Taking regular backups of your Outlook data is crucial to safeguard your emails, contacts, calendars, and other important information. Backups ensure that you can easily restore your Outlook data in case of data loss, or corruption, or when migrating to a new computer. Here, we’ll discuss some of the best ways to take Outlook backups, providing you with peace of mind and the ability to recover your data when needed.
Microsoft Outlook’s built-in Export feature: Microsoft Outlook offers a built-in Export feature that allows you to create backups of your Outlook data. You can export your emails, contacts, calendars, and other items to a PST (Personal Storage Table) file, which serves as a comprehensive backup. This method is suitable for individual users who want a simple backup solution.
Where is Outlook Email Backup Saved?
Outlook email backups are typically saved in a PST (Personal Storage Table) file format. The specific location where the PST file is saved depends on the version of Outlook and the operating system like : as export pst from office 365, office 365 email backup you are using. Here are the default locations for backup pst files in different versions of Outlook:
- Outlook 2019, Outlook 2016, Outlook 2013, and Outlook 2010:
- Windows 10/8/7/Vista: C:\Users<Username>\Documents\Outlook Files
- Windows XP: C:\Documents and Settings<Username>\My Documents\Outlook Files
- Outlook 2007:
- Windows 10/8/7/Vista: C:\Users<Username>\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Outlook
- Windows XP: C:\Documents and Settings<Username>\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook
- Outlook 2003 and earlier:
- Windows 10/8/7/Vista/XP: C:\Documents and Settings<Username>\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook
Note: Please note that “<Username>” represents your user account name. However, it’s important to note that the default location can be changed during the setup or configuration of Microsoft outlook backup. Additionally, users can manually choose a different location to save all emails from Outlook.
If you’re unsure about the exact location of your backup email from outlook you can check the Outlook account settings to find the path where the backup pst file is stored.
Open Outlook.
- Go to the “File” tab or “Account Settings” (depending on the version of Outlook).
- Select “Account Settings” or “Data Files” (again, depending on the version).
- Look for the data file associated with the email account you want to back up. The file path will be displayed next to the file name.
Alternatively, you can use the search function in Windows Explorer or File Explorer to search for files with the Outlook backup file extension to locate your Outlook backup files.
What are The Reasons To Have Backup Email From Outlook
There are several important reasons to have a backup of your email from Outlook:
- Data Loss Prevention: Email data can be vulnerable to various risks such as accidental deletion, hardware failure, software corruption, viruses, and system crashes. Having a backup ensures that you can recover your important emails, attachments, and contacts in case of data loss.
- Accidental Deletion: It’s common to accidentally delete important emails or folders. With a backup, you can easily restore these deleted items without permanent loss.
- Email Recovery: In case of a computer or system failure, having a backup allows you to restore your email data quickly and efficiently, minimizing downtime and ensuring that you can access your important communications without disruption.
- Migration or Upgrade: When migrating to a new computer, upgrading to a new version of Outlook, or switching to a different email client, having a backup simplifies the transfer of your email data. You can easily import your backup to the new environment and maintain access to your past messages, contacts, and calendar events.
- Historical Reference: Email backups serve as a historical reference for past communications and attachments. It allows you to retrieve old messages, reference previous conversations, and access important information stored in emails that may no longer be available in your active mailbox.
- Compliance and Legal Requirements: In certain industries or professions, maintaining email records is mandatory for compliance and legal purposes. Backing up your emails ensures that you meet regulatory requirements and have a record of communication if needed for legal proceedings or audits.
- Disaster Recovery: Backing up your email data is an essential part of a comprehensive disaster recovery plan. It provides an added layer of protection against unforeseen events such as natural disasters, fires, or theft. With a backup, you can restore your email data and continue your business operations smoothly.
- Peace of Mind: Knowing that you have a backup of your email data provides peace of mind. It gives you confidence that even in the event of data loss, you have a reliable backup to rely on, reducing stress and potential productivity disruptions.
How Do I Backup My Emails From Outlook
Method 1: Export Outlook Data to Backup OST File
To export Outlook data to a backup OST file, follow these steps:
Step 1: Open Outlook and click on the “File” tab.
Step 2: Select “Open & Export” and then click on “Import/Export.”
Step 3: In the “Import and Export Wizard,” select “Export to a file” and then click on “Next.”
Step 4: Choose “Outlook Data File (.pst)” and click on “Next.”
Step 5: Select the folder you want to export, such as your Inbox or Sent Items, and then click on “Next.”
Step 6: Choose the location where you want to save the backup OST file and enter a name for it.
Step 7: Click on “Finish” to complete the export process.
Method 2: Archive Outlook Folders to Backup OST File
To archive Outlook folders to a backup OST file, follow these steps:
Step 1: Open Outlook and click on the “File” tab.
Step 2: Click on “Options” and then select “Advanced.”
Step 3: Under the “AutoArchive” section, click on “AutoArchive Settings.”
Step 4: In the “AutoArchive” window, select the “Archive this folder using these settings” option.
Step 5: Select the folder you want to archive, and set the archive options such as the archive period and the location of the archive file.
Step 6: Choose “Outlook Data File (.pst)” as the file type and click on “Browse” to select a location for the backup OST file.
Step 7: Enter a name for the backup OST file, click on “OK,” and then click on “Finish.”
Method 3: Create a New PST File
To create a new PST file in Outlook, follow these steps:
Step 1: Open Outlook and click on the “File” tab.
Step 2: Click on “New” and then select “Outlook Data File.”
Step 3: In the “New Outlook Data File” window, select “Outlook Data File (.pst)” and click on “OK.”
Step 4: In the “Create or Open Outlook Data File” window, select the location where you want to save the PST file, enter a name for the file, and click on “OK.”
Step 5: In the “Create Microsoft Personal Folders” window, enter a display name for the new PST file, if needed.
Step 6: Choose whether you want to set a password for the PST file or not, and click on “OK.”
Step 7: The new PST file will now be listed in the navigation pane on the left side of the Outlook window.
Method 4: Have A Backup Email From Outlook Using Hi5 OST To OST Conversion
Hi5 OST To OST Conversion is an award-winning tool loved by millions of users across the globe, the tool is user-friendly to have Outlook backup extremely easy. You can back up your files, and data, photos easily your files without any modification. The tool is built with powerful algorithms that dive deeper into the petition to have backup up to more than 500 types of files lost due to any reason It supports all kinds of Outlook backups such as Office 365 Outlook backup, outlook 2010 export pst, backing up emails from outlook 365, etc. The tool is compatible with all versions of Windows and Mac.
Download NowSteps To Backup Email From Outlook
Step 1: Download Hi5 OST to PST Conversion Software on your system
Step 2: Double-click on the downloaded icon and complete the installation process
Step 3: Once the software is installed successfully and launched on your system, then on the first screen you can see these three options
- Open OST File – Click on this option if you know the path of the OST File
- Find OST File – If you’re not aware of the OST file location, then click on this option
Step 4: After selecting the appropriate option in Step 3, using the “Browse” option select the folder path where exactly you want to save the converted file
Step 5: Click on “Next” option to start the conversion process
Step 6: Once the OST file is converted, you can see the message saying ‘ost file conversion completed’
Step 7: Now, you will have a PST file containing all file attributes that were in the OST file. You can now import this file in Outlook to access it as a PST file
Useful Tips To Have Backup Email From Outlook
- Regularly Back Up Your Email
- Use Automated Backup Solutions
- Enable Archiving
- Store Backups in Multiple Locations
- Encrypt and Password Protect Backups
- Test and Verify Backups
- Document Backup Procedures
- Keep Backup Software Up to Date
Conclusion:
Here we end our discussion on having backup emails from Outlook such as exporting pst files from Outlook, exporting pst files, and Outlook how to backup emails where we have explained 8 ways to help you get back deleted Outlook files. However, if you are looking for an easy yet quick way to back up your Outlook data. We suggest you make use of the Hi5 OST To PST Conversion Tool. If you have any additional questions regarding this article, feel free to drop them in the comment section below.
