- You can convert your PST file into MSG format just by dragging the email that you want to convert on desktop or any other location. However, for that also Outlook installation is required to open the email at present time and you can view that email without Outlook in future after conversion.
- You can also use any commercial tool for the conversion of PST file format to other file formats. However, sometimes Outlook installation is necessary for that also.
- PST Viewer is a standalone tool which enables examiners to view multiple PST files without MS Outlook installation.
- It is a utility which can be used to read corrupted or inaccessible PST files. It facilitates two different scanning modes; Quick scan and Advance Scan. Quick scan will run automatically for minimum corrupted files and you can select the Advance Scan option for damaged or severely corrupted PST files.
- The software not only enables the user to read PST files without Outlook, but also provides option to save emails as most desirable format such as PDF.
- The software support preview of all items that the selected PST file consists of like mail, calendar, task, etc. You can preview the collective items on a single view by selecting Folder List icon.
- The software allows you to preview all emails with their attributes and attachments. In Normal view you can see the header information and body. By clicking on Attachments you can view all the attachments associated with selected email.
Outlook is part of your daily routine. You use it to send email messages, to set up calendar events, and to create tasks and other items. But do you wonder how and where all those items are stored? For Office 365, Exchange, and Outlook.com accounts, all of your information is stored on the server, but an offline copy is also stored on your local computer in an Offline Outlook Data File (.ost).
For POP and IMAP accounts, you might store your Outlook items in an Outlook Data File (.pst). If you want to open or close an Outlook Data File (.pst), you can do that in a few simple steps.
Note: If your organization has policies in place that archive email messages automatically, your older email messages, calendar events, and tasks might be stored in an archive Outlook Data File (.pst). Even if your account uses an offline Outlook Data File (.ost) for all of its day-to-day information, you may still have an archive.pst file that contains older information.
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 .pst file is stored will open automatically. If it doesn't, browse to the file's location. If you're not sure where your Outlook data file is located, see Locating the Outlook data files.
- 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. Usually you'll find it at the bottom of the list of folders. The following image is an example. The name of your Outlook Data File (.pst) will likely not be outlook data file. Usually, the name is based on the account the file is associated with. For example, an Outlook Data File for the account [email protected] will likely be named Cheryl Parsons or [email protected].
Remove (close) an Outlook Data File (.pst)
- In the Folder pane, right-click the name of the Outlook Data File, and then choose Close 'Outlook Data File'.
Open an Outlook Data File (.pst)
- On the File tab, click Account Settings > Account Settings.
- On the Data Files tab, click Add.
- Click the Outlook Data File (.pst) file that you want to open, and then click OK.
Data file locations
- Windows 7 and Windows Vista
drive:UsersuserAppDataLocalMicrosoftOutlook - Windows XP
drive:Documents and SettingsuserLocal SettingsApplication DataMicrosoftOutlook
Change an Outlook Data File (.pst) display name
- On the File tab, click Account Settings > Account Settings.
- On the Data Files tab, click the Outlook Data File (.pst) file > Settings.
- In the Name box, enter a descriptive name for the Outlook Data File (.pst).Note: Changing the display name doesn't rename the file. Only the name as it appears in the Navigation pane is changed.
Close an Outlook Data File (.pst)
- Right-click the name of the Outlook Data File (.pst) that you want to remove from the Navigation pane, and then click Close name.
Open a .pst file
- On the File menu, point to Open, and then click Outlook Data File.
- Click the .pst file that you want to open, and then click OK.Note: The name of the folder that is associated with the data file appears in the Folder List. To view the Folder List, on the Go menu, click Folder List. By default, the folder will be called Personal Folders.
Data file locations
- Click the Start button, and then click Control Panel.
- Click Folder Options.
- Click the View tab, and then click the Show hidden files and folders option.
- You can save, copy, or move a data file (other than the file that is used as your default delivery location) to another location on your hard disk or to a share on the network. Remember that you must have read/write permissions to open a Personal Folders file (.pst) from a network share.
- If you need to access any data file that is stored on a network share or on another computer, close any program that might be using that file. A data file can be accessed by only one user or program at a time.
- The .pst data file does not support read-only media such as CDs and DVDs.
- In Windows Explorer, on the Tools menu, click Folder Options.
- On the View tab, under Advanced Settings, under Files and Folders, under Hidden files and folders, click Show hidden files and folders.
- If you want to see all file name extensions, clear the Hide extensions for known file types check box under Files and Folders.Hidden folders appear dimmed to indicate that they are not typical folders.
Move a Personal Folders file (.pst)
- In the Navigation pane, right-click Personal Folders, and then click Properties for 'Personal Folders'.Personal Folders is always a top-level folder in the Navigation pane, in Mail.
- Click Advanced.
- In the Name text box, type a name that is meaningful to you, such as Greta's Outlook Data.
- Click OK twice.
- In Outlook, make a note of the file location and name.
- In the Navigation pane, right-click Personal Folders or the name that appears for your .pst file, and then click Properties for folder name.
- Click Advanced.
- In the File name text box, make a note of the complete path and file name of the .pst file.
- Exit Outlook and then move the file.
- Use Windows Explorer to copy each .pst file from its default location in the drive:Documents and SettingsuserLocal SettingsApplication DataMicrosoftOutlook folder to any folder on your computer that you want.Notes: The default location is a hidden folder. To use Windows Explorer to navigate to this folder, you must first turn on the display of hidden folders.
- In Windows Explorer, on the Tools menu, click Folder Options.
- On the View tab, under Advanced Settings, under Files and Folders, under Hidden files and folders, click Show hidden files and folders.
- If you want to see all file name extensions, clear the Hide extensions for known file types check box under Files and Folders.Hidden folders appear dimmed to indicate they aren't typical folders.
- In Control Panel, click User Accounts, and then click Mail.Note: If you are using the Classic view in Control Panel, double-click Mail.
- Click Show Profiles, and then choose the profile that contains the .pst file.
- Click Properties, and then click Data Files.
- Select the data file from the list, and then click Settings.
- When a message appears, notifying you that the data file cannot be found at the old location, click OK.
- Browse to the new folder location, select the data file, and then click Open.
- Click OK, and then click Close twice.
- Click OK and restart Outlook.
Move an Offline Folder file (.ost)
- Exit Outlook.
- Click Start, and then click Control Panel.
- Double-click Mail, and then click E-mail Accounts.
- Click Show Profiles, and then select the profile that contains the .pst file.
- Click Properties, and then click Data Files.
- Select the Exchange account, and then click Settings.
- On the Advanced tab, clear the Use Cached Exchange Mode check box.Note: When you see this message: You must restart Outlook for these changes to take effect, click OK.
- Click Settings, and on the Advanced tab, click Offline Folder File Settings.
- Click Disable Offline Use, and then click Yes in the dialog box that appears.
- Click Offline Folder File Settings.
- Click Browse, go to the location where you want to save your .ost file, enter a name in the File name box, and then click Open.
- Click OK, and then select the Use Cached Exchange Mode check box.
- Click OK. When you see this message: You must restart Outlook for these changes to take effect, click OK.
- Click Close.The next time that you start Outlook, the new .ost file will be synchronized with your mailbox on the server running Exchange.
Data file security
- On the Go menu, click Folder List.
- Do one of the following:
- If you have a POP3 e-mail account, right-click Personal Folders, and then click Properties For 'Personal Folders' on the shortcut menu.Note: If you provided a custom display name for your data file, substitute that name for Personal Folders.
- If you have an IMAP or HTTP e-mail account, such as Microsoft Windows Live Mail, right-click the name of the account, and then click Properties For account name on the shortcut menu.
- On the General tab, click Advanced.
- Click Change Password.
- In the Change Password dialog box, type your new password—up to 15 characters—and verify it by retyping it .Notes:
- Use strong passwords that combine uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols. Weak passwords don't mix these elements. Example of a strong password: Y6dh!et5, and an example of a weak password: House27. Passwords should be 8 or more characters in length. A pass phrase that uses 14 or more characters is better. For more information, see Create stronger passwords and protect them.
- It is critical that you remember your password. If you forget your password, Microsoft can't retrieve it. Store the passwords that you write down in a secure place away from the information that they help protect.
- Make sure that the Save this password in your password list check box is cleared. This prevents the password from being cached, so you will need to type the password each time you run Outlook. Don't forget the password.Important: Neither Microsoft, your Internet service provider (ISP), nor your mail administrator has access to your password, nor can they assist you to recover the contents of the .pst file if you forget the password.
- Click OK three times.
Customize the display name of the data file
- In the Navigation pane, right-click Personal Folders, and then click Properties for 'Personal Folders'.
- Click Advanced.
- In the Name box, type a name that is meaningful to you, such as Greta's Outlook Data.
- Click OK twice.
Remove a .pst file from the Navigation pane
- Right-click the Personal Folders file that you want to remove from the Navigation pane, and then click Close Personal Folders.
- On the File menu, point to Open, and then click Outlook Data File.
- Click the .pst file that you want to open, and then click OK.
More about Outlook data files
For more information about Outlook data files, see the following topics: