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How to Resolve – “Import Export Option Greyed Out Outlook” Issue?

Justin Cener ~ Modified: December 4th, 2023 ~ How to ~ 6 Minutes Reading

If you are wondering “Why is my Import export greyed out in Outlook?”, then you are at the right post. In this article, we are going to discuss the solutions on how to resolve the Import/Export option greyed out in Outlook issue. We will discuss various manual solutions as well as an automated solution recommended by technical professionals. Moreover, we will also discuss some prominent reasons regarding why you might be facing this issue.

MS Outlook is a world-known email client with 500 million users. It is a preferred choice of numerous businesses and organizations to manage their emails. Outlook comes with a plethora of features that improve its functioning. Plus it is loaded with upgraded and enhanced security features. However, the users of this magnificent email client often face the “import export option greyed out Outlook” issue.

Well, not anymore because in this blog we have brought to you various manual solutions plus one automated software to help you tackle the issue in a hassle-free manner. So, let’s get into the blog and solve the “import export option greyed out in Outlook 365” issue.

Prominent Reasons Why Your Import/Export Greyed Out in Outlook

  • You are using the Demo Version of Outlook
  • Your Outlook Data Files might be corrupted
  • The language settings of Outlook are incorrect
  • Admin has disabled the Outlook settings
  • Your Outlook application is not updated

There are some most common reasons why this issue happens. You could check if any of these reasons apply to your situation and set it right in order to prevent this issue in the future. Now, let us move on to how you can solve this issue at the moment. For that, we will discuss the manual solutions first.

Resolve Import Export Option Greyed Out Outlook 2016 – Manual Approach

Here, we will provide solutions to the reasons that cause the import export option to grey out in Outlook. Therefore, the manual solution is discussed in five different points, each one with the solution to the above-mentioned reasons.

1. Upgrade to Outlook Pro

If you are using the demo version of MS Outlook then it is time that you upgrade to the pro version. You can do so through volume licensing. The upgraded version includes core applications along with Outlook, Access, Publisher, Excel, OneDrive, OneNote, PowerPoint, and Skype for business.

2. Scan Corrupted Outlook Data Files

More than often, Outlook 365 users face corrupted Outlook Data Files. If you are not aware of how to remove corruption from your Outlook Data Files then, you can utilize Outlook’s inbuilt repair tool Scanpst.exe

3. Fix the Language Settings

Your language version of Windows might not correspond with the version of Outlook. Thus, to fix this, you need to change the language for the non-Unicode program in Control Panel >> Region >> Administrative >> Language for non-Unicode programs.

4. Contact the Administrator

If you work in a business environment, then there are high chance that the admin has disabled the settings policy of your Outlook application. Therefore, simply contact the admin to resolve this issue.

5. Update your Outlook Application

You might be facing the issue of “Why is Import Export Greyed Out in Outlook” because you might be using an older version of MS Outlook. If so, then kindly update it to Outlook 2013 or the latest version to resolve the issue.

So these are the manual solutions you can implement to resolve the issue. However, these methods do not guarantee 100% success or data security. Thus, in the next segment, we have brought to you an expert-recommended solution.

Resolve Import Export Option Greyed Out Outlook – The Professional Way

Since the manual methods are not exactly feasible in every situation, this automated tool is an expert suggestion to help you achieve the desired results. Corbett PST Converter Tool is a utility that is favored by numerous technical professionals. Not only does this convert and export your PST files into numerous popular file and document formats, but it also executes the process in a secure and hassle-free manner. In addition to that, it offers numerous web and desktop-based email clients to directly export PST files i.e. Gmail, Office 365, and Thunderbird. This tool is packed with various features that improve its functioning to the best in order to better the user experience.

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Check Out How to import PST files into your Outlook application.

Remarkable Features of the Expert Utility

  • Exports PST to numerous popular formats i.e. PST MBOX, EML, MSG, etc.
  • Also exports PST into document formats i.e. CSV, PDF, HTML, TXT, etc.
  • Capable of exporting PST to Web and Desktop-based email clients directly
  • Maintains folder structure and hierarchy throughout the process
  • Supports all versions of the Windows Operating System
  • Provides an option to save resultant files at a desired location on the system
  • No MS Outlook installation is required to use this utility

Furthermore, if you have any orphaned OST files that you want to import into your MS Outlook then, choose the OST Converter Tool by Corbett to achieve desired results safely and securely. This is because, as per Microsoft, there is no direct manual method to accomplish this task. Therefore, numerous technical professionals recommended users go for an automated solution. For detailed information regarding this topic, check out how to Import OST File to MS Outlook 2016, 2019.

import orphaned OST to Outlook

Frequently Asked Queries

Q1: How do I export my data when the Import/Export option is greyed out in Outlook?

A1: Use the above-recommended expert solution to export your Outlook data in multiple popular formats, and that too, in a smooth and hassle-free manner.

Q2: Why is Export greyed out in Outlook?

A2: This usually happens when the account administrator disables the Outlook application setting property for the employees. Thus, contact your administrator to fix this.

Q3: Why is my Import/Export button disabled/greyed out in my Outlook application?

A3: You could be using an older version of MS Outlook and thus, facing this issue. Update your MS Outlook application to the latest version to resolve this issue.

So There You Have It

In this article, we described various solutions on how you can resolve the “Import Export option greyed out Outlook” issue. We discussed numerous manual solutions as well as an expert-recommended automated solution. However, the manual methods are not feasible for everyone and hence, technical professionals suggest users go for the automated solution in order to achieve the desired results in a secure and hassle-free manner.

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