import mailbox from pypst import PSTMessage, PSTFile mbox = mailbox.mbox('inbox.mbox') pst = PSTFile('output.pst', 'My PST File')
# Install dependencies (Ubuntu/Debian) sudo apt install readpst # contains mbox2pst variant pip install mbox-converter pypst convert mbox to pst
Google Takeout MBOX files use "MBOXRD" format (escaped From lines). Many free scripts assume classical MBOX and break. 3. The Conversion Methods: From Scripts to Enterprise Method 1: Python + libpst / pypst (DIY, Free) Best for: Automation, small MBOX files (<500MB), developers. import mailbox from pypst import PSTMessage, PSTFile mbox
Only for ASCII-only, no-attachment, single-folder use. Method 2: Thunderbird + ImportExportTools NG + Outlook (Hybrid) Best for: Technical users, one-time migration, preserving folders. The Conversion Methods: From Scripts to Enterprise Method
aid4mail /convert /source="C:\takeout\*.mbox" /dest="C:\output.pst" /mboxStructure=filenameAsFolder /skipDuplicates /pstCompress Pitfall 1: Broken Attachments Why: MBOX stores attachments as base64 chunks inside the body. PST expects attachments as separate objects. If the MIME boundary parser fails, attachments become inline text.
| Tool | Key Feature | Weakness | |------|-------------|-----------| | | Handles 200+ MBOX variants, preserves read/unread flags, categories | $79–$499 | | SysTools MBOX Converter | Direct PST creation without Outlook installed | Slower with huge files | | Stellar Converter for MBOX | Forensic-level metadata preservation | Expensive ($299+) | | Kernel MBOX to PST | Good for corrupt MBOX files | Clunky UI |
Use a tool that validates MIME parsing. Test with a known email containing .pdf , .jpg , and .eml attachments. Pitfall 2: Date/Time Corruption Why: MBOX lacks a standard timestamp field. Tools often rely on the From line’s timestamp (which is delivery time, not sent time). Outlook shows wrong sent dates.