How to Add, Close and Remove Outlook Data File (PST)?

Updated On - October 25, 2024 by Henry Bray | Reading Time: 5 minutes

Outlook application data files are storehouse all your e-mail, sent items, notations, etc. The mailbox hierarchy is stored as shown in the data file. But, there is no need for users to create the data file manually because Outlook automatically performs all the work after the user creates the new Outlook profile. Sometimes, users require a lot to add a new PST file for backup and archiving purposes. Whenever any employee leaves the organization, at that time, the manager wants to access the employee’s email so that later on, the manager can add the employee’s Outlook account PST to his account accurately without any issues. Similarly, there may be other circumstances when a user needs to close and remove data files. MS Outlook allows all such actions inside the application, and the steps are simple.

What is a PST file?

A PST file is a data file used by Microsoft Outlook to store email messages, contacts, calendar entries, and other types of data. PST files are saved on your computer’s hard drive and can be used to store data that is not stored on an email server. This makes them useful for archiving old email messages and freeing up space on an email server.

Add new PST file in Outlook

• Start with modern versions of the MS Outlook application, such as 2019, 2016, and 2013.
• Click New Items, then select More Items and finally move to Outlook Data File.
• Now Browse and select PST file of different account and just click OK to proceed further.
• A new mailbox is presented in all associated folders.

There is another method by which you can easily add a new PST file. You can do this with the Windows account settings.

1. Go to the File Info, and click Account Settings, then Report Accounts again.
2. Now in Account Settings window, you need to click on ‘New’ option and then follow these steps to add a PST file.

Close PST file in Outlook

When you receive an email from an added PST file and no longer need such a PST file, then you can close it so that the Outlook profile does not look confusing. Here some simple steps are given to close Outlook data file quickly:

1. Select profile, right click on it and click Close ‘Outlook Data File’ from the drop down list. It will immediately close the profile.

Remove PST file in Outlook

An active Outlook account requires a PST file, so sometimes, you want to delete the data file entirely because it is no longer needed. If you’re going to remove a PST file, then you need to remove the data file. We’ve listed a few steps below, after which you can easily remove your data files.

1. Go to the file Info and then click on Account settings >> Account Settings.
2. In Account Settings window; select the desired data file to be removed and click the Remove button. Now, it will ask you to confirm your choice. Just Click ‘Yes’ button.

Outlook PST file

Personal Storage Table (PST) is an Outlook data file that stores all Outlook items such as copies of messages, calendars, contacts, notes, tasks, events, etc. It also contains all the mailbox items of Exchange account, Microsoft 365 account, IMAP/POP account, etc. In addition to adding, closing, and deleting data files, you can use other actions on the PST file, such as taking an archive or exporting a separate PST file. Both these actions are necessary to keep Outlook healthy and safe, and the user should be aware of these steps as well.

Archive Outlook data file

You can move your Outlook data elements that you want to save to the archive, a separate Outlook data file (PST), so you can open them from Outlook at any time you need. This increases the security factor of the Outlook user account.

1. Go to the Account Information, click on the Cleanup Tool category and here you need to click on the archive option.
2. Select the folder you want to archive from various options and browse the location of the archive folders. Click OK 

Export data to a PST file

By exporting your Outlook data, you will create a separate PST file. When an email is transferred to a PST file, it includes any attachments, but it does not import Metadata – for example, folder properties; Notification rules, and blocked the list of senders. When email, calendars, and contact information are exported from Outlook to the PST file, it prepares copy information, and nothing is removed from Outlook. You can still view your data on Outlook. To export the data to PST file, follow the instruction given below:

1. Go to the Open and Export category and click on the Import / Export option
2. Select the second option to export the file. Click Next.
3. Now, Select Outlook Data File (PST) option and Click Next.
4. Select folders to export from different folders available, check the Enable sub-folder option. Click the Filter button to also use the filters. Then click Next.
5. Now you will get three options for managing duplicate items. Browse to save the PST file to any folder. Click Finish.

Best practices for managing PST files in Outlook

• Use separate PST files for different types of data: To keep your data organized, it’s a good idea to use separate PST files for different types of data, such as email messages, contacts, and calendar entries. This makes it easier to find the data you need and ensures that your PST files don’t become too large.
• Regularly backup your PST files: PST files can become corrupted or damaged, so it’s important to regularly back them up. You can do this by copying the PST files to an external hard drive or other backup location.
• Keep your PST files small: Large PST files can cause performance issues with Outlook, so it’s important to keep your PST files small. You can do this by regularly archiving old email messages and deleting any unnecessary data.
• Use compression to reduce the size of your PST files: Outlook includes a compression feature that can be used to reduce the size of your PST files. This can be useful if you have a large amount of data stored in Outlook.
• Avoid storing PST files on a network drive: Storing PST files on a network drive can cause performance issues with Outlook and can make your data more vulnerable to corruption or data loss.
• Use a reliable antivirus program: PST files can become infected with viruses or malware, so it’s important to use a reliable antivirus program to protect your computer and your data.
• Monitor the size of your PST files: It’s a good idea to regularly monitor the size of your PST files to ensure that they don’t become too large. You can do this by checking the size of each PST file in the Account Settings window in Outlook.

Wrapping Up

The Outlook PST file is a key part of any activity. You can perform many types of actions on it, but you cannot lose its data. If the PST file is corrupted or deleted, you must immediately use Inbox Repair software to identify and retrieve the data. To provide more security, you can use a professional Regain Outlook PST Repair tool that can recover data from corrupted Outlook data files within a short time.

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