MailStore Home — free and efficient email backup.
MailStore Home is a popular free Windows tool that helps you back up and archive your emails—no matter which client or service you use. It’s ideal if you want protection against accidental deletion, loss of access, or when switching email providers.
Back up emails — from both Outlook and webmail
MailStore Home supports the most popular email clients and services, including:
- Microsoft Outlook, Thunderbird, and Windows Mail
- Gmail, GMX, Yahoo, and other IMAP/POP-based webmail services
- Local PST files and Exchange accounts
You can import emails from both online accounts and installed mail clients. The process is quick and easy—just choose the source and click "Import".
Archiving and search
Once your emails are imported, MailStore organizes them by:
- Account
- Date/year
- Sender/recipient
All folders are clearly shown on the left, and emails can be opened and read directly within the app.
The built-in search is very powerful: you can search for words, phrases, attachments, and more—perfect if you have thousands of emails.
Security and export
MailStore Home supports exporting to multiple formats and media:
- USB flash drives
- CD/DVD
- External hard drives
- PST and EML files
This lets you store your emails offline and take them with you—for example, if you switch computers or email providers.
Who should use it?
This app is ideal for:
- Users with many important emails, such as invoices and correspondence
- Anyone switching email accounts who wants to save everything from the old one
- Anyone who wants full control of their email history
Any downsides?
MailStore Home can feel technical for beginners, since some features and settings require a basic understanding of email structures. However, basic importing and searching are straightforward.
Top 5 tips for MailStore Home
1. Import from all your email accounts
When you launch MailStore Home for the first time, you can import emails from:
- Outlook
- Thunderbird
- Gmail, Yahoo, GMX, and other IMAP/POP3 accounts
- Local PST files
➡️ Tip: Have multiple accounts? Import them one at a time to keep your backup structure easy to navigate.
2. Set up scheduled backups
You can set up automated backups so you don’t have to remember it:
- Select "Jobs" → Create a new backup job
- Choose the source and frequency (e.g., weekly)
- Run the backup with one click or automatically at startup
➡️ This ensures your emails are always saved without manual work.
3. Use the advanced search
Instead of searching manually:
- Use the field in the upper-right corner and enter a word, subject, contact, or date
- Use wildcards (*) if you only remember part of a word
➡️ You’ll find old messages in seconds—even among thousands.
4. Export to external media
For extra safety: export your archives to a USB drive, hard drive, or cloud storage:
- Go to "Export Emails"
- Choose a format (EML, PST, or PDF)
- Choose a location (local folder, disk, or removable media)
➡️ That way you have a copy even if your computer crashes.
5. Use "Portable Mode" to take your emails with you
Want to take your archives with you?
- Install MailStore in Portable Mode on a USB drive
- You can now run the app and access your emails directly from the USB drive on any Windows PC
➡️ Perfect if you’re switching PCs or want to keep the archive offline.
