These instructions are intended for students to back up personal data and not intended to be used for institutional data. If you have questions about the type of data you want to back up, please contact the ITS Service Desk.
Note: After you leave the university, your access to services that require an Onyen is subject to termination. For more information, please see
Onyen Policy.
Downloading & Backing Up Your E-Mail
Saving email to local folders will leave the email in its original format, including attachments. This option also allows you to easily upload your saved emails to a new service that supports IMAP mail folders on the mail server. The email program you like to use will determine what options are available to you. You can get information on how to download your e-mail locally to local folders by clicking on Help > Getting Help in your particular email program.
If you are an Exchange user, refer to the ITS-supported email applications for instructions:
- You will need to make sure the supported email application is configured: Office 365 Email Setup: Getting Started
- You will need to either move the email to a PST file or to the local folder on the computer: How to export your email to a pst or local folder in Microsoft Outlook?
If you are a Heelmail user wishing to move your emails to a Non-UNC email account
- You can set up your Heelmail account in Outlook Client: Office 365 Email Setup: Getting Started
- You can set up your Non-UNC account in the same Outlook Client. Please refer to your new email provider for instructions (see links below for common Non-UNC account instructions). Non-UNC account instructions to set up in Outlook:
- Once both accounts are set you can manually copy emails from Heelmail to the Non-UNC account.
For further assistance, speak to customer support for your new email provider.
Graduation: Alumni @alumni.unc.edu accounts powered by Gmail
The UNC General Alumni Association offers @alumni.unc.edu accounts powered by Gmail for all UNC alumni, current UNC students, and associate General Alumni Association members.
For more information, please visit the GAA’s website, at https://alumni.unc.edu/resources/register-for-email-account/
Forward your Messages to Another Email Account
If you have a non-UNC e-mail account, you might want to send your messages to the new account rather than saving them to a file. If you want to try this option, consider forwarding your messages manually to the new account.
You will need to do this for all of your email folders. Also bear in mind that if your new account has a quota, don’t exceed the quota by sending too many messages to your new account.
Note About Mail Forwarding
Once you’ve transferred your messages, go ahead and inform your friends and associates that your email address will be changing soon. If you set up Mail Forwarding (HeelMail Only), remember that it is subject to termination 60 days after you are officially deemed unaffiliated with the University, along with your other Onyen services. You might consider using the Vacation Service to automatically send back a message informing people about your change of email address.