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How to Back Up Your Email Before Reconfiguring Your Email Account

As part of the Cybernautic email migration, you may need to update your existing email account settings or remove and add the account again using the new mail server.

Before making these changes, we recommend checking whether your email application contains locally stored messages, folders, contacts, or calendar items that may not be synchronized with the email server.

This guide explains how to check for locally stored data and create a backup before reconfiguring your email account.

Before You Begin

Before creating a backup or changing your email account settings, make sure you have the following:

  • Access to your existing email application.
  • Your computer or device available for the backup process.
  • Enough free storage space to save your backup file.
  • A safe location to store your backup, such as an external drive or a secure folder on your computer.
Important: Do not remove your existing email account until Cybernautic confirms that your mailbox migration is complete. If you are unsure whether important messages or folders are synchronized with the mail server, contact Cybernautic Support before proceeding.

Understanding What Needs to Be Backed Up

Most IMAP email accounts synchronize messages and folders with the email server. However, some email applications also allow users to store information locally on their computers or devices.

Depending on your application, locally stored information may include:

  • Email messages saved in local folders.
  • Contacts and calendars stored only on the computer.
  • Tasks and other locally stored Outlook data.
  • Custom folders that are not synchronized with the email server.

To check whether your data is synchronized, sign in through Cybernautic Webmail and compare the folders and messages displayed there with those in your email application.

Important: If a message or folder is available only in your email application and does not appear in Webmail, do not assume it will be transferred during the migration. Back it up before removing or reconfiguring the account.

1. Microsoft Outlook for Windows

Outlook for Windows supports exporting mailbox data to an Outlook Data File (.pst). This file can be used as a backup and can be opened or imported into Outlook later.

Step 1: Check for Locally Stored Data

Before exporting, check whether Outlook contains folders marked This Computer Only.

  1. Open Outlook.
  2. Click the People/Contacts icon in the bottom-left corner.
  3. Review the folder list for any folders labeled (This Computer Only).
  4. Click the Calendar icon and check the folder list for the same label.
  5. Review your mail folders for any locally stored folders that are not visible in Webmail.

If you find locally stored folders or important data that is not synchronized with the server, include them in your backup.

Step 2: Export Your Data to a PST File

  1. Open Outlook.
  2. Go to File → Open & Export → Import/Export.
  3. Select Export to a file and click Next.
  4. Select Outlook Data File (.pst) and click Next.
  5. Select the mailbox or specific folder you want to back up.
  6. Select Include subfolders if you want to include folders beneath the selected folder.
  7. Click Next.
  8. Choose a location and filename for your backup file.
  9. Click Finish and follow any additional prompts.

For example, you may save the file as email_backup.pst in your Documents folder or on an external drive.

Recommendation: Make sure you include any important locally stored mail, contacts, calendars, and other data you want to retain. Do not rely solely on the presence of your Inbox in the PST file as proof that all local data has been backed up.

Step 3: Keep Your PST File Safe

  • Save the PST file in a secure location.
  • Do not delete or overwrite the backup before confirming that your new email account is working correctly.
  • If possible, keep an additional copy on an external drive or another secure storage location.

Step 4: Restore Your Data After the Migration

Once your new email account has been configured and verified, you can open or import the PST file if you need to restore backed-up information.

  1. Open Outlook.
  2. Go to File → Open & Export → Import/Export.
  3. Select Import from another program or file and click Next.
  4. Select Outlook Data File (.pst) and click Next.
  5. Browse to the location of your backup file.
  6. Choose the appropriate import options and complete the import.
  7. Review the imported folders and confirm that the required data is available.

Note: Importing a PST file does not automatically restore every Outlook setting. You may need to recreate your email signatures, message rules, and blocked or safe sender lists separately.

2. Microsoft Outlook for Mac

Outlook for Mac may support exporting mailbox data to an Outlook for Mac Data File (.olm), depending on the Outlook version and configuration.

Step 1: Check Your Outlook Data

  • Review your mailbox folders for messages that may not be synchronized with the server.
  • Check whether you have locally stored information that you need to retain.
  • Compare your folders with those available in Cybernautic Webmail.

Step 2: Export Your Data

  1. Open Outlook for Mac.
  2. Look for the Export option under the Tools or File menu, depending on your version.
  3. Select the data you want to export, if the option is available.
  4. Follow the prompts to create an Outlook for Mac Data File (.olm).
  5. Save the file in a safe location.

The available export options vary by Outlook version. If you cannot find the export option, consult Microsoft Support or contact Cybernautic before removing your existing account.

Step 3: Keep Your OLM File Safe

  • Store the OLM file in a secure location.
  • Keep the backup until you have confirmed that your new account is working correctly.
  • Do not assume that all Outlook settings are included in the export.

Note: Outlook signatures, message rules, and blocked or safe sender lists may need to be recreated separately after the account is configured.

3. Apple Mail on Mac

Apple Mail supports exporting individual mailboxes to an archive file. This can be useful if you have messages stored locally on your Mac that you want to retain.

Export a Mailbox

  1. Open Apple Mail.
  2. Select the mailbox you want to back up in the sidebar.
  3. From the menu bar, select Mailbox → Export Mailbox.
  4. Choose a location where you want to save the exported mailbox.
  5. Click Choose to complete the export.

Repeat these steps for any other local mailboxes you want to preserve.

Keep the exported mailbox files in a safe location until you have confirmed that your new email account is working correctly.

4. Apple Mail on iPhone or iPad

Apple Mail normally uses IMAP to synchronize email messages and folders with the mail server. Standard IMAP messages and folders should remain on the server when the account is removed from your device.

However, messages that have not synchronized successfully may not be available after the account is removed.

Before Removing Your Account

  1. Open Cybernautic Webmail in your browser.
  2. Sign in using your complete email address and current password.
  3. Review your Inbox and custom folders.
  4. Confirm that the important messages you need are visible in Webmail.
  5. If messages are missing, contact Cybernautic Support before removing the account.
Important: Removing an IMAP account from an iPhone or iPad removes the account connection and its synchronized local cache. It does not delete the mailbox stored on the server. However, any messages that have not synchronized with the server may not be available after the account is removed.

5. Mozilla Thunderbird

Thunderbird can store messages in server-synchronized IMAP folders as well as local folders on your computer.

Before removing or recreating your account, check whether you have important messages stored under Local Folders.

Option A: Export Important Messages

If you have messages in Local Folders that you want to retain, you can export them using Thunderbird's available export features or a compatible mailbox-export extension.

The exact export method depends on your Thunderbird version and installed extensions.

Option B: Back Up Your Thunderbird Profile

You can also back up your Thunderbird profile, which may contain your account settings, locally stored messages, and other application data.

  1. Open Thunderbird.
  2. Open the menu and select Help → Troubleshooting Information.
  3. Locate the Profile Folder section.
  4. Click Open Folder or the equivalent option for your operating system.
  5. Close Thunderbird completely.
  6. Copy the profile folder to a safe location, such as an external drive or secure backup folder.

Keep the backup until you have confirmed that your new email account is working correctly and that any locally stored messages you need are available.

Important Outlook Settings to Review After the Migration

Even after backing up and restoring your Outlook data, some application settings may need to be recreated manually.

We recommend reviewing the following after setting up your new account:

  • Email signatures: Recreate your signature if it is missing.
  • Message rules: Review and recreate any rules that automatically organize or process incoming messages.
  • Blocked and safe sender lists: Check whether your previous sender lists are still available.
  • Custom folder settings: Confirm that your folders and their organization are correct.
  • Contacts and calendars: Verify that any locally stored contacts and calendar items have been restored.
Important: PST and OLM files are intended to back up supported Outlook data. They do not guarantee that every Outlook setting, customization, or account preference will be transferred.

After Creating Your Backup

Once you have completed the backup process:

  1. Keep your backup file in a safe location.
  2. Wait for Cybernautic to confirm that your mailbox migration is complete.
  3. Follow the instructions in our Setting Up Your Email on Desktop and Mobile Devices After the Email Migration article.
  4. Configure your new email account and allow it to synchronize.
  5. Check your messages and folders, and restore any required local data.
  6. Keep your backup until you are satisfied that everything you need is available.

Still Need Help?

If you need assistance creating a backup or are unsure whether your messages and folders are stored locally or on the mail server, our support team is here to help.

When submitting a support request, please include:

  • Your affected email address.
  • The email application and device you are using.
  • Your operating system and, if possible, the application version.
  • Which folders or data you want to back up.
  • Any error messages you encounter.

For your security, never include your email password in a support ticket.