New Outlook vs Classic Outlook Rules Import and Export: What to Use Instead

If you need to move email rules from one Outlook client to another, the process differs significantly between New Outlook and Classic Outlook. Classic Outlook has a built-in Rules Wizard that lets you export rules to a .rwz file and import them on another machine. New Outlook, the modern replacement, does not support the .rwz format at all. This article explains why the old import and export method no longer works and shows the alternative approaches you can use to transfer or back up your rules.

Why Classic Outlook and New Outlook Handle Rules Differently

Classic Outlook, also called Outlook for Windows, stores rules locally in a .rwz file or on the Exchange server depending on the rule type. Client-side rules run only on the computer where they were created and are saved in the local .rwz file. Server-side rules, which run even when Outlook is closed, are stored on the Exchange server and sync to any client connected to that mailbox.

New Outlook is a completely rebuilt client that uses a cloud-first architecture. It does not support client-side rules at all. All rules in New Outlook are server-side rules that live in the Exchange Online mailbox. This design eliminates the need for local files like .rwz. It also means the old export and import workflow has no equivalent in New Outlook.

File Format Differences

Classic Outlook exports rules to a file with the .rwz extension. This is a proprietary binary format that only Classic Outlook can read. New Outlook cannot open .rwz files, nor can it generate them. If you upgrade from Classic Outlook to New Outlook on the same machine, existing rules do not automatically transfer because the local .rwz file is not read by the new client.

Server-Side vs Client-Side Rules

Classic Outlook categorizes rules as client-side or server-side. Client-side rules have conditions like displaying a specific message in a pop-up window or playing a sound. These rules run only on the local machine and are stored in the .rwz file. Server-side rules use conditions like moving messages to a folder or forwarding them. They are stored on the Exchange server and work regardless of which client you use. New Outlook only supports server-side rules, so any client-side rule you created in Classic Outlook will not appear in New Outlook.

How to Transfer Rules from Classic Outlook to New Outlook

Because New Outlook cannot import .rwz files, you must recreate your rules manually or use a script-based approach. The following methods are the only reliable ways to move rules between the two clients.

Method 1: Manual Recreation in New Outlook

1. Open Classic Outlook and review your existing rules
   Go to File > Manage Rules & Alerts. Note the conditions, actions, and exceptions for each rule you want to move. Take a screenshot or write them down.
2. Open New Outlook and navigate to the Rules page
   Select the gear icon in the top-right corner, then choose Mail > Rules. Click Add new rule.
3. Recreate each rule manually
   For each rule from Classic Outlook, enter a name, select the condition, and choose the action. New Outlook supports the most common conditions like sender, recipient, subject, and message size. Click Save when finished.

Manual recreation works best when you have fewer than ten rules. For larger rule sets, use Method 2 or Method 3.

Method 2: Use Exchange Online PowerShell to Export and Import Rules

If you have administrative access to Exchange Online, you can export rules from Classic Outlook and import them into New Outlook using PowerShell. This method only transfers server-side rules. Client-side rules are skipped.

1. Install the Exchange Online PowerShell module
   Open Windows PowerShell as administrator and run Install-Module -Name ExchangeOnlineManagement. Press Y to confirm.
2. Connect to Exchange Online
   Run Connect-ExchangeOnline and sign in with your Microsoft 365 admin credentials.
3. Export rules from the source mailbox
   Run Get-InboxRule -Mailbox user@domain.com | Export-Clixml -Path C:\RulesBackup.xml. This saves all server-side rules to an XML file.
4. Import rules to the target mailbox
   Run $rules = Import-Clixml -Path C:\RulesBackup.xml followed by foreach ($rule in $rules) { New-InboxRule -Mailbox user@domain.com -Name $rule.Name -Priority $rule.Priority -From $rule.From -SubjectContains $rule.SubjectContains -MoveToFolder $rule.MoveToFolder }. Adjust the parameters to match the conditions in your rules.

PowerShell gives you full control over the rule transfer but requires technical expertise. Test the import on a non-critical mailbox first.

Method 3: Use Power Automate to Replicate Rule Logic

Power Automate is a no-code tool that can recreate many Outlook rule conditions and actions. It works with both Classic Outlook and New Outlook because it uses the Microsoft Graph API.

1. Open Power Automate
   Go to make.powerautomate.com and sign in with your Microsoft 365 account.
2. Create a new automated cloud flow
   Click Create > Automated cloud flow. Search for the trigger When a new email arrives in a shared mailbox and select it.
3. Configure the trigger
   Choose the mailbox where the rule should apply. Set the folder to Inbox.
4. Add conditions and actions
   Click New step, search for Condition, and define the rule condition. For example, if the sender address contains a specific domain, click Add an action and choose Move email. Select the destination folder.
5. Save and enable the flow
   Name the flow and click Save. Toggle it on to start processing emails.

Power Automate flows run in the cloud and work with both Outlook clients. They are not stored in the mailbox, so you must manage them separately from Outlook rules.

Common Problems When Migrating Rules Between Outlook Clients

Client-Side Rules Do Not Appear in New Outlook

As explained earlier, New Outlook does not support client-side rules. If you had rules that displayed alerts, ran scripts, or played sounds, they will not transfer. You must either remove those actions from the rule or accept that the rule will not work. In Classic Outlook, you can convert a client-side rule to a server-side rule by removing client-only conditions and actions. Open the rule in Manage Rules & Alerts, click Change Rule > Edit Rule Settings, and remove any condition or action that shows a client icon. Save the rule, then check if it appears in New Outlook.

Rules Are Not Syncing to New Outlook After Login

New Outlook syncs rules from the Exchange server. If you created rules in Classic Outlook and they are server-side rules, they should appear in New Outlook after you sign in. If they do not, wait 15 minutes and restart New Outlook. If the rules still do not appear, force a sync by going to Settings > Mail > Rules and clicking Refresh. If that fails, use the PowerShell method to export and re-import the rules.

Exported .rwz File Is Corrupt or Cannot Be Opened

The .rwz file is a binary format that can become corrupt if Outlook crashes during export or if the file is edited with a text editor. To prevent corruption, always export rules immediately after creating them and store the .rwz file in a safe location. If the file is corrupt, you cannot recover the rules. You must recreate them manually. To avoid this in the future, use the PowerShell export method instead of the .rwz export.

Classic Outlook vs New Outlook Rules Management: Key Differences

Item	Classic Outlook	New Outlook
Rule storage location	Local .rwz file and Exchange server	Exchange Online server only
Built-in export function	Yes, exports to .rwz file	No export function available
Built-in import function	Yes, imports from .rwz file	No import function available
Client-side rule support	Yes, runs locally	No, not supported
Server-side rule support	Yes, syncs across clients	Yes, syncs automatically
PowerShell rule management	Supported via Get-InboxRule and Set-InboxRule	Supported via same cmdlets
Power Automate integration	Works with flows	Works with flows

The table shows that New Outlook relies entirely on cloud storage and automation tools. If you need to back up rules, use PowerShell to export them to an XML file instead of depending on the .rwz format.

You can now transfer rules from Classic Outlook to New Outlook using manual recreation, PowerShell scripts, or Power Automate flows. The .rwz export and import feature is not available in New Outlook, so avoid relying on it for rule backups. For advanced rule migration, learn the Get-InboxRule and New-InboxRule PowerShell cmdlets to automate the process across multiple mailboxes.