How to Compress Outlook PST Files?

Method to Compress PST File Size

Desktop-based email clients offer numerous user-friendly features that simplify data management. They grant users complete control over their database,ensure higher privacy by saving data locally rather than strictly on the cloud,and streamline the management of multiple accounts,calendars,meetings,and contacts from a single dashboard. There are numerous safety features present in the software that make it a secure platform. At one end,the desktop-based email clients comprise of so many features,on the other hand,it has certain limitations as well.

Talking about the most popular desktop-based email application that is Outlook,then it has a size issue. In the PST file format there is also a size limit.

Incoming and outgoing number of emails can cause the Outlook PST file to increase severely. Once it reaches its maximum storage users starts experiencing performance lag,and an increased risk of database corruption. The issues come in the opening of email,delay in Outlook opening,error messages,and if ignored for a long time it might become the cause of PST file corruption as well.

For an Outlook user it is not possible to keep a track on PST length and restrict its increasing size.

The question is how to keep Outlook PST size as small as possible?

Here we suggest some methods that will help users in keeping the PST size small and database well managed.

What are the Reasons for Increased PST Size and its Consequences?

The Outlook saves its data in PST file format. The more a user sends or receives emails the larger PST grows. Gradually,the PST file reaches its limit and sometimes cross it. And that is when the real problem comes. The consequences of large size PST are:

• Outlook stores data locally on the hard drive of the system. The increased PST size means more space on the hard drive. For that,user might need to buy an additional hard disk to store data.
• When PST gets oversize,it causes serious performance issues like latency in download or opening of mail in the Outlook client.
• And the worst impact of increased PST size is corruption. When PST size grows to its maximum limit or exceeds its maximum limit,then corruption happens. In that situation,user must repair PST file to protect the crucial data present in the mailbox.

What Is the PST Size Limit?

The user wants to know what is PST size limit for Outlook. The Outlook saves data in two different formats ANSI and UNICODE. The Outlook 2003 and other version save data in the UNICODE PST file format. The size limit for this PST is between 20 GB to 50 GB. Outlook 2002 and below version uses ANSI PST file format. The size limit for the same is 2GB.

Outlook allows its user to save mail data based on the PST size. An ANSI or lower Outlook version user cannot save more than 2GB data in PST. Similarly,a user cannot save data more than 20 to 50 GB in Outlook 2003 and above version.

If they do so,then they are likely to see serious errors in the PST file. Some of the error messages linked with increased PST are:

• xxxx.pst cannot be accessed – 0x80040116.Errors have been detected in the file xxxx.pst. Quit all mail-enabled applications,and then use the Inbox Repair Tool.
• The file could not be added to the folder. The action cannot be finished.
• Task Microsoft Exchange Server Receiving reported Unknown Error
• The file xxxx.pst has reached its maximum size. To reduce the amount of data in this file,select some items that user no longer needs,then permanently delete them.

How User Can Handle an Oversized PST File

Ask an Outlook Email application user how they manage their PST file,and keep its size in control. They would say,they delete unwanted emails from the file. This might seem a solution to user but actually,it is not. This is because delete emails get in the delete folder of PST file. The user wants to retrieve deleted mail,they can do so by opening the deleted mail folder.

The other option is deleting the emails permanently,i.e. deleting emails from delete folder as well. This step is indeed a thoughtful way to clean the Outlook inbox file,but not for reducing the PST size. This is because even user permanently deletes emails from Outlook,it still occupies space on the hard disk of the device. This space is known as 'empty space or white space'. This occupies a significant amount of space on the hard disk and increases the size of PST.

The best idea to reduce PST size is to remove unused space from PST. By doing so user would not only be able to reduce the PST size but will also increase the Outlook performance.

Think how about user get an option to reduce PST size without deleting important emails or removing space from hard disk manually. Isn't that great idea?

Have a look at how to reduce PST size using the Outlook inbuilt tool

How to Reduce the PST Size?

There are two methods present to compress PST or reduce its size without losing or deleting data. The first method is the manual method in which user can take help of an Outlook inbuilt tool. The second method is taking the help of third-party software. The second method is more reliable and doesn't alter the data. But,before we recommend any third party software have a look on the method to compress PST size manually.

The Outlook has an inbuilt tool that helps to reduce PST file. We are going to use the same. At first,user need to manage the Outlook mailbox size. Use the Mailbox Cleanup tool to view mailbox size mailbox and individual folders. The other option is to archive older items by moving them archive Outlook Data File (.pst) and also empty Deleted Items folder. The step by step guide for the same:

• Start Microsoft Outlook on the device.
• Click on the File tab of the ribbon menu. Next,go to Info,then click on Account Settings,and select Account Settings again from the drop down list.
• Here user will get option Cleanup Tools,click on the same and then to the Mailbox Cleanup.

• In Mailbox Cleanup dialog box,tab on option View Mailbox Size to view the total size of the Outlook mailbox.
• Click on Close button after that.

Now follow steps to compact PST file

• Again open Outlook and then go to the option taskbar. Click on File option,then Info,and then Account Settings.

• Click the Data Files tab in the Account setting page. Select the Outlook data file user want to reduce size or compact. Then click on the Settings option.
• On the dialog box of Outlook Data File,click on Compact Now button to compact PST file.

• After receiving this command,Microsoft Outlook will start compacting the PST file size. Wait till the process ends. It may take some time.
• Once the compaction process finishes,user can use the same properties menu to verify the newly reduced file size.