Manual Way to Split PST File in Outlook 2019/2016/2013/2010

Updated On - October 25, 2024 by Henry Bray | Reading Time: 7 minutes

In this article, we will explain the easiest way to split PST files in Outlook 2019/2016/2013/2010. Apart from this, we will also know all the possible reasons, why users want to split PST file in Outlook 2019/2016/2013/2010.

Large PST files are prone to corruption; whenever the PST files exceed the storage limit, the performance of Microsoft Outlook will drop, and most likely, it could affect your reach to the mailbox. In the worst-case scenario, you could lose your data.

To avoid such a situation and to protect the data from corruption, users have the only option left is to split the oversized PST files into several manageable files of small size. However, when speaking “split large PST files,” it seems simple, but in practice, the process of splitting large PST files is not so straightforward. When you use a manual method for PST file segmentation, it asks for technical hands and unbound time. However, nowadays, many third-party tools are also available online to split PST files, which you can use for this purpose.

Before you get to grips with how to split the PST file, let’s cover all possible reasons for the term “why.”

As mentioned above, the most common reason for PST file split is the storage problem. The files overloaded with large data are always at risk of data corruption.

1. To improve Outlook performance, a heavy file will degrade performance.
2. To make the PST file accessible when it is not for a reason such as excess data.

Why is it important to split PST files?

PST files contain all the email messages, attachments, calendar items, and other data in Outlook. Over time, these files can become very large, causing performance issues such as slow startup and shutdown, sluggish message searching, and even crashes. By splitting the PST file into smaller parts, you can improve the performance of Outlook and prevent these issues.

What are the consequences of not splitting large PST files?

If you don’t split large PST files, you may experience a range of issues with Outlook, such as slow performance, crashes, and corruption of the PST file. In extreme cases, a large PST file can become completely corrupted, resulting in a permanent loss of data. Additionally, you may not be able to open the PST file if it exceeds the maximum size limit supported by Outlook.

After knowing the possible reasons to split PST files and the consequences of not splitting PST files. Let’s, try to reduce PST file size by using manual methods. So lets we start –

03 Manual Methods to Reduce PST files in Outlook

1st Method: Move PST files items by using the “Move to Folder Option.”

1. Start Microsoft Outlook application on your system to start the process.
2. Click the tab in the top left corner, “File”, then go to “Account Settings” and click “Account Settings”.
3. Then click the “Data Files” tab at the same time. At the same time, click the “Add” button to add a new PST file and give it a unique name for convenience.
4. Once added, just go to “Home” and open the old PST file of your Outlook profile.
5. Now you need to select items you want to move to the newly created PST file.
6. To move, click the “Move” tab on the ribbon, then click the “Copy to Folder” wizard.
7. In the “Copy to Folder” wizard, select newly created PST file to move selected items from old PST file.
8. Once the items are moved to new PST, just follow your purpose by deleting copied items from the old PST to reduce the size of the old PST.

2^ndMethod: With the help of Import and Export Options

Since we have many manual methods of splitting PST files, let’s switch to another in this order and split PST files by following the given instruction.

1. At first, open the installed and configured Microsoft Outlook application in your system.
2. After that click on the “File” tab  → “Open and Export” → “Import/Export”.
3. Now an “Import and Export” wizard will appear on the screen, here you will find “Export to a file” option, go through with this by just clicking on “Next” button.
4. Now, an “Export to a File” window will open on the screen; you will find the option of “Outlook Data File (.pst), select this and click “Next” to proceed further.
5. Now, “Export Outlook Data File” window will open, select folders to export and mark check on “Include subfolders” option to export subfolders as well.
6. Now you need to choose a location for the exported file, select the Browse tab and stop exporting duplicate items. Click the Do Not Export Duplicate Items option.
7. Lastly, set a password on the exported PST file, or you can cancel the option to set the password.

If you follow this step, you will be able to create a new PST file. Was that difficult? Let’s move on to the next method.

3^rd Method: By Archive Wizard PST Size Reduce Method

If you don’t have the automated PST splitter, you can also use the archiving wizard method to split large PST files into small ones.

• Step 1: Start or open the MS Outlook e-mail client. Then select the PST file from which the data items of the file will be moved to a new PST file. Now click on the File → Info → Cleanup Tools → Archive…
• Step 2: Archive dialog box will appear on the screen, check the ‘Archive this folder and all subfolders’ box. Then choose the desired Archive folder, select a date till before of which you want to Archive items.
• Step 3: At the same time with the second step, click the “Browse” option to save items and give it a name like “New PST File”.
• Step 4: At the end, click the “OK” tab to start the actual splitting process. A newly created PST file is generated in the desired storage location. You can reduce the PST file size with the following steps in easy way.

Drawbacks of Manual Methods:

Many manual methods can be used to split PST files on any edition of Microsoft Outlook like – Outlook 2019/2016/2013/2010 and previous versions. But, the practical approach is not so easy and safe as it requires technical hands and unbound time. Let us see its drawbacks which are listed below:

1. It does not guarantee data security; if data is lost during the manual process, users are responsible for that.
2. Manual processes are very time-consuming and complex; uses need to follow them carefully; otherwise, a minor mistake can ruin the whole process.
3. While using manual processes, users need a lot of technical knowledge as the task is complex.
4. It is not easy to get the job done; you can lose control of the process at any time.

So, what to do?

To get away from all problems of manual methods, the smart choice is to use the Automated Split PST File Tool. That is, Regain Split PST File Software. This split PST file software has all the features a professional could want:

• It works fast on any size PST files and splits them securely. Don’t be afraid of losing data.
• This split PST file tool retains all the Meta properties of email as it is.
• It offers users 4 split options. 1) Split by size 2) Split by folder 3) Split by date 4) Split by year.
• It creates a new PST of small size after splitting the oversize Outlook PST files.
• Supports splitting of both versions of Outlook file (UNICODE and ANSI).
• Works fine on all Outlook versions 2019/2016/2013/2010/2007 and 2003.
• Designed with the latest graphical user interface and gets the job done in fewer steps.

Let’s Know How to Split PST File using a Professional Tool

Steps to split large PST files:-

• Step 1: Download & install Regain PST Splitter Tool on your system.
• Step 2: Now, Open Large PST File using the browse PST file button and display the PST file details.
• Step 3: Select the option on the basis of which you want to Split the added PST file.
• Step 4: Now, Browse the destination location and click on “Next” to proceed further.
• Step 5: The splitting process will start and you can view it in the progress bar.
• Step 6: After the completion of the whole process, you can see the split files on the defined location.

After looking at the working progress of this tool, one can easily say there is no other easy and safe way to split PST files rather this tool. To split PST files in Outlook 2019/2016/2013/2010, this Regain PST Splitter Software is the best option.

Tips to manage PST files effectively and prevent them from becoming too large.

Here are some tips to manage PST files effectively and prevent them from becoming too large:

• Regularly delete unwanted emails and attachments to free up space in the PST file.
• Use archiving to move old emails and attachments to a separate PST file, which can be stored on an external hard drive or cloud storage.
• Avoid using Outlook to store large attachments. Instead, save them to your computer or a cloud storage service and include a link to the file in the email message.
• Compact the PST file periodically to remove unused space and reduce the file size.
• Use a third-party tool to split large PST files into smaller parts.

Conclusion

Now you have learned how to split PST files in Outlook 2019, 2016, 2013, and 2010, using the manual and professional methods. Now it depends on you which option you like better. If you think you can face all of the limitations of manual methods, then using manual methods is a good choice for you. Otherwise, you can use the professional method that we discussed above to split PST Files. I hope you liked this article.

FAQs

Q1: Can I split a PST file that is currently in use by Outlook?

A: No, you must close Outlook before splitting the PST file.

Q2: Can I merge PST files after splitting them?

A: Yes, you can use the Import/Export feature in Outlook to merge multiple PST files into one.

Q3: What is the maximum size limit for a PST file in Outlook?

A: The maximum size limit for a PST file in Outlook 2019/2016/2013/2010 is 50 GB.

Q4: What happens if a PST file exceeds the maximum size limit in Outlook?

A: Outlook may become unstable and may not be able to open the PST file. Additionally, data in the PST file may become corrupted or lost.

Q5: Can I split a PST file using a third-party tool?

A: Yes, there are several third-party tools available that can split PST files. These tools offer more advanced features than the manual method and can split PST files based on various criteria, such as date, size, and sender.