Office 365 (Microsoft 365) is a cloud-based service that allows access to emails and other documents from anywhere and at any time. Due to this flexibility and other advanced features, businesses migrate to Office 365 from on-premises or desktop-based applications, like Outlook. However, migrating from desktop-based Outlook 2013 or any other version to Office 365 is a complex task as it requires technical proficiency and a lot of efforts. In this article, we have explained different methods with stepwise instructions to ease the process to migrate from Outlook 2013 to Office 365.

Methods to Migrate from Outlook 2013 to Office 365 (Outlook 365)
We have explained below some methods that you can use to migrate from Outlook 2013 or any other Outlook version to Office 365.
Method 1: Use the Import/Export Wizard in Outlook
A simple way to migrate mailbox items from Outlook 2013 to Office 365 is by using the Import/Export wizard in Outlook. For this, you need to first export the Outlook 2013 mailbox items to PST file (if you’re using IMAP/Exchange account), configure the Office 365 account in your Outlook, and then import the PST file into Outlook. Here is the detailed process:
Step 1 – Export Mailbox Items from Outlook 2013 to PST
You need to export the mailbox items from your Outlook to PST. Follow the given steps:
Note – If you’re using Outlook 2013 with POP3 account or already have the PST file, skip this step.
- Launch the Outlook desktop application.
- Click on File > Open & Export > Import/Export.
- Select the Export to a file option and click Next.
- Select the Outlook Data File (.pst) option and click Next.
- Select the mailbox items you want to export to PST. Click Next.
- Click Browse to select a location to save the exported PST file and click Finish.
Step 2 – Configure Office 365 Account in a New Outlook
Now, you need to configure your Office 365 account in Outlook. Here are the steps:
- In Outlook, click on File > Add Account.
- Select the E-mail Account option and enter the required details.
- Click Next.
Step 3 – Import the PST File into Outlook (Office 365)
Once you have configured your Office 365 account in Outlook, follow the steps given below to import the PST file:
- In Outlook, click on File > Open & Export > Import/Export.
- Choose the Import from another program or file option and click Next.
- Choose the Outlook Data File (.pst) option. Click Next.
- Click on Browse to select the PST file you want to import and click Next.
- Choose the Office 365 mailbox, select the desired options, and then click Finish.
Wait for the process to finish. Then, log in to your Office 365 account to see if the Outlook 2013 mailbox items are successfully imported.
Limitations of this method
- The process is time-consuming as it involves a lot of steps.
- Outlook may crash if the mailbox/PST file size is too large.
- You can only import one PST file at a time.
Method 2: Use Network Upload Method

For migrating multiple Outlook 2013 mailboxes to Office 365, you can use the Network Upload method. You need to export your Outlook mailbox items to PST files. Then, follow the below steps to import the PST files into Office 365:
Step 1: Download the AzCopy tool and copy the SAS URL.
Step 2: Upload the PST files to Microsoft 365.
Step 3: Create a mapping file (CSV) for PST Import.
Step 4: Create a PST Import job.
Step 5: Filter data and begin the PST Import.
Method 3: Use Drive Shipping Method
You can also use the Drive Shipping method to migrate Outlook 2013 mailbox items (PST files) to Office 365. In this, you have to first copy all your PST files to a BitLocker-encrypted hard drive and then physically ship it to a Microsoft data center. Once they receive the hard drive, they upload the PST files on a storage location on the Microsoft cloud. However, Microsoft charges $2/GB of data.
Once the PST files are uploaded, you can create a PST Import Job in Office 365, create a CSV mapping file, and start the PST import process (similar to the Network Upload Method).
Method 4: Use a Specialized Office 365 Migration Tool
To simplify the Outlook to Office 365 migration process, you can use a specialized Import PST to Office 365 migration tool, like Stellar Migrator for Outlook. It is a simple yet advanced tool that helps you seamlessly migrate Outlook mailbox items (PST files) to Microsoft 365. It preserves the folder structure and hierarchy while migrating PST files to Office 365. This tool is available in pay-per-use plan where you only have to pay for the number of PST files you want to migrate.
Here is the step-by-step process to migrate Outlook 2013 mailbox items (PST file) to Office 365:
- Purchase Stellar Migrator for Outlook from its official website. Select the number of mailboxes you want to migrate. Then, install the tool on your system.
- Launch the tool. Click on the Profile List. It will display all the PST files configured with the selected profile. You can also use the Choose Mailbox Manually option to select the PST file.

- After selecting the PST file, click on Scan.
- Once the scan is finished, it will show you all the PST file items. Select the mailbox items you want to migrate to Office 365 and click the Migrate Mailbox button.

- Enter the software licensing credentials and click Connect.
- Then, select Microsoft 365 and click Next.

- Choose your Office 365 profile and click on Migrate.

- The tool will start migrating the PST file data to the Office 365 account. Once the process is complete, click OK.

Conclusion
There are several ways to migrate mailbox PST data from Outlook 2013 to Office 365. If you need to migrate a few Outlook mailboxes to Office 365, you can use the Import/Export wizard. On the other hand, if you are looking to migrate a large number of mailboxes, you can use either the Network Upload method or the Drive Shipping method. However, these methods are tedious, lengthy, and time-consuming. To easily and quickly migrate mailbox items from Outlook to Office 365, you can take the help of a third-party PST to Office 365 migration tool, like Stellar Migrator for Outlook.