PST files in Microsoft Outlook 2013 operate a lot like they have in previous versions of Outlook. What are PST files? They are the files Outlook users to store your email, contacts and calendar data. Put simple, .PST files are the data file for Outlook 2013 used to store all your email client data.
Although the default install of Outlook creates a .PST file, I like to create multiple PST files to organize my email and my email archives of previous years. Here’s the simple steps for creating and customizing a PST file.
How to Create PST Files in Outlook 2013
Open Outlook 2013 and click File in the Top Ribbon.
Under Info Tab, Click Account Settings.
And Click Account Settings again.
Click Data Files.
Click Add.
Click Outlook data file (.pst) and Click OK.
Name the File and Click OK to save it.
Note: Optionally, you can check the box below the name to add a password or you can do this later. Just be aware, this will not encrypt your PST file, and it’s a simple process to break the password and gain access to the PST. Personally, I never use a password on PST files.
After Clicking OK, your Data Files / PST files will be listed along with their path. Notice my 2011 Archive PST I just created is listed here.
Click Close to continue on the Account Settings page.
Outlook will take you back to your Inbox HOME tab and if you minimize your Default Mailbox, your new PST Files and Folder Structure will be waiting there for you.
At this point I like to create a folder called Inbox so I can move old email from my current PST file / Mailbox into this Archive Folder. To do this, Right click the new PST File Archive and Click New Folder.
Give it a name Inbox and Click OK.
And there it is.
From here you can Drag-and-Drop email from your current Inbox into your new Archive Inbox. Just remember to have a solid backup solution when you start creating Archives on your computer in case your drive dies and you need to recover old PST files.
Nice write up Steve and exactly how I archive my old mail.
I’ve experienced that people don’t initially understand that you
can close the data file. They think the
navigation pane will be cluttered up with numerous folders from each years archived
mail.
With this in mind I think it’s worth pointing out that you can right click the data file in the
navigation pane and click “close”
Then when/if they need to access their old mail, click File > Account
Settings > Account Settings > Data File tab > Add
Navigate to and select the Data file
Click “OK”
Simon H
Very good point Simon. Thnx for the extra tip!
I can’t find change folder bottom in Outlook 2013 like 2010
Can you help?
Hey, good one, it helped me… thank you
Hi Steve,
Thanks for sharing the tip. I would like to know that that whether Scanpst is included in the this new version of Outlook 2013 or not. As corruption of pst file is the big issue.
Regards
Sarah
Hi Sarah,
No it’s not. That’s a stand-alone tool not included in Outlook. If you have a corrupt PST file you will still need to use SCANPST to correc.t
You can also create a PST in outlook 2013 with the following: Home > New Item > More > Outlook Data File
Love Microsoft — always about 10 ways to do something. Thnx for the tip!