Migrate Lotus Notes NSF to Office 365: Step-by-Step Guide
Migrating Lotus Notes NSF files to Office 365 requires a dedicated NSF converter that reads the Notes email format and writes directly to your Microsoft 365 mailbox. The Turgs Lotus Notes Migration Wizard handles this directly without needing IBM Notes installed, preserving folder structure and attachments.
Lotus Notes (now HCL Notes) stores all mailbox data in NSF files. Microsoft 365 uses Exchange Online.
There is no built-in path from NSF to Office 365. A dedicated migration tool reads the NSF file and pushes emails directly to Exchange Online via EWS. This guide covers how to migrate Lotus Notes NSF to Office 365 step by step.
What Is an NSF File?
NSF (Notes Storage Facility) is the database format used by IBM Lotus Notes (HCL Notes) to store email messages, calendar items, contacts and other data. Each Notes mailbox is stored as a .nsf file on the Notes server or locally on the user’s machine.
NSF files cannot be read by Microsoft Outlook or Exchange directly. You need a converter that understands the Notes database structure.
How to Migrate NSF to Office 365
Download and install the Turgs Lotus Notes Migration Wizard on your Windows PC. The free trial migrates 25 emails per folder so you can verify the Office 365 import before purchasing.
Step-by-Step: NSF to Office 365 Migration
Step 1. Launch the Turgs Lotus Notes Migration Wizard. Click Add Files or Add Folder to load your NSF file.
Step 2. The tool supports dual selection mode. You can add individual NSF files or an entire folder containing multiple NSF files for batch migration.
Step 3. Select the email folders you want to migrate. Tick the checkboxes next to the folders you need. You can select all folders or specific ones only.
Step 4. From the saving options, select Office 365 as the destination.
Step 5. Choose the language settings for your target Office 365 account.
Step 6. Enter your Office 365 admin credentials and click Migrate. The tool connects to Exchange Online and begins transferring NSF emails.
Does the Tool Require IBM Notes Installed?
No. The Turgs Lotus Notes Migration Wizard reads NSF files directly without requiring IBM Notes or HCL Notes installed on the migration machine. This makes it suitable for migrations where the Notes client is no longer available or licensed.
What Gets Preserved
- Email messages including body, headers and inline images
- All file attachments
- Folder hierarchy (each Notes folder becomes an Exchange Online folder)
- Sender, recipient and date metadata
Calendar items, contacts and tasks in NSF files can also be migrated depending on the version and configuration. Check the Turgs Lotus Notes tool page for the current feature list.
For migrating from other server platforms to Office 365, see the guide on migrating Gmail to Office 365. And for Exchange-to-Exchange migrations, see the PST to Exchange migration guide.
Are you migrating a single user’s NSF file or running a batch migration for an entire organisation?
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I migrate Lotus Notes NSF to Office 365 without Lotus Notes installed?
Yes. The Turgs migration tool reads NSF files directly without any Notes installation requirement.
What version of Lotus Notes NSF files are supported?
The tool supports NSF files from Lotus Notes versions 6.0 through 9.0 and HCL Notes 10.0 and later.
How long does an NSF to Office 365 migration take?
A 5 GB NSF mailbox typically migrates in 1 to 3 hours depending on network speed and Office 365 throttling limits.
Can I migrate multiple NSF files at once?
Yes. The batch mode lets you load an entire folder of NSF files and map each one to the corresponding Office 365 mailbox.
Will calendar items migrate from NSF to Office 365?
Calendar migration from NSF depends on how the calendar data is stored. Email messages always migrate correctly. Check the tool’s documentation for the current calendar migration support status.
Does the free trial have any restrictions?
The free trial migrates 25 emails per folder. This is enough to verify the migration process and check that emails arrive in Office 365 correctly before purchasing the full license.
