How to Export your Outlook Data: Emails, Contacts, and Calendars with PST Files
How to Export your Outlook Data: Emails, Contacts, and Calendars with PST Files. Ever need to move your Outlook data to a new computer or program? Maybe you’re switching email providers or just want a safe backup. A PST (Personal Storage Table) file is a handy tool for exporting your Outlook information, including emails, contacts, and calendars. Here’s how to do it:
Before You Begin:
- This method works best for desktop versions of Outlook. If you’re using Outlook.com or another web-based email service, the process might be different. Check your provider’s support for specific instructions.
- Decide where to save your PST file. Choose a convenient location with enough storage space.
Let’s Get Exporting:
- Open Outlook.
- Click on the File tab.
- Navigate to Open & Export and select Import/Export.
- A wizard window will appear. Choose Export to a file, then click Next.
- Select Outlook Data File (.pst) and click Next.
- Choose the email account you want to export. By default, only one account can be exported at a time.
- Ensure the “Include subfolders” checkbox is selected. This guarantees everything from your Inbox, Calendar, Contacts, and Tasks gets exported.
- Click Next.
- Browse to your chosen location and name your PST file. Click OK to continue. 1 Optional: Password protection. For an additional layer of security, you can choose to encrypt your PST file with a password. Just check the “Encrypt the Outlook data file” box and enter your desired password.
That’s it! Your emails, contacts, and calendars are now stored in a PST file. You can import this file into another Outlook application to transfer your data.
Additional Tips:
- PST files can become quite large, especially if you have a lot of emails. Consider splitting the file into smaller chunks for easier management.
- Regularly backing up your PST files is a good practice to avoid data loss.
By following these steps, you can easily create a PST file to safeguard your valuable Outlook information. Now you have peace of mind knowing your data is secure!
