Send & Receive Issues

Fix Outlook Not Downloading Optus Email on a New Microsoft 365 PC

WPS Editor Oct 12, 2026 868 views

Question details

The user needs to configure an Optus email account in Outlook on a new computer and safely transfer locally stored POP3 messages from an old Microsoft 365 installation.

How to Fix Outlook Not Downloading Optus Email on a New Microsoft 365 Computer

Product: Microsoft Outlook
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Setting up a new Microsoft 365 installation on a new computer and attempting to migrate an existing Optus email account along with its older messages.
Observed behavior: Outlook fails to download the Optus emails on the new computer, raising concerns about losing access to old and work-related emails still stored on the old device that is nearly out of storage.

Before you start

Do not uninstall Microsoft 365 or delete any data from your old computer until you have completely backed up your local Outlook Data Files and confirmed they are working on the new PC.

Solution 1Recommended

Export and Transfer Locally Stored POP3 Messages

If your Optus account was configured as a POP3 account on the old computer, the emails are stored locally. You must manually export and transfer the Outlook Data File (.pst) to the new PC.

POP3 email accounts download messages from the server and store them on your local hard drive. Because they do not sync via the cloud like IMAP or Exchange, merely signing into Outlook on a new computer will not restore your old messages.

You will need to use Outlook's built-in Import/Export tool to package your old emails and move them over using an external storage device.

Export data from the old computer

Open Outlook on your old computer. Go to 'File' > 'Open & Export' > 'Import/Export'. Select 'Export to a file' and click Next. Choose 'Outlook Data File (.pst)' and select your Optus email account to export.

Save the file externally

Save the exported .pst file directly to an external USB flash drive or a portable hard drive. This is especially important if your old computer is nearly out of storage space.

Import data to the new computer

Connect the external drive to your new computer. Open Outlook, go to 'File' > 'Open & Export' > 'Import/Export'. Select 'Import from another program or file', choose 'Outlook Data File (.pst)', and browse to your saved file to restore your emails.

Export and Transfer Locally Stored POP3 Messages

Data Safety: Exporting your data to an external drive creates a secure backup, ensuring your work emails are protected even if the old computer fails.

Solution 2

Configure Optus Email Settings on the New Computer

You need to properly configure the Optus server settings in Outlook on the new computer to enable sending and receiving of new messages.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why are my old Optus emails missing on my new computer?

If your Optus account was originally set up using the POP3 protocol, your emails were downloaded and stored locally on the old computer's hard drive rather than staying on the server. You must manually export them to a .pst file and import them to the new PC.

Can I safely uninstall Microsoft 365 from my old computer to save storage space?

You should not uninstall Microsoft 365 or delete any files from your old computer until you have successfully exported your Outlook Data Files (.pst), transferred them to the new computer, and verified that all your work emails are accessible.

Where can I find the correct server settings to configure my Optus email?

You can find the latest POP3 or IMAP incoming and outgoing server configurations, including port numbers and security protocols, directly on the official Optus support website under their email setup guides.

Outlook & Email Problems