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How to Open & Import a PST File in Outlook

Anuraag Singh ~ Modified: March 25th, 2022 ~ MS Outlook ~ 4 Minutes Reading

Are you finding the best solution to import a PST file in Outlook? If your answer is yes then here is the best blog to import Outlook PST files manually without using any tool.

We’ll go over all there is to know about PST files in this post. We’ll go through what a PST file is, where it’s kept, and how to make, export, and import one. For those who are unfamiliar with the Outlook PST file, this information is really helpful.

Importing the whole backup file into Outlook is unnecessary if you just want to recover one email from it. Here’s how to use Microsoft Outlook to glance over the contents of a PST file without having to import it.

Backing up your emails to a PST file is a great way to preserve space in your email account while still keeping a long-term archive of your communications. One drawback is that it’s unclear how to recover a single email from a PST file without importing the full file.

Fortunately, you can open a PST file in Outlook without needing to import it, allowing you to browse its contents as if it were a folder. Above all, you may read the messages, copy or move them to your account, delete them, respond to them, forward them, create a task or a meeting, and do whatever else you can with standard emails.

In which Case Moving PST is the Only Option

We’ll go over some of the most common reasons why someone might need to Import a PST file in Outlook.

  • There are a few things to bear in mind if you’re transferring between various sorts of machines, such as a desktop and a laptop.
  • If you’re migrating from one version of Outlook to another.
  • Here’s what you need to know if you’re going from one version of Windows to another.
  • Here’s everything you need to know about moving from desktop Outlook to Outlook Web Access.

These are the instances in which you might need to transfer a PST file from one computer to another.

Also Read: How to Convert OLM to PDF File Format

Import a PST File in Outlook Using Open Outlook Data File Option

  1. In Outlook, go to File —> Open & Export —> Open Outlook Data File.

  2. In the Open Outlook Data File dialogue box that displays, go to the location of the PST file that you want to attach to Outlook. C: PST backup.pst is the PST file in this scenario. Click OK once you’ve located the PST file.

  3. After you click the OK button, Outlook will create a new folder called Outlook Data File in the folder pane.

  4. Now that the PST file is linked to Outlook, you can choose whether to put the contents into your own mailbox or leave them in a separate PST file.

Note: In this method, you can only view your PST file data in the outlook. But if you want to edit, print, or move your PST file data then use a second manual method to Import a PST file in Outlook.

Import a PST File in Outlook Using Import/Export Option

An Outlook Data File may be used to save data from Outlook (.pst). This allows you to back up or migrate Outlook data, including emails, calendars, contacts, tasks, and notes, to a different computer.

Folder properties like permissions and views are not preserved when you export to an Outlook Data File (.pst). The only thing that gets exported is the content.

  1. At the top of the Outlook Ribbon, select File.
  2. Select Open & Export >> Import / Export from the menu bar.
  3. Next, select Export as a file from the drop-down menu.
  4. Click next after selecting Outlook Data File (.pst).
  5. After selecting next, select the folder to which you wish to save the PST file.
  6. Select the place where you want to save the PST file by clicking Browse. The finish is the last option.
  7. To export a PST file, type and confirm the password, then click OK.

You may just click the OK button after leaving both fields blank. The PST file will be saved without a password.

NOTE: Only one account’s information may be exported at a time. Check that the Include subfolders checkbox is selected.

Conclusion

You learned how to attach or import a PST file in Outlook in this post. So, you’ve learned how to manually attach PST files to Outlook using the capabilities provided inside the application.