How to Backup Outlook PST Files [Complete Guide for 2024]

This article will walk you through three available methods to back up your Outlook PST file.

What is an Outlook PST file and why do you need to back it up? An Outlook PST (Personal Storage Table) file is a file format used in Microsoft Outlook to store user data such as emails, contacts, calendar events, tasks, notes, and more. PST files enable users to access their emails and other data offline and synchronize changes when connected to the internet. Here are some reasons why you should back up your Outlook PST file: 1. **Data Security**: Accidental data loss can occur due to hardware failures, virus infections, human errors, or system crashes. Backing up your PST file ensures that your emails and crucial information remain safe. 2. **Migration and Upgrades**: When switching computers, upgrading Outlook versions, or transitioning between work environments, a backed-up PST file simplifies the process of migrating all your data. 3. **Storage Management**: If Outlook's built-in storage limits are reached, you can export part of your data to a PST file and back it up, freeing up mailbox space. 4. **Disaster Recovery**: In case of significant data loss events like fires, floods, or other natural disasters, a backed-up PST file serves as a vital resource for restoring your data. 5. **Version Compatibility**: Different Outlook versions may have varying levels of support for PST files. Backing up your PST ensures access to your data when switching between older or newer versions. Regularly backing up your Outlook PST file is crucial for safeguarding your personal and professional communications. You can use Outlook's built-in export feature or third-party tools to create backup copies and store them securely, either on external hard drives or cloud storage services.

Outlook is one of the most widely used email clients for businesses and individuals worldwide. It is part of the Microsoft Office suite and is compatible with both Windows and Mac operating systems.

One key feature of Outlook is its support for PST files. PST stands for "Personal Storage Table," and an Outlook PST file is a container that stores all your Outlook data, including emails, contacts, calendar entries, tasks, and notes.

This file is stored on your computer's hard drive, and Microsoft Outlook uses it to keep all of your Outlook data in one place. PST files can also be used to transfer data between different Outlook installations.

There can be multiple reasons for you to backup Outlook PST files.

• If you upgrade to a new computer, you'll need to transfer your PST file to the new machine.
• When migrating from an older version of Outlook to a newer one, you'll need to export your PST file and then import it into the new Outlook version.
• If your Outlook crashes or your data becomes corrupted, you'll need to restore your PST file from a backup.

Thus, backing up Outlook PST files is an essential part of using this email client. This article will introduce you to three methods to back up Outlook PST files.

How to Backup Outlook PST File – 3 Methods

• Method 1: Use Outlook Backup Software
• Method 2: Backup with Personal Folders
• Method 3: Utilize the Import/Export Wizard

Method 1️⃣: Automatically Backup Outlook PST with an Outlook Backup Software

Todo Backup is a reliable and professional backup software that can help you back up Outlook PST files with just a few clicks. This Outlook backup software supports automatic and scheduled backup of Outlook PST files and saves them to a USB flash drive, external hard drive, or network location.

Aside from these, Todo Backup also offers various backup options, such as full backup, incremental backup, and differential backup.

Now, follow the Outlook backup tutorial below to learn how to back up Outlook PST file with Todo Backup step by step.

Step 1: Launch the Todo Backup tool on your computer, click “Create Backup” on the home screen, and then click the big question mark button to choose “Backup Content”.

Step 2. Tap on “App Data” among the four backup options.

Step 3: You will then see a list of all the apps that you can back up. Find and check the box next to "Microsoft Outlook". Choose the email account from which you want to backup your emails, contacts, or calendar, then tap "OK".

Step 4. Next, you need to select where to save your Outlook backup by clicking the illustrated area.

Step 5: The backup location can be another local disk on your computer, an external drive, a network, cloud storage, or a NAS. We generally recommend using an external physical drive or cloud storage to save your backup files.

Step 6. If interested, click the Options button to customize settings like scheduling automatic backups daily, weekly, monthly, or on events, and doing differential and incremental backups. Click "Backup Now" and the Outlook backup process will begin. Completed tasks will be displayed as cards on the left side.

More to read: How to Backup Outlook Emails from Browser (OWA)

Method 2️⃣: Automate Outlook PST Backup with the "Personal Folders Backup" Add-In

Personal Folders Backup is an add-on tool installed on Microsoft Outlook that automates the backup process. It backs up Outlook only in PST format.

If you use an Exchange Server mailbox, your administrator likely backs up your files regularly. Here are the detailed steps to back up your Outlook PST file using the Microsoft Outlook Personal Folders Backup add-in:

Step 1: Launch Microsoft Outlook and log in with your account and password.

Step Two: Click on the “File” tab in the top left, and select “Backup.”

Step 3: Click “Options,” and then select the files you want to back up in the pop-up window.

Step 4: Click “Done,” and your files will begin to back up automatically.

Method 3️⃣: Manually Back Up Outlook PST Using Import/Export Wizard

Export and Import is a manual Outlook backup method that can be used to back up your Outlook PST file on your local computer or transfer Outlook data to another computer.

Here are the detailed steps to export Outlook data to a PST file: 1. Launch Microsoft Outlook. 2. In the main interface, click on "File" in the top-left corner. 3. From the dropdown menu, select "Info" (in some versions, it might be "Options"). 4. In the new window that opens, find and click on "Manage Email Accounts" or "Manage Accounts." 5. In the Account Settings window that appears, choose the email account from which you need to export your data, then click on "Change Folders." 6. In the new mailbox window, hold down the Ctrl key and click on the folders you wish to export, to select multiple folders. Alternatively, you can directly choose "All Folders" to export everything. 7. Click on the "New" button in the top-right corner, then select "Outlook Data File (.pst)." 8. Choose a save location for your PST file, enter a filename, and then click "Save." 9. Outlook will now start creating the PST file and copying the selected emails and data. This may take some time depending on the amount of data. 10. Once completed, a confirmation dialog will appear. Review the details, and if everything is correct, click "Finish." 11. Lastly, don't forget to close the Account Settings window. Now, you have successfully exported your Outlook data to a PST file. This PST file can be imported into another instance of Outlook when needed or used for backup purposes.

Step 1: Open Microsoft Outlook and sign in with your account information.

Step 2: Click File, and then choose Open & Export > Import/Export.

Step 3: In the popup window, choose the “Export to file” option and click “Next.”

Step 4: Then choose Outlook Data File (.pst) as the export type, and click Next.

Step 5: Select the Outlook data you want to export, then click “Finish.”

You can also use this method to move your Outlook data to another computer.

To do this, you would first export your Outlook data to a PST file on the old computer, copy that file (or those files) to the new computer, and then import the PST file(s) in Outlook on the new computer.

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The Final Verdict: A Comparison of Three Backup Methods

All the three methods mentioned above can help you to back up Outlook PST file. However, each method has its own pros and cons.

The first method for backing up Outlook, using an Outlook backup software to back up Outlook, is the most recommended one, as it's user-friendly and can help you automate the Outlook backup process. It also supports incremental Outlook backup and differential Outlook backup.

Backing up Outlook with the “Personal Folders Backup” utility is also straightforward. However, it supports only PST format for backing up Outlook, and you need to have some familiarity with the Outlook Personal Folders Backup add-in.

Manually backing up Outlook with the import/export feature is a bit convoluted. But it supports Outlook backups in PST and CSV formats, which you can use to transfer your Outlook data to another computer.

We recommend trying Outlook backup software, Todo Backup, to automate and secure your Outlook PST file backups. Download and try it now!

Frequently Asked Questions about Outlook PST 2013 Backup

1. Where does Outlook backup PST files?

Different versions of Outlook save backup PST files in different default locations. For the latest version of Outlook and Windows, you can find your PST file at this path: C:\Users\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Outlook

How do I recover a PST file?

You can use the Import/Export feature in Outlook to restore the PST file. Choose to import from another program or file, then browse to the location of the PST file and select where to store it.

Where is the Outlook PST file in Windows 10?

For Outlook 2007 and earlier, you can find the PST file at C:\Users\\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Outlook. For Outlook 2010, it's located at C:\Users\\Documents\Outlook Files. For Outlook 2013, 2016, and 2019, the path is either C:\Users\\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Outlook or C:\Users\\Roaming\Local\Microsoft\Outlook.

What is the difference between OST and PST?

OST and PST are data storage formats used by Outlook. Outlook's PST files are utilized for storing archived items, while OST files are used to keep items available offline. OST and PST files can be converted into one another.