Tech Links & Tutorials » Outlook PST Backup

The Personal Folders Backup tool is designed for use in Outlook 2002 and later and the operating systems that support each respective Outlook version. The tool provides a quick and easy way to back up the Outlook information of your choice to your hard disk or network server or share.

After you back up your information, you can copy these duplicates of your Outlook data to a removable media such as a CD or DVD. The backup files are exact copies of the original files and are saved in the same file format. You can receive periodic reminders to back up your files.

About Personal Folders files (.pst)

Unless you are using a Microsoft Exchange Server e-mail account or an HTTP account, such as MSN® Hotmail®, all of your Outlook data is stored in a Personal Folders file (.pst) (Personal Folders file (.pst): Data file that stores your messages and other items on your computer. You can assign a .pst file to be the default delivery location for e-mail messages. You can use a .pst to organize and back up items for safekeeping.). Even when you have a Microsoft Exchange Server or Hotmail account, you can back up data to a .pst file, which is stored locally on your computer rather than on the e-mail server.

Each .pst file contains all of your Outlook folders, including the Inbox, Calendar, and Contacts. You can have a single .pst file (usually called Personal Folders in your Folder List (Folder List: Displays the folders available in your mailbox. To view subfolders, click the plus sign (+) next to the folder. If the Folder List is not visible, on the Go menu, click Folder List.)), but you can also have an additional .pst file that you use for archiving. Using the Personal Folders Backup tool, you can back up any or all of these .pst files.

 Notes 

• Personal Folders Backup tool only backs up .pst files. If you have an Exchange Server mailbox (mailbox: Location on a Microsoft Exchange server where your e-mail is delivered. Your administrator sets up a mailbox for each user. If you designate a personal folder file as your e-mail delivery location, messages are routed to it from your mailbox.), your server mailbox folders should be backed up regularly by your Exchange Server administrator.
• If you are using an East Asian operating system with an English version of Microsoft Office, you cannot use this download.

Compare Personal Folders Backup, exporting, and archiving

There are three ways to back up your Outlook e-mail messages, contacts, appointments, tasks, notes, and journal entries — the Personal Folders Backup tool, exporting, and archiving.

Personal Folders Backup tool   is used to copy your entire .pst file or files to your hard disk or to a network server or share.

Export  is used to create a file containing Outlook information, but still keep the original data in your folders. You can only export one folder at a time.

Archive  is used to move the items that you want to back up out of your folders.

Using the PST Backup tool

 Tip   Before you begin the backup process, you might want to check the size of your .pst file. If you have multiple folders in your .pst file, you must select the top-level folder to determine the total file size for all the folders.

1. Lists Personal Folders files (.pst) that will be included in the backup. 2. Displays the last time a backup was completed. 3. The Options button is where you can set reminders for the backup, which Personal Folders files are included, and the file location where the backup is saved. 4. You can open previously created backups.

1. Selecting the check box specifies that reminders are to be used. You can specify any number between 1 and 999 days. 2. Select the check box for each Personal Folders file you want to back up. 3. The file location is where your data will be copied to. Your original data will not be moved and changed. Once a backup is complete, you can use Windows Explorer to go to this location and see the backup file or copy it to removable media such as a CD, DVD, portable hard drive, or portable memory device.

Change the backup location for a personal folders file

1. On the File menu, click Backup.
2. Click Options.
3. In the Backup these personal folders files list, click the file you want to change the backup location for, and then change the location in the Backup the file selected above to this location box.
4. Click OK.
5. Click Save Backup.