How to Export Your Outlook Calendar to a File

The thing to know first: Microsoft's export doesn't produce a calendar on its own. It exports the whole account to one .pst file, and Microsoft says that with Include subfolders ticked, everything in the account goes in: Inbox, Calendar, Contacts and Tasks. That's useful as a backup, but it only covers one account per export.

Which Outlook you're using decides the route

Your Outlook	Can it export the calendar, as of October 2026
Classic Outlook for Windows	Yes, to a .pst file through Open & Export
New Outlook for Windows	Its .pst export under Settings > Files > Export covers email: calendar and contacts items in .pst files aren't available yet
Outlook.com	Not from the browser: add the account to desktop Outlook and export from there
Legacy Outlook for Mac	Exports an Outlook.com mailbox to a .olm file rather than a .pst

If you're on new Outlook and need the calendar, Microsoft says you'll need to turn off the New Outlook toggle and switch back to classic Outlook. Classic Outlook comes with Microsoft 365 subscriptions that include desktop apps, such as Microsoft 365 Personal, Family or Business Standard, and with one-time purchases of Office such as Office Home & Business.

Four checks before you export

• Pick the right account. If you have several accounts in Outlook, select the one whose calendar you want before you start.
• Download everything. By default, Outlook downloads email for the past 1 year. To export all of it, go to Account settings > Account Name and Sync Settings and move the slider to All.
• Watch Cached Exchange Mode. If it's on, Outlook only exports what's in your cache, which by default is the past 12 months. Turn it off first if you want older items.
• Don't save to OneDrive. Microsoft says OneDrive will block automatic syncing for Outlook .pst files, so save it somewhere else and make sure automatic sync isn't pointing at OneDrive.

Microsoft also suggests a mailbox cleanup first: save the content you want and leave the rest behind. A smaller account makes a smaller file.

Steps to export your calendar in classic Outlook

1. If the account isn't already in classic Outlook, add it and wait for all its contents to appear.
2. At the top of the ribbon, choose File.
3. Choose Open & Export > Import/Export.
4. Choose Export to a file > Next.
5. Click Outlook Data File (.pst) > Next.
6. Select the name of the email account to export. Only one account can be exported at a time.
7. Make sure the Include subfolders check box is selected so the Calendar goes in with everything else, then choose Next.
8. Click Browse, pick where to save the file, enter a file name and choose OK.
9. Choose Finish.

If you've exported before, the old folder and file name appear in the box. Type a different file name before you choose OK. If you're exporting into an existing .pst, Outlook asks under Options what to do with items that already exist in it.

Adding a password to the file

Outlook starts the export straight away unless you're creating a new .pst or using a password-protected one. When you create a new file, a Create Outlook Data File dialog box appears, and Microsoft says an optional password can help protect it. Enter it in the Password and Verify Password boxes and choose OK, then enter it again in the Outlook Data File Password dialog box. If you're exporting into an existing protected file, you'll just be asked for its password.

What the export includes, and what it leaves out

Microsoft says the export is a copy. Nothing leaves Outlook, and you'll still see your email, contacts and calendar there afterwards. Email attachments are included.

What isn't included is the setup around your data. Microsoft says Outlook doesn't export metadata such as folder properties, which covers views, permissions and AutoArchive settings, and it doesn't export message rules or blocked senders lists. If you rely on those, note them down before you move to a new computer.

Exporting an Outlook.com calendar

If your calendar lives in Outlook.com, Microsoft's route goes through desktop Outlook. Once done, the file holds a copy of your email, contacts and calendar up to the date you created it.

1. Get a desktop version of Outlook. Microsoft mentions a free 30-day trial of Microsoft 365, or downloading classic Outlook for Windows and exporting in Reduced Functionality Mode without a subscription.
2. Open Outlook and add your Outlook.com email account.
3. Export the mailbox with the classic Outlook steps above.
4. Optional: open the .pst in Outlook to check the items are there.

Microsoft's import and export index also lists sharing or publishing an Outlook.com calendar as its own option, separate from exporting it to a file, which may suit you better if the goal is letting someone see your calendar rather than keeping a copy.

When a calendar export earns its keep

Microsoft gives several reasons to export. Moving from one email account to another, including from a personal Microsoft account to a Microsoft 365 for business account: add both to Outlook, export from the old one and import the file into the new one. Moving from one PC to another, say from Outlook 2016 on an old machine to Outlook 2021 on a new one. Moving from PC to Mac. Or keeping periodic backups on a USB flash drive, another hard drive or cloud storage.

On backups, Microsoft is clear that there's no automated way to back up everything, old and new, on a schedule. AutoArchive only backs up old items, and it moves them rather than copying them. So if you want a full copy of your calendar, you'll need to run the export yourself now and again.

Moving a calendar to a different account

Microsoft's own walk-through for moving between accounts uses the same export. Its example is moving from an old Yahoo address to a new Microsoft 365 address:

1. Using Outlook on your desktop, add both accounts to Outlook.
2. Wait for all the old account's items to appear. Microsoft warns that if you have a lot, this can be a long time.
3. Export the old account to a .pst file with the steps above.
4. Import the .pst file into the new account.

Because the .pst is portable, Microsoft says you can import it into other email accounts too. If you only want your address book rather than your calendar, Microsoft points you to a separate export that copies contacts to a .csv file instead.

New Outlook isn't useless with these files. Microsoft says its .pst support lets you browse and manage the email in a .pst file, and move emails between .pst files and mailboxes by dragging and dropping. It's the calendar and contacts items inside the file that it can't show yet.

Bringing the calendar back in

To restore the file, use the import steps in classic Outlook. Microsoft says importing a mailbox or calendar from a .pst isn't supported in new Outlook at the moment, so the same classic-Outlook rule applies at both ends. If you're coming the other way, Microsoft's import and export index also has steps to import Google Calendar into Outlook.

My verdict on exporting an Outlook calendar

I'd do the .pst export in classic Outlook if you're changing computers or accounts, or you just want a safe copy, and I'd turn off Cached Exchange Mode first so you don't lose anything older than a year. I'd skip it if you only want someone else to see your calendar, because sharing does that without a file. For more on the file itself, read my guide to Outlook PST files. If you're also moving mail, here's how to export Outlook emails, and if you're coming from Google, how to export Google Calendar.

Frequently asked questions

Can I export my calendar from new Outlook?

Not yet. Microsoft says calendar and contacts items saved in .pst files aren't available in new Outlook, so switch back to classic Outlook to export them.

Does exporting delete my Outlook calendar?

No. Microsoft says the export makes a copy and nothing leaves Outlook. You'll still see your calendar afterwards.

Why is my exported calendar missing older items?

If Cached Exchange Mode is on, Outlook only exports items in your cache, which by default is the past 12 months. Turn it off and export again.

Can I export only the calendar?

Microsoft's .pst steps export one whole account at a time, and with Include subfolders ticked the file holds the Inbox, Calendar, Contacts and Tasks.

Can I save the export to OneDrive?

Microsoft says not to, because OneDrive blocks automatic syncing for Outlook .pst files.