How to Save Emails from Outlook Web App to Computer? Best Guide to Follow!

In today’s digital age, managing and preserving important emails is crucial for both personal and professional purposes. The Outlook Web App (OWA), is widely used for its accessibility and convenience. Moreover, it provides a range of functionalities to facilitate email management. However, saving emails directly from the web interface can sometimes seem less straightforward than in desktop applications. That’s why we are here to explain to you the several efficient solutions to proceed with the saving task. 

What Could Be the Reasons to Save Emails from Outlook Web Locally?

There might be certain reasons for a user wanting to save emails from Outlook web app to computer. Usually, if a user is migrating to some other platform from OWA they need to export the O365 data and then import it to another platform. Users might simply need a backup Office 365 emails to overcome situations of accidental data loss and cyber attacks, hacking, and virus infections. Apart from this, there are several reasons why someone might want to save emails from Outlook Web, including:

• Archiving – It allows for easy archiving and retrieval of important information, such as business records or personal correspondence.
• Backup – It provides a backup of important information in case the original emails are lost or deleted from the Outlook Web App account.
• Compliance – Some industries have regulations requiring companies to keep records of email communications for a certain period. Saving emails to a computer can help ensure compliance with these regulations.
• Accessibility –  Allows for easy access to important information even when an internet connection is not available.
• Long-term storage – Saving emails to a computer can provide a way to store emails for a longer period, ensuring that the information remains accessible even after the email account is closed or deleted.
• Sharing with others – Saving emails to a computer can provide a way to share emails with others, who may not have access to the email account.

Top 5 Methods to Save Emails from Outlook Web App to Computer!

Here we discuss the best possible manual methods for this task, and the below sections describe the same. So, without any further ado, let’s start –

Solution #1. Configure Outlook Web App Account into Outlook

The manual method consists of two steps, let’s discuss each step one by one. Follow the below-mentioned steps as they are, to avoid any chances of data loss or corruption.  

Phase 1. Syncing the OWA with Outlook 

• Open your Microsoft Outlook >> go to File menu >> choose Add Account.
• Choose the Manual Setup/ Additional Server Types option and tap on Next.
• Customize the services as desired >> click on the Next button.
• Select either IMAP or POP protocol >> enter the required details in the user information section >> hit on More Settings.
• You will see the Internet Email Settings wizard prompting on the screen.
• Choose the Outgoing Server option >> click on My Outgoing Server (SMTP) requires authentication >> Advanced and fill in the required information.
• Next, on the server, you can leave or remove (after 14 days) a copy of emails >> hit OK >> Next button to save emails from Outlook web app to computer.

Important Note: Meanwhile, if you configure the incoming server as POP, you might get some errors while configuring the emails in between the procedure to save emails from the Outlook Web App to the computer.

Potential Causes of the Error Message:

Check if the POP configuration is enabled in your OWA account. Follow these steps to fix it:

• Log in to your OWA account >> hit on App Launcher or go to Outlook/ Mail in the navigation bar >> choose Outlook
• Click on Settings option in navigation bar >> hit on Options >> select Account >> My Account >> click on Next
• Exit the window
• Now, hit on Finish to execute the configuration. Now you can save emails from Outlook web app to computer.

Phase 2. Download & Save Email from Outlook Web App 

Step 1. Open the Outlook desktop application with the Outlook Web App account.

Step 2. Go to the File option then click on Import & Export option.

Step 3. Now, navigate to the Export to a file option.

Step 4. Select the Outlook Data File option.

Step 5. Click Next to save emails from the Outlook web app to the hard drive.

Solution #2. Use the “Print” Option to “Save as PDF”

This is the best option to access OWA data offline, either within the PC or outside of it. Plus, its instructions are so efficient to save emails from Outlook web app to computer:

Step 1. Within the web browser > enter the Outlook Web App URL > provide the credentials. 

Step 2. Navigate the folder containing the email to save > open it.

Step 3. Look for the “Print” icon, and click on it.

Step 4. Select the “Printer” or “Destination” option > “Save as PDF“.

Step 5. Specify the folder for storing the PDF. 

Step 6. Click the “Save” button to initiate the procedure. 

Solution #3. Outlook’s Built-in Save Options

Outlook’s built-in save approach is primarily used to download PST file from Office 365. Remember for large volume of data, this solution is not practical, due to its repetitive steps:

Step 1. Access your OWA account, by providing the credentials.

Step 2. Look for the folder > email > open the email.

Step 3. Click on the three dots option, and look for the option to “Save As” or “Download to save emails from Outlook web app to computer.”

Step 4. Now, your data is saved.MSG file format, at your selected location. 

Solution #4. Drag & Drop to Desktop

This is one of the easiest solutions, but only for small data. You just need to drag & drop the files on your desktop. Can’t understand! Go through these instructions:

• Go to your Outlook Web App > open the email to save.
• Click and hold the email with your mouse.
• Drag it out of the browser window to your desktop & release the mouse button.
• This will automatically save your emails in an. EML format.

Solution #5. Screenshot Method

Take a screenshot of your OWA emails, and use them offline. Sounds Good! For the same, follow the below guidelines to save emails from Outlook web app to computer using this trick:

1. Navigate to your Outlook Web App.
2. Select the email for the saving task.
3. Now, capture the data using the screenshot functionality available on your PC.
4. Lastly, save the screenshot image to your desired location.

Limitations of Manual Method to Download Emails from Outlook Web App to Computer

Manual methods to save emails from Outlook Web App to a computer have several limitations, including:

• Time-consuming – Manually saving each email one by one can be a time-consuming process, especially if you have a large number of emails to save.
• Error-prone – Manual methods are prone to human error, as they require the technical expertise of Office 365 and the Exchange admin center.
• Limited capabilities – Manual methods do not offer advanced features such as filtering emails by specific criteria or saving attachments automatically.
• Inefficient – Manually “save emails from Outlook web app to computer” can be inefficient and tedious, especially if you need to save emails regularly or in bulk.
• Limited options for file formats – Manual methods typically only allow you to save emails as .eml or .msg files, which may not be compatible with other email programs or devices.
• No automatic backup – The manual method doesn’t provide an automatic backup for the emails saved.

Ending Notes!

Throughout this guide, we’ve explored five reliable solutions to save emails from the Outlook web app to a computer. Each method offers unique advantages and disadvantages, you can opt for any of them depending on your specific needs & preferences to save emails from Outlook web app to computer. However, these methods have common limitations, including being time-consuming, error-prone, and lacking advanced features.