Backup Metro Email Before Account Closure

Student email accounts close after a period of time following graduation or end of enrollment. Before the accounts are closed, emails can be saved to a personal account using these instructions.

Overview

• Metro State University student email accounts remain active as long as a student is enrolled for class at Metro State or another Minnesota State (MinnState) institution.
• Following last date of enrollment, accounts remain enabled for 2 years (Policy 1050/105).
• Create a backup of your emails before your account is disabled.
• This article covers: How to create a backup of your Metro State emails or migrate your emails to a personal account.

Important:

• Student MinnState Login: StarID@go.minnstate.edu
• Student Email Address: firstname.lastname@my.metrostate.edu

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Select one of the following Instructions:

Create a backup (Windows)

1. Download and install Microsoft Office. Office is available to students for 2 years after last enrollment. Instructions are found here: O365: Free for Personally Owned Devices
2. Open Microsoft Outlook and sign in using your MinnState login
   • Username: StarID@go.minnstate.edu
   • Password: StarID Password
3. Click on File > Account Settings > Account Name and Sync Settings  
4. Move the slider under “Download email for the past:” to the right until it shows “All”
5. Click Next then click Done
6. Close Outlook and reopen for the changes to take effect
7. At the bottom of the Outlook window, you will see “Updating Inbox” and a progress bar. Wait for the update to finish.
   • If you have additional folders within your Inbox, you will then see “Updating <FolderName>”. Wait for the remaining folders to update
   • Depending on the size of your mailbox, this may take a long time
8. After the mailbox has updated, click on File
9. Click Open & Export > Import/Export
10. Select “Export to a file” then click Next
11. Select “Outlook Data File (.pst)” then click Next
12. Select your email address as the folder to export from. Leave Include subfolders checked. Click Next
13. Click Browse and choose the destination of the backup file. Click Finish.
14. If asked to create a password, leave the password blank and click OK
15. A window will appear showing the progress of the export. Wait for it to finish.
16. Your backup is now complete

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Migrate to Gmail (Windows)

1. Sign into your personal Gmail account on the web
2. Click on the Settings gear icon at the top right
3. Click on See all settings
4. Click the Forwarding and POP/IMAP tab. In the IMAP access section, click the radio button for Enable IMAP. Click Save Changes
5. Switch to the Outlook Desktop application
6. Click File then Add Account  
7. Add your Gmail account and click Connect
8. A Gmail sign in will appear. Click Next
9. Enter your Gmail password. Click Sign in
10. Microsoft apps & services will request permissions. Click Allow 
11. On the Account successfully added window, uncheck Set up Outlook Mobile on my phone then click Done
12. Outlook will open with both mailboxes visible. You may have to minimize the Metro email to see the Gmail account
13. Click on File > Open & Export > Import/Export
    
14. In the Import and Export Wizard, select Import from another program or file. Click Next.
15. Select Outlook Data File (.pst) and click Next
16. Use the Browse button to select the .pst backup file created previously. Click Next
17. Highlight the top folder (Outlook Data File)
18. Use the dropdown menu to change the email account to Gmail. Click Finish
19. Your email will be imported into Gmail. The synchronization status will show at the bottom of the window until complete

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Migrate to Hotmail (Windows)

1. Open the Outlook desktop application
2. Click on File then Add Account  
3. Enter your email address then click Connect
4. Sign in to your email with the Microsoft login
5. After the account is added, click Done. Restart Outlook
6. You will see the Hotmail account listed in your Folder Pane. You may have to minimize the Metro email to see the Hotmail account
7. Right click on Inbox and click New Folder
8. Name the folder “Metro” to distinguish it as the folder with your Metro email
9. Make sure to click on the folder to highlight it before the next step or the email will be imported to the wrong folder.
10. Click File > Open & Export > Import/Export 
11. In the Import and Export Wizard, select Import from another program or file. Click Next.
12. Select Outlook Data File (.pst) and click Next
13. Use the Browse button to select the .pst backup file created previously. Click Next
14. Highlight the top folder (Outlook Data File)
15. Change the radio button to Import items into the current folder. Click Finish
16. Your email will be imported into Hotmail. The synchronization status will show at the bottom of the window until complete

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Create a backup (MacOS)

1. Download and install Microsoft Office. Office is available to students for 2 years after last enrollment. Instructions are found here: O365: Free for Personally Owned Devices
2. Open Microsoft Outlook and sign in using your MinnState login
   1. Username: StarID@go.minnstate.edu
   2. Password: StarID Password
3. Check the version by going to Help in the top ribbon. If it shows Revert to Legacy Outlook, click on that option. If not, go to step 5
4. Click on Revert. Outlook will close and reopen
5. Click on Tools in the Outlook Ribbon then click on Export
6. In the Export to Archive File (.olm) window, click Continue
7. Name the export and select a location so save the file. Click Save
8. Your email will be exported. Wait for the export to finish
9. When the export finishes, click Finish.

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Migrate to Gmail (MacOS)

1. Sign into your personal Gmail account on the web
2. Click on the Settings gear icon at the top right
3. Click on See all settings
4. Click the Forwarding and POP/IMAP tab. In the IMAP access section, click the radio button for Enable IMAP. Click Save Changes
5. Switch to the Outlook Desktop application
6. Add your Gmail account to Outlook by clicking on Outlook > Preferences
7. Click on Accounts
8. Click on Add an Account
9. Enter your Gmail address and click Continue.
10. In Set Up Your Email, click Not Google. This will allow setup of IMAP, which is needed.
11. In the Choose the provider window, click IMAP/POP
12. Enter your Gmail password and click Add Account
13. Your browser will open automatically to complete the Google sign in
14. Click Allow for the permission request from Microsoft apps & services
15. Allow the webpage to open the Outlook app if prompted
16. Your account has been added to outlook. Click Done
17. Close the Accounts window if it remains open
18. Outlook will open with both mailboxes visible. You may have to minimize the Metro email to see the Gmail account
19. Click Tools in the Outlook ribbon and then click Import
20. Select Outlook for Mac archive file (.olm). Click Continue
21. Select the .olm file created previously. Click Import
22. Wait for the import to finish then click Finish
23. An “On My Computer” folder will appear
24. Expand the On My Computer folder and then expand the Outlook for Mac Archive OLM folder
25. Click and drag the minnstate folder to the Inbox folder under your Gmail account
26. Wait for the import to complete
27. Your minnstate folder will appear under the Gmail Inbox folder.
28. Your emails will sync to Gmail. This may take a long time depending on the size of your minnstate mailbox. Check on the status of the upload by clicking on Tools > Sync Status

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Migrate to Hotmail (MacOS)

1. Open the Outlook desktop application
2. Click on Outlook > Preferences
3. Click on Accounts
4. Click Add an Account
5. Enter your email address and click Continue
6. Sign into your email with the Microsoft login
7. After the account is added, click Done
8. You will see the Hotmail account listed in your Folder Pane. You may have to minimize the Metro email to see the Hotmail account
9. Click Tools in the Outlook ribbon and then click Import
10. Select Outlook for Mac archive file (.olm). Click Continue
11. Select the .olm file created previously. Click Import
12. Wait for the import to finish then click Finish
13. An “On My Computer” folder will appear
14. Expand the On My Computer folder and then expand the Outlook for Mac Archive OLM folder
15. Click and drag the minnstate folder to the Inbox folder under your Hotmail account
16. Wait for the import to complete
17. Your minnstate folder will appear under the Hotmail Inbox folder.
18. Your emails will sync to Hotmail. This may take a long time depending on the size of your minnstate mailbox. Check on the status of the upload by clicking on Tools > Sync Status