This write-up covers how to archive old emails in Outlook to free up space. You will learn how to easily archive old Outlook emails in a PST file using tested solutions.
If your Outlook inbox is full and you’re running out of space or facing performance issues, you need to archive your old emails. This will help you transfer old emails from your inbox and store them in a PST file. By this, your Outlook will work smoothly, and you can manage your emails. Let us check out the ways to move old emails from Outlook to a PST file.
Why is archiving old Outlook emails in a PST file important?
A lot of reasons define the need to export Outlook old emails in PST format, such as:
- To free up storage space
- To improve the performance of Outlook
- To back up important emails for future use
- To keep the record for business or personal use
How to archive old Outlook emails in a PST file?
You will get different ways to move old emails from Outlook in PST format, including:
- Manual method
- Professional Tool
Also read: How to Archive Outlook Email Without PST File
Manual method to archive old emails in Outlook
The first one is a manual solution that works only with Outlook 2021, 2019, 2016, and Microsoft 365 versions. Read the following steps of this method to archive old emails of MS Outlook:
- Start by opening Outlook and viewing the File tab
- Pick the Open & Export option and then go for Import/Export
- Opt for the Export to a file option and place the mouse on Next
- After this, go with the Outlook data file (.pst) from the list and hit Next
- Now, head to the file from which you need to archive emails and hit Next
- Finally, set a path to save the PST file, name it, and hit the Finish button to complete the task.
Auto-archive Settings to archive Outlook’s old email messages
- Begin by launching the Outlook application and tapping on the File option
- Hit Options, and then head to the Advanced tab
- Hit on Auto-archive settings
- Mark the Run AutoArchive every n days
- Finally, use the Advanced option as per your requirements.
Note: The manual solutions are free of cost. However, they have some drawbacks.
Drawbacks of Manual Techniques
Check the drawbacks of the manual solution to transfer old emails to PST in Outlook:
- Involves high data loss risk and consumes so much time
- Not workable for multiple accounts at a time
- Proper technical guidance or expertise is necessary for manual solutions
- There will be an alteration in the original database structure
- This method won’t work if you have large emails to archive
Note: To get rid of the drawbacks of manual solutions, experts suggest choosing a professional tool.
Automatically archive old Outlook emails in a PST file
If you need a quick and hassle-free way to archive old emails of Outlook, then try the professional tool, i.e., Softaken OST Conversion Suite. This effective tool can easily export all emails, contacts, notes, calendars, and other items to a PST file. Using the Date Range filter, users can quickly export selective emails to a PST file. This program smartly supports bulk export of emails to a PST file without opening Outlook. Apart from this, it offers numerous advanced features to make your data manageable.
Simple steps to Move Old emails to a PST file in Outlook:
- Initially, install and run the OST File Archiver Software on your system.
- Then, pick File or Folder mode to add an OST file from your system.
- After this, view the content of the OST file.
- Go with the ‘PST file format’ option and filter data, if required.
- Then, mention a directory to save the PST file.
- Finally, tap on the ‘Export’ button.
This is how old emails of Outlook are archived in a PST file.
Advantages of using professional software
- Transfer all data from the Outlook OST file to a PST file & another format
- Enable migrating to Office 365, Gmail, and IMAP Servers
- Recheck the OST file data items in preview before export to PST
- No requirement for MS Outlook to use the software
- Instant processing and safe conversion of Outlook OST file items
- Allow exporting multiple OST files in a single attempt
- Smoothly work with all versions of MS Outlook, such as Outlook 2021, 2019, 2016, and others
Conclusion
To manage old emails to make space for new emails, archiving old emails in a PST file is the best solution. So, this article has covered all available options to archive old emails of Outlook. You can pick the given methods to archive Outlook old emails in a PST file. For a few emails, you can go for the manual solution, but for a large number of emails, a professional solution is highly recommended. For a complete evaluation, you can download the demo edition. To get answers to your queries, connect with our technical team.
