How can I export all email addresses I have sent to from Outlook or any other Email Client?

I would like to export a list of email addresses of people I have previously sent mail to. I don't think there is a way to do this without an add-in.

I tried a tool called Gwabbit and it did not do what I needed.

There are some answers here based on the NK2 file and utilities that read it, but it's not the solution because the NK2 file will not always have every recipient you've ever emailed for the following reasons:

You can edit it (simply by deleting a suggested contact as it pops up)
It's unique to your profile (each login on each device, not counting roaming profiles), so if you use multiple machines/devices it doesn't get all recipients.

What I really want is to go through all the sent mail, optionally my received mail too, and harvest all the email addresses in there.

I initially wrote this question for Outlook, but if there is an app or utility that will do this outside of Outlook, it's worth migrating mail, even if just for this one time need.

Chris Adragna

Posted 2009-10-02T14:05:32.823

Reputation: 375

Just to add that if you are using outlook on a mac the only option seems to be to go through Mail. This worked for me: https://superuser.com/questions/192227/how-to-export-email-addresses-from-apple-mail/913121#913121

– Dirk Gorissen – 2015-06-28T08:40:39.893

Are you really looking for everyone you emailed ever or are you looking for the names that are automatically completed when you type something in the To: field? – djhowell – 2009-10-02T15:00:57.567

1I am looking for everyone I ever emailed... technically, everyone's email address that is still in my sent emails (and not deleted). – Chris Adragna – 2009-10-05T00:36:09.027

Answers

Basically you can use the Outlook Import/Export function to achieve this. It's typically used to migrate the actual emails, but it suits the purpose of getting just the email addresses (or any other value for that matter).

Here is how to do it in Outlook (version 2007):

Click on 'File', 'Import and Export' to open the Wizard
Select 'Export to a File' [then click Next]
Select 'Microsoft Excel 97-2003' or a CSV file [click Next]
Select an Outlook folder [Next]
Click on Browse to select a location and then type the file name to export the information to (terminated by .xls) [Next]
Click on Map Custom Fields. This will bring up a list of all the available fields that are available in that folder.
Since we are only interested in Email address, click on Clear Map and then from the Left side click on From: (address) and drag that to the Right list
Click OK
Click Finish
Open the output file using Excel and remove duplicates

harrymc

Posted 2009-10-02T14:05:32.823

Reputation: 306 093

1Import/Export functions, PST files, Archive function could be disabled by Policy rules… – Hans Ginzel – 2015-12-18T12:35:27.383

I had to use CSV export instead of Excel because of 'error code 16: The specified module could not be found' for 'setup routines for the Microsoft Excel ODBC Driver'. – Noumenon – 2019-09-20T19:42:15.283

6In Outlook 2010, the Import and Export Wizard is located under File -> Open -> Import. – Der Hochstapler – 2012-02-14T18:47:44.970

Why didn't I think of that?! I'll try it. Thanks. If it works, I'll mark your response as the answer (and reward the bounty). – Chris Adragna – 2012-02-14T23:17:06.793

2The Export Wizard is in Import? Did I miss a meeting? – Matthew Lock – 2013-06-14T07:57:22.233

There's a file called something.NK2 - this lists all of your autocomplete addresses. You can basically copy and paste the file and viola your new outlook has your old autocomplete. I'm sure that file can be read too, try googling .NK2 reader.

http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/outlook/HA011394511033.aspx

shouldhave

Posted 2009-10-02T14:05:32.823

Reputation:

I wanted to add that starting with Outlook 2013, the auto-complete addresses in the .nk2 file becomes part of the default pst file. – Justin Goldberg – 2014-11-25T05:55:39.557

shouldhave: If there is a +50 REP bounty on this question, you may want to Google .NK2 reader, so @ChrisAdragna doesn't have to. – wizlog – 2012-02-17T19:04:28.210

nk2view from http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/outlook_nk2_autocomplete.html will do the viewing job, allowing export to a variety of formats

– Bonus – 2009-10-02T15:45:53.347

Well, I think that's a decent solution (I hadn't thought of that approach). The problem with it is that I've had several PCs and Outlook profiles over the last few years, so I won't have an NK2 file which represents every email address I've sent mail to over all time. Nonetheless, a good way to get much of what I need. – Chris Adragna – 2009-10-04T15:22:38.553

Okay.. this is a bit complex example, but see "access outlook stuff with perl".

And you'll need cygwin with perl.

If you know how to code it should be straight forward to adapt code from the message threat to print out email addresses in to a csv file.

ActivePerl

cygwin

Small cygwin+perl howto

Manwe

Posted 2009-10-02T14:05:32.823

Reputation: 868

Very helpful. It will require some scripting, but without another/better answer, this will get me what I need. On the main link, it mentions getting the data out of a PST. I wonder if the same will work with OST (offline PST) or no such file at all (such as server based mail). – Chris Adragna – 2012-02-13T17:00:20.287