Read time 5 minutes
Need to prepare Outlook for Mac emails for compliance, audits, long-term record keeping, share emails with a client, legal team, or someone else who doesn’t use Outlook? File compatibility may be the problem, but PDF format is the solution.
Unlike OLM files, PDF documents can be opened on almost any device without Outlook or macOS. It also preserves email formatting. However, converting OLM mailboxes to PDF may look simple but actually it is not. Here we will discuss the best possible methods to help you choose the right approach based on parameters like the file size of your mailbox and business requirements.
Why PDF became the Go-to Format Over OLM Files?
OLM file is useful within the Outlook environment as it stores emails, contacts, calendars, notes, and tasks from Outlook for Mac. But outside Outlook for Mac, it may not be ideal for purposes like sharing or archiving as much as the PDF format. A few characteristics of PDF files are here that OLM lacks:
- Wider compatibility: PDF files are widely accessible and can be opened on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS.
- Intact formatting: PDF keeps the original email layout unchanged, including fonts, images, timestamps, and message content, which is a great advantage.
- Stronger security: PDF files support password protection and permission control that allows businesses to securely share confidential communications.
- Small file size: PDF file has a smaller size in comparison to other file formats. It is convenient for users to store their data in PDF format as it occupies less storage space.
- Easy to use: It has a user-friendly interface and doesn’t require any technical knowledge to access a PDF file, and hence, it becomes suitable for all kinds of users.
Things You Should Know Before You Convert OLM to PDF
Before starting the conversion process, keep these points in mind:
- Know about OLM file location in Mac Outlook
- Create a backup of your OLM file
- Make sure Outlook for Mac can open the mailbox
- Verify sufficient disk space for exported PDFs
If you need a few emails or the entire mailbox, or the attachments are important, then do an assessment of the methods you’re going with. For a mailbox that contains thousands of emails, test the conversion with a small folder first to verify formatting and output quality.
How to Convert OLM Files to PDF Format Manually [Single Email Approach]
The Print feature in Outlook for Mac is there to save individual emails as PDF documents. Make sure the email that you want to convert into PDF is in Outlook for Mac; otherwise, repair and import OLM file in Outlook for Mac first, if you have a separate OLM file in local storage. The steps to convert OLM files into PDF are as follows:
- Open Outlook for Mac on your system and select the email messages you want to convert.
- A new reading window will appear. Click on File and select Print under it.
- The printing panel will open. Click on the drop-down arrow and select Save as PDF.
- You can name your file and choose a destination to save it.
- At last, press Save, and OLM file will be successfully saved as a PDF file
| When is this method suitable? | Limitations of this approach |
|---|---|
|
Need only a few emails |
Every email must be converted individually |
|
Want a free solution |
Attachments aren’t exported as part of the PDF |
|
Already have Outlook for Mac installed |
It requires Outlook for Mac and access to the original mailbox |
|
Don’t mind saving emails one at a time |
Large mailboxes require significant manual effort |
|
Outlook is working, and the OLM file is healthy |
Original hierarchy and meta properties may be hampered |
When Do You Need to Convert Bulk OLM Emails to PDF at Once?
You can find it manageable to save a few emails one by one manually, but it might not be efficient when you’ve to convert hundreds or thousands of emails, multiple folders, or archived mailboxes to PDF.
Instead of saving each email to PDF individually, users can try OLM to PST Converter tool to convert an entire OLM mailbox into PDF in one go. Throughout the process, it keeps all important mailbox information preserved. This approach is useful when converting large mailboxes or multiple folders.
Conclusion
The right conversion method depends on the number of emails, mailbox size, and conversion requirements. If you need to convert only a few OLM emails to PDF, Outlook’s Print option can be used as a free and direct method. However, for large mailboxes containing multiple folders and a high volume of emails, the conversion process may require a different approach to handle data efficiently while considering factors such as folder hierarchy, metadata, and mailbox structure.
Frequently Asked Questions
A. No. Outlook for Mac doesn’t have a direct function to convert an entire OLM file into PDF. Instead, you can save individual email messages using the Print > Save as PDF feature.
A. No, you cannot convert multiple emails at once with manual method but for this you can rely on the OLM Converter tool for batch conversion.
A. No. The built-in Print feature saves only the email content as a PDF. Attachments must be saved separately in the local storage.
