How to Extract Attachments From OLM Files
In short: To extract attachments from OLM files, know that OLM is Outlook for Mac’s format, so Windows cannot open it. On a Mac, import the OLM into Outlook for Mac, open a message, then use Save All Attachments, one email at a time. For a whole archive, when nothing on Windows opens an OLM, a tool reads the file directly and saves every attachment to a folder in one pass, filtered by type or date.
Why OLM attachments are hard to reach
The format is the whole problem. An OLM is the archive that Outlook for Mac creates, a Mac-only container. Windows Outlook works in PST, so it has no way to open an OLM, while Windows itself has no app associated with it, which is why a double-click does nothing. Even on a Mac, Outlook opens the messages fine but makes you save attachments message by message, since they are stored inside the mail rather than as loose files. So the honest options are two. On a Mac, import and save by hand for a few emails. On either system, use a tool that reads the OLM directly and pulls every attachment out at once.
Backup and Recovery Specialist, Corbett Software
“The OLM usually lands on a Windows PC after someone leaves a Mac, which is where people get stuck, because Windows cannot open it. There is a manual route on a Mac, one email at a time, but for a whole archive and for anyone on Windows the only practical way is a tool that reads the OLM directly.”
On a Mac: import the OLM and save attachments
If you have Outlook for Mac, you can open the OLM and save attachments without any extra software.
- In Outlook for Mac, go to File, then Import, then choose Outlook for Mac archive file (.olm).
- Select your OLM and let it import into a folder called On My Computer.
- Open a message with attachments, then use Save All Attachments and pick a folder.
- Repeat for each message that has attachments.
This is fine for a handful of emails. For a large archive it is slow. It also does not help on Windows, so use the tool below.
Extract all attachments with a tool
A dedicated extractor reads the OLM straight off disk, on Windows or Mac, then saves every attachment in one run.
The Corbett Email Attachment Extractor opens an OLM with no Outlook for Mac needed, previews the mail, then saves every attachment to a folder in one pass, keeping the original file names. It also reads OST, PST, EML and MBOX, so a filter lets you take only certain file types or a date range. A free demo edition lets you preview first and runs on every edition of Windows.
- Install and open the tool, click Open, choose Email Data Files, then OLM, then select your file.
- Let it scan and preview the folders and messages.
- Click Extract, choose Attachments, apply any type or date filter, then Save to a folder.
Filter, name and dedupe the attachments
A few settings keep the output folder usable rather than a heap of files.
- Filter by type, so you keep only PDFs or images rather than every inline logo.
- Filter by date, to pull one project or year instead of the whole archive.
- Keep original names, and let the tool add a counter so two files named report.pdf do not overwrite each other.
Frequently asked questions
How do I extract attachments from an OLM file?
On a Mac, import the OLM into Outlook for Mac, open a message and use Save All Attachments, one email at a time. For a whole archive or on Windows, a tool reads the OLM directly and saves every attachment to a folder.
Can I open an OLM file on Windows?
Not natively. OLM is Outlook for Mac’s format, while Windows Outlook uses PST, so nothing on Windows opens an OLM. A tool that reads OLM directly is the way to get the attachments there.
How do I save all OLM attachments at once?
Outlook for Mac’s Save All Attachments covers only one open message. For every attachment across the archive, use a tool that extracts them in bulk to a folder, filtered by type or date.
Do I need Outlook for Mac?
Only for the manual route on a Mac. A tool reads the OLM directly, so you can extract attachments on Windows with no Outlook for Mac at all.
Will the file names be kept?
Yes. A good extractor keeps the original names and adds a counter when two files share a name, so nothing is overwritten in the output folder.
Does extracting change the OLM file?
No. The Mac import and a tool only read the OLM. The original file stays as it is, so the attachments are copied to a folder.