A Personal Folders file (. PST) is an Outlook data file used to store local copies of messages, calendar events, and other items from your Exchange mailbox. Its appearance closely resembles Outlook 2003, and it can contain all of your Outlook folders, including the Inbox, Calendar, and Contacts.
Contents
What does PST on PST file stand for?
personal storage table
In computing, a personal storage table (PST) is a proprietary file format built by Microsoft to store copies of messages, calendar events, and other items within their software platforms, including Microsoft Exchange Client, Windows Messaging, and Microsoft Outlook.
What happens when you open a PST file in Outlook?
Microsoft Outlook stores your data and backups in PST files, the abbreviation of “personal store”. It contains all of your emails, calendar entries, notes or email templates that are saved in Outlook. In this article, you can learn how to open the Outlook.
What is PST and OST in Outlook?
OST and PST both are the data storage file of Outlook. The OST files save data for offline use while PST stores data in the client’s local disk. OST file can be converted to PST file format and vice versa when needed.
Do I need an Outlook PST file?
Outlook . pst files are used for POP3, IMAP, and HTTP accounts. To create archives, project files, or backup files of the Outlook folders and items on your computer, including Exchange accounts, you must create and use additional . pst files.
Are PST files secure?
PST files can become large and unwieldy, which not only is a data risk, but the actual file can become unstable and corrupt as well. Corruption risks have increased for remote network-stored PSTs, a common practice that is not truly supported.
Are PST files compressed?
If you delete items from an Outlook Data File (. pst), the file is automatically compacted in the background when you’re not using your computer and Outlook is running. You can also manually start the compact command immediately. It might take several minutes to compact an Outlook Data File (.
How do I read an Outlook PST file?
Open an Outlook Data File (. pst)
- Select File > Open & Export > Open Outlook Data File. Note: Depending on how Outlook is set up, it’s likely the folder where the .
- Select the Outlook Data File (. pst), and then select Open.
- Once you open the Outlook Data File (. pst), the file will appear in your folder pane.
How do I read a PST file?
First, open the Microsoft Office application, click “File” and then select Open & Export > Open Outlook Data File. Browse to the PST file you want to open and click “OK.” The PST will appear at the bottom of the navigation pane as “Outlook Data File.” Browse the folders in the PST like any other folder in Outlook.
How do I convert PST files to emails?
Make The PST File First
- Go to File > Open & Export > Import/Export.
- Select Export to a file.
- Choose Next.
- Pick Outlook Data File (.
- Click Next.
- Select the very topmost folder, above Inbox, so that you make sure your entire email account is being backed up, including all subfolders.
- Select Next.
Where is Outlook PST file Windows 10?
AppDataLocal
You can find your . pst file in one of the following locations: Windows 10 drive:Users<username>AppDataLocalMicrosoftOutlook. Windows 10 drive:Users<username>RoamingLocalMicrosoftOutlook.
What programs can open PST files?
3 Ways To Open PST File Without Office Outlook In Windows 10
- SysInfoTools PST File Viewer. SysInfoTools PST File Viewer (free version) is an excellent piece of software designed to open and read PST file contents without Outlook.
- PST Viewer.
- Free PST Viewer.
How large can PST file be?
By default, a Unicode pst-file or ost-file can grow as large as 20GB in Outlook 2007 and 50GB in Outlook 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019 and Office 365. However, the technical limit lies at 4194304GB (which is 4096TB or 4PB) and the default limit can be adjusted.
What is the downside of a PST file?
One of the big problems with PST files is that they are prone to corruption. The original PST file format had a 2 GB size limit, and corruption would occur if the file grew beyond its limit.This is especially true for PST files that are stored in locations where they might be accessed by more than one user at a time.
How do I save Outlook emails to my hard drive?
Back up your email
- Select File > Open & Export > Import/Export.
- Select Export to a file, and then select Next.
- Select Outlook Data File (.pst), and select Next.
- Select the mail folder you want to back up and select Next.
- Choose a location and name for your backup file, and then select Finish.
What is the best PST viewer?
4 Best PST Reader You Should Never Miss
- 1Best Free PST Reader – iMyFone ScanOutlook.
- 2Kernel Outlook PST Viewer.
- 3Sysinfo PST Viewer.
- 4FreeViewer PST File Viewer.
How do I stop Outlook from showing PST files?
With Outlook closed – use the Control Panel <Mail> app and remove the backup PST file which should be listed under the Data Files tab.
Can an employee take a PST file?
To combat this, some employers implement perimeter encryption. This means that if an employee copies a . pst file to a flash drive or any other removable media, they will be unable to view the file at home; the file is only decrypted when the flash drive is connected to the company network.
Do PST files contain deleted emails?
All email messages and items have stored in the PST file. When you accidentally deleted the email, you can’t recover from it. Outlook PST Repair tool can help you to repair damaged and corrupt PST files and recover email items from it.
How do I clean up old emails in Outlook?
In Outlook, choose File> Cleanup Tools > Mailbox Cleanup.
Best practices to keep your mailbox lean
- Archive older items – Move old items you want to keep to an archive.
- Empty the Deleted Items folder – Empty the Deleted Items folder frequently to make sure you aren’t keeping messages you don’t need.
Can I delete OST files without losing emails?
In normal circumstances, when corrupt OST files are deleted by the users it may not result in deletion of Email messages as users are able to retrieve Outlook data by synchronizing data with Exchange server but here the EDB file is also inaccessible.