How to convert Outlook Express Address Book to Outlook (WAB to PST)?

WAB to PST

We all are familiar with Outlook. In my previous post I already explained in brief about MS-Outlook application. User can easily import and export other Outlook Express data items but not be able to import and export Contacts file. Outlook Express stores all contact information in form of WAB file. These WAB files are not accessed directly in Outlook. To access contact information in MS-Outlook user need to convert WAB file in to Outlook contacts file known as PAB file. In this post I will explain steps how user will access their Outlook Express contact file in MS-outlook.

This process will complete in two phases: 

First Phase: Import Outlook Express Contacts into contacts folder of MS-Outlook

Second Phase: Export the Outlook Express Contacts book contacts to Outlook Personal Address Book 

Export Outlook Express Contacts

• Launch Outlook Express Application and open Import and Export wizard
• Select option Import Internet Mail and Addresses categorized under choose an action
• Click option Outlook Express 4.x, 5.x, 6.x which is categorized under option Select the Internet Mail application
• Enable check boxes to Import mail and Rules. As we exporting Outlook Address Book then select option Import Address Book
• Proceed to Next step and choose one option from these two:
• Replace duplicates with items imported that means Existing data will be overwritten or not.
• If you want to allow duplicated to be created then enable check-box . In this case existing data will not be overwritten
• If you don’t want to import duplicate items then enable check box. Existing data    will be kept and duplicate information also not appears in current MS-Outlook folder.
• Finish the process.
• Now save exported file in inbox     

Above method is to export Outlook Express contacts in to MS-Outlook folder. There is one more method also that let you export Outlook Express Address Book in PAB file. 

PAB File: PAB file is Personal Address Book designed to store Outlook contacts information. PAB file has capacity to store only limited details for every contact. 

Advantage: PAB files are very flexible file as user can copy these file to another computer and also keep these file separate from already existing file.

Limitation: Unicode format is not supported by Personal Address Book.

Let’s continue to next method to export Outlook Express Contacts in Personal Address Book. To know more about PAB file and Contacts folder have a look on this presentation

                                                   .

                Outlook Express Contacts to Outlook 

                               

Export Outlook Express Contacts to Personal Address Book

Firstly check whether your Personal Address Book is present in your MS-outlook or not. If your Personal 

Address Book is not present in your Outlook then follow steps and add PAB to MS-Outlook.

1 Launch MS-Outlook application and click Email Accounts section categorized under tools menu

• Choose option Add a new directory or address book 
• Now select option Additional Address Books and proceed   
• Now select option Personal Address Book and proceed

INFO:   A pop up window appear on user screen containing message “account or directory already exists and cannot be specified twice”. In this case Click OK and then click cancel and move to Step 2.

• Enter Name in the Name box and all other necessary information.
• Now restart Outlook application.
• Point to Tools menu choose option Address book 
• Now select the name of Personal Address Book that you created earlier.
•  Click on OK button 

 2 Switch to Outlook Express application and choose option Address Book categorized under File menu in Export section.

 3 Now click on Microsoft Exchange Personal Address Book & Export.

 4 Select MS-Outlook profiles 

 5 Wait till Export process complete.

 Now click OK and close application.

By using above steps you can easily transfer your Outlook Express Address Book to MS-Outlook. However above mentioned method is lengthy a bit. There is one more option that is third party software. There are various WAB to PST converter tools are available in market that let you perform conversion in few clicks. Also these converter tools provide you assurance of no data loss during conversion process.Here I would recommend a trustworthy and easy to use application: Stellar WAB to PST converter. For demo version of tool visit website.