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PCDOTS Team ~ Published: 18-Nov-2025 ~ MBOX ~ 6 Minutes Reading

How to Import MBOX to Hotmail Efficiently?

Learn how to import MBOX to Hotmail. This article describes two approaches to convert MBOX files to Hotmail account with attachments. Read on to learn more.

Many professionals want to import MBOX data files to a Hotmail account for various reasons. Keeping your data files locally on a computer restricts access to certain devices. Setting up MBOX to Hotmail is a great way to access your emails from multiple devices without restrictions. This data migration brings many benefits, which you can review below.

Table of Content Hide
  1. Reasons to import MBOX into Hotmail
  2. How to import?
  3. Manual method
  4. Limitations of the method
  5. Professional software
  6. Steps for bulk migration
  7. Benefits of the software
  8. Conclusion
  9. FAQs

Top Reasons to Import MBOX Files to Hotmail

  • Access Old Emails on a Cloud-Based Platform: Users generally migrate MBOX files to Hotmail to access old email data  from anywhere, on any device, without relying on single device or desktop email clients like Thunderbird or Mac Mail.
  • Migrating from Desktop Email Clients to Webmail: Many Mail clients that generate MBOX files are desktop based. They are tied to a specific device and do not offer you any flexibility in accessing data. Migrating your files to Hotmail helps you move to a more modern and cloud based environment.
  • Preventing Data Loss by Storing Emails Online: Keeping MBOX files locally on your computer system is risky, since system crashes, drive failure or corruption can result in data loss. Importing MBOX into Hotmail provides cloud backups and long term preservation.
  • Sync Emails Across Mobile & Desktop: Once emails are in a Hotmail account, they sync automatically with:
  1. Outlook desktop app
  2. Mobile Outlook app
  3. Browser-based Outlook.com

This improves email accessibility across all devices.

How to Import MBOX to Hotmail ?

Hotmail cannot directly import MBOX files due to the lack of such functions. If you want to convert MBOX files to Hotmail, you can employ two alternative methods:

1) Using Mail Client

2) Professional MBOX to Hotmail Migration Software.

We will walk you through both these possible methods in detail below; kindly review them.

Manual Method to Convert MBOX to Hotmail 

Using the free and open source Thunderbird email client, you can export data from MBOX to Hotmail. Follow the instructions below carefully.

  1. Install Thunderbird application on your computer system
  2. Next, you need to click ☰ (Menu) and select Add-ons and Themes.
  3. Search for ImportExportTools NG and then install it properly.
  4. Then, go to local folder and right click on it. Select ImportExportTools NG and import MBOX files.
  5. Now, it’s time to add Hotmail account into the application
  6. Click ☰ (Menu), go to Account Settings and Add Mail account
  7. Next, enter your Hotmail email address and password and configure IMAP settings
  8. Once your Hotmail account is set up, drag and drop the previously imported MBOX files into your Hotmail folder.
  9. Emails in MBOX files will be automatically synced with your Hotmail account.

And there you have it! With these simple steps, you can import MBOX to Hotmail. This method looks simple; however it has certain problems, which you should review.

Limitations of the Method

  • This method is completely dependent on the Mail client.
  • You must already have or download Thunderbird specifically for this single task.
  • You must have technical knowledge, since it requires you installing multiple add-ons.
  • It is not suitable for large datasets, and there is a risk of data loss.

Professionals looking for a more hands-on and simpler approach can read on.

Professional Method to Import MBOX Mailboxes to Hotmail Account?

PCDOTS MBOX Converter Software is your unique solution to import MBOX to Hotmail automatically. This software offers a simple and efficient platform to execute this task. It is completely self-contained and does not require any email client configuration to export data.

Download Now Purchase Now

Moreover, this tool is easy to use and does not require any prior technical knowledge. Even a novice user can use it effortlessly. Download this utility for free and discover its working step by step.

Steps to Bulk Import MBOX to Hotmail Automatically

  1. Download, install and start the software on Windows computer.
    download tool to import mbox to hotmail
  2. Go to Open and select Email Data Files and MBOX Files.
    select mbox file options
  3. Now, browse your MBOX files, select them and import into the software.
    browse mbox files
  4. Your selected MBOX files will be imported into the software.
    check imported files
  5. Next, go to the Export menu and select IMAP from drop-down menu.
    select imap option
  6. Enter your Hotmail address and password, provide server address and port number and click Save.
    click save button

The export of MBOX files to your Hotmail account will begin immediately. You will receive a notification once the process is complete. In just a few steps, you can import your MBOX files into your Hotmail account. Compared to the manual method, this method is far superior. For more information on the advantages of this method, see the features below.

Benefits of Using a Professional Software 

  1. The software comes with simple user panel for user’s convenience of use.
  2. Allows you to import multiple MBOX files to Hotmail at the same time
  3. Completely standalone and does not require configuration with MBOX compatible client
  4. All-in-one software that can also import MBOX files to Roundcube and other accounts
  5. Supports importing MBOX files to Hotmail from all Windows, macOS and Linux based clients
  6. Compatible with Windows 11, 10 and all latest versions
  7. Comes in free version for try and testing purpose

In Conclusion

Importing MBOX files to Hotmail offers many benefits, including easy data access and efficient file management. To benefit from these advantages, we’ve outlined the best methods. Above, we’ve presented both the manual and automatic methods.

The manual method to import MBOX to Hotmail depends on the email client and is somewhat technical. In contrast, the automatic method (using third-party software) is easy to use and completely self-directed. You can review the steps for both approaches above and choose the one that suits you best.

If you have any questions about the software, please feel free to contact us at any time. Thank you.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I import MBOX file into Hotmail directly?

No, Hotmail does not have MBOX import options. For importing MBOX into Hotmail, you need to use either compatible mail clients or third party solutions like PCDOTS software.

What is the easiest way to import MBOX data to a Hotmail account?

The simplest way is to use professional software. The PCDOTS software supports direct Hotmail login and allows you to import emails, attachments and metadata simultaneously without manual steps.

Will my Hotmail storage get full after importing MBOX data?

Possibly, if your MBOX files are large. Hotmail has limited storage capacity as compared to business email platforms. To avoid any situations you can:

  • Clean unnecessary emails
  • Upgrade to Microsoft 365 for increased space

Will importing MBOX to Hotmail affect the original MBOX file?

No, professional tools and manual methods only copy your data. Your source MBOX files will remain intact and unmodified.

Can I import multiple MBOX files to Hotmail at once?

Yes, PCDOTS software enables you to import multiple MBOX files into Hotmail account simultaneously without any error or performance issue.