when exporting because by default, they are not all checked. It looks as following:
|
| Windows Live Mail |
1. Click Contacts button in the lower-left corner of the window to open your contacts
2. Click on the Export ribbon button and select Comma separated values (.CSV) option
3. Type in name of CSV file to create or use Browse button to select a file and click Next button when done
4. Check the checkboxes next to fields you want to export. The best would be to export all the fields but if not possible make sure you include at least E-mail Address, First Name, Middle Name, Last Name and Name.
|
|
Hint: For best results with Outlook Express, Windows Mail and Windows Live Mail make sure to add checkmark to all unchecked fields when exporting because by default, they are not all checked. It looks as following:
|
| Google Gmail |
Please read:
Export Gmail contacts into CSV file
|
| Outlook.com or Hotmail |
Please read the section - Export contacts from Outlook.com or Hotmail to a .csv file:
Export contacts from Outlook
|
| Yahoo! Mail |
Please read:
Export your Yahoo Contacts
|
To import from this format, first you have to select CSV or TXT file using Browse button. Then, the program will attempt to automatically detect a field separator (character between fields, semicolon in above example) and if first row holds column names. It will also detect (using first row data) how it should use columns when importing.
Although OE Classic does very good job with auto-detection and it is tuned to do this well with most commonly used CSV files, there is no sure way to tell if the detection was done correctly. Specific CSV files may be interpreted incorrectly, but you have an option to correct this manually and this is also very easy to do.
Once auto-detection has finished the data will be presented in tabular format and you will have a few options to choose from:
- First row holds column names (header row) - Check this checkbox if first row you see contains column names like "First Name", "E-mail" etc. instead of actual data. Once checked, first row moves all the way to the top of the table in the first (fixed) row and first row won't be interpreted as address book data. It is very common for CSV files to have this row so many times you will want to check this checkbox. If unchecked, first row will be interpreted as actual address book data and first, fixed row will contain column numbers instead of names. Most of the times, OE Classic will detect this automatically so modify it only if it doesn't look right. In above example row in blue color is a header row.
- Field separator - You need to select a separator that gives you most columns and where they look right. If you've done this correctly you will see a table with multiple columns where each column represents a single piece of data like name, email etc. and there is no separator character between them. OE Classic detects this automatically in almost all cases, so probably you won't have to modify this at all. In above example semicolon is the delimiter.
- Quote char - In most cases you will want to use Quote as quote char but in some CSV files it might be an apostrophe. OE Classic assumes quote when auto-detecting. In above example quote is quote character (used in middle name).
- "Use as" row (second row in table) - In each column there is a drop-down selection how import will use this column data. If you select [- Not used -] drop-down option column data below will be ignored. If you select option like First Name or Personal E-mail then the data in that column will be used accordingly and interpreted like that. You do not have to use all columns but you will probably want to import at least email and first name columns.
You can use same field in "Use as" row in more than one columns. For example, you may set First Name (drop-down) to be used for both First Name and Name columns. If you do so, the column on the left, in this example First Name, will be imported but only if it is not empty. If it is empty, then the field on the right (Name) may be used instead. If both are empty, none will be used. So, the fields on the left have higher priority. If you don't want to use Name field as alternative to First Name, then set it to [- Not used -] and it will be skipped.
Once you are satisfied with options you can click Next button to begin importing address book.
IAF file (Internet Account File, Microsoft Outlook Express/Outlook account settings)
Microsoft Outlook Express and some other programs like Microsoft Windows Live Mail or Microsoft Outlook support exporting account settings to IAF file. Each IAF file holds one account settings - it can be email or news account. You can import one or more IAF files using this option.
To import, click Browse button and select one or more IAF files. You can use Shift or CTRL key for multi-selection.
Once you have selected files, program will test their integrity and display the results. All you have to do is click Next to import them and they will be added to OE Classic existing accounts.
