How to Backup Hotmail Emails to Hard Drive? Complete Guide
As the service of Hotmail is no longer available. Many users are backing up their data for various reasons. So, in this article we will learn how you can download Hotmail emails to Hard Drive easily and securely. In addition to that, we also provide you security tips after the backup. So, stay tuned.
As you know, Hotmail was the first free web client that allows users to send and receive their emails online. It was a great email program, however, over time, Microsoft rebranded and it is now known as Outlook.com. Those who have their old Hotmail email address, can still access their account but it is not used because of its discontinued services. Therefore, to protect your important emails, downloading in your local drive is the best solution.
85% of people in the world don’t know how to save their Hotmail emails. That’s why we are here to help you, but before that let’s see what are the reasons for having your emails in your local storage space.
Reasons to Export Hotmail Emails to Hard Drive
- If the users accidentally deleted their email, they can easily retrieve them if they have the backup file in their hard drive.
- A Hotmail account can be easily hacked and hackers can misuse your data. That’s why it is better to save your data in a secure location.
- In order to access your Hotmail emails, you need internet connection. However, by downloading your data you can get your emails in offline mode.
- If you export Hotmail to PDF, you can easily share and open it on any device.
So, after reading these reasons, you now know how crucial it is to backup your emails. So, to do this, there are different solutions that can help you export Hotmail emails to the desktop.
Download Hotmail Emails to Hard Drive Manually
The process of saving your data is very easy. If you have the correct methods, then you will not have any problem. If we talk about saving your emails in your local storage space. Then, there are several ways you can use, such as.
- Save Hotmail Emails in PDF
- Bulk Export Hotmail Emails
These two manual methods can easily store your data free of cost. Below we will explain each method with clear steps.
Save Emails from Hotmail in PDF Format
It is a simple process, you have to just open your email and go to the Print option to save the data in PDF format. Below are the steps which make it easier to understand.
- Firstly, sign in to your Hotmail account in Outlook.com.
- Then, select the email you want to export. Open it to view the content of the message.
- Click on the three dots at the corner of the screen. Choose the Print option from the drop-down list.
- Select the Save to PDF, choose a location and click Save button.
This way, your email will be saved in PDF format on your desired location. It is a nice solution, but you have to download each email every time. For this, there is a bulk option that you can use to save an entire folder.
Bulk Export Hotmail Emails to Hard Drive
Here, we are going to take the help of Outlook or any other email client. We connect our Hotmail emails to the desktop email account. Then by using the Import/Export option you can download Hotmail emails to the hard drive. Here are the steps of this method.
- Run the Outlook application on your device and go to File option.
- Select the Add Account, then enter your Hotmail email account details.
- After that, configure your account. Once your account is synced. We now save the emails.
- Go to File menu, click on Open & Export option.
- Select the Import/Export button. Then, choose Export to a File.
- Click on Outlook Data File (.pst). After that, choose the folder where the Hotmail emails are stored.
- Lastly, click on Export and you can now have your data in your local drive.
Here are the two solutions to save single Hotmail email or bulk data. Both are free, but they are not ideal, because of the drawbacks of the software.
Limitation of Manual Methods
- Both methods are time-consuming. As it takes time to save each email and configure your account.
- You need an Outlook application to export your mailbox. If you have not installed it, then this method is not applicable.
- There are chances that some of your data will be missing during the process.
- You need technical knowledge to sync your account.
So, it is not only free to use, but also has various limitations that can affect your work and you are unable to backup your file. Therefore, many experts prefer to use professional software to download their data.
Save Hotmail Emails to External Hard Drive – Expert Solution
RecoveryTools Hotmail Backup Wizard is a specialized software that can easily export your Hotmail emails into different email client and document file formats. It offers you a free demo version which you can download on your computers and store your important emails with attachments and attributes. This software is a great way to export your Hotmail emails as it maintains the originality of your emails throughout the process.
The tool comes with advanced features and an easy-to-use interface, which makes it easier for all technical and non-technical users to backup Hotmail emails to the hard drive. Below are the working steps of the software.
Steps to Download Hotmail Emails to Hard Drive
- Download and install the tool in your device.
- Provide the Hotmail email address and Password. Click on I am admin and hit the Login button.
- You can now preview your data, then choose any one Saving option.
- Browse a location and click on the Backup option.
For better understanding, you can watch the video for the same process.
Follow the steps of this process properly and save your complete Hotmail account data in your computer. Right now, we have learned why saving your data in local drive is important and the different methods to download them. Now, let’s see the post-backup tips to secure your data.
Security Tips After Exporting Hotmail Emails
Downloading data is important as well keeping the downloaded data secure is also crucial. Therefore, here we share some tips to protect your important emails from deletion and stealing.
- When you are saving your important emails on computer. Always store it in the external hard drive or USB. This way you can protect your data from any virus, computer failure and any hardware problems.
- If you are saving your data in PST or ZIP, keep the file in password-protected. So, any unauthorized users weren’t able to open your file. Remember to add strong and complex password.
- You can use any encryption tool to add an extra layer of email protection.
- If possible, keep at least two copies of your data. If you lose your data you at least have a copy of the file.
- Be careful when sharing your important files. Check the channel before sending your emails. Because many cyber attackers can interfere with the transaction and steal your data.
Properly follow these tips and there would be no problem in having your data in the computer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Ques 1: How do I export all my emails from Hotmail?
- Open your Hotmail account.
- Click on the Gear icon.
- Choose General >> Privacy and Data.
- Hit the Export Mailbox option.
Ques 2: Where are my Hotmail emails stored?
Ans: Your Hotmail emails are stored on Microsoft’s servers. When you use Hotmail (now called Outlook.com), your emails and other data are saved on Microsoft’s computers.Ques 3: How long are Hotmail emails kept?
Ans: After 270 days (about 8 and a half months) without access, your account will be inactive, which means all data of the Hotmail account will be deleted automatically.Ques 4: What is Hotmail called now?
Ans: Hotmail is now called Outlook.com.
Final Words
If you were looking for the solution to download Hotmail emails to your hard drive. We have provided three simple methods in this article. The first two are free methods but there is a risk of using them. However, if you use the expert recommended tool then you can save your emails without any issues. Other than that, we also shared some tips that can help you secure your data from