How to Take Backup of PST Files in an Easy Way

Backup has been considered as a good savior for those users who had lost the access to their original data. Also, enables to get back users very important data in such situations like a physical malfunction of the system or external hard drives. Apart from this, Microsoft Outlook stores email messages, contacts, tasks and etc. In one of the following two locations such as on the hard disk or the Exchange server. Moreover, users can utilize the backup of Outlook Emails to recover or move the Outlook data if users may face the hardware failure, unexpected data loss, and much more. Thus, the main objective of this article is to help users understand the basic need of data backup and let the users know how to take backup of PST files in Outlook 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016 in any easy manner.

Reasons Behind to Take Backup of PST Files

There are plenty of reasons due to which a backup copy of Outlook PST file is required and some of them are discussed below:

1. Storage Capacity Exceeding: Sometimes, the mailbox has over flooded with multiple email messages and then, the mailbox has exceeded the storage limit and leading cause of data loss.

2. Accidental File Deletion: As many users may delete their necessary data by mistake and they cannot get back their data later.

3. Protect from Natural Disaster: It is mandatory to keep the backup of required data for future reference. For example, once in a while users may face any disaster, a network failure at that moment users have to take backup of PST files in Outlook 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016 and save them for future usage.

So, it is suggested to maintain the backup of each data so users can easily recover their lost or deleted data in any adverse situations. In upcoming section, we are going to discuss the manual steps that help to backup Outlook emails of users.

Different Ways to Backup PST file

Follow some of the workarounds to take backup of Outlook data files as discussed below:

Manually Method to Backup Outlook Emails

The default location for Windows XP is
C:/Documents and Settings/%username%/Local Settings/Application Data/Microsoft/Outlook/

The default location for Vista users is
C:/Users/%username%/AppData/Local/Microsoft/Outlook/

MS Outlook can store each email information in a single .pst file. The personal storage table file can easily save all account data such as emails, contacts, journal, and calendar entries.

Also, the PST data file can be accessed by following steps such as:
Step 1: Go to File menu and Select Data File Management and then, click on the Data File tab.
Step 2: Now, choose the personal folder(s) and press the Open Folder option

Relocating the Outlook Data Files

In the same way, users want to keep their precious files without any trouble by saving it into a separate section, even they can change the default location of PST file. Let us discuss the following walk through:

Step 1: First, you have to Close Outlook application
Step 2: Now, locate PST data file through a default location as mentioned before.
Step 3: Then, Copy it to the another partition

Note: Make sure, rename Outlook PST file in the existing path. For an instance, change Outlook.pst as Outlook.old. In case something that fails then, they can return back to the previous file.

Step 4: After this, restart the MS Outlook, when the prompt randomly pops up use the Browse to direct Outlook file into a new location
Step 5: Update any windows rule that users may have customized with a new path

Import / Export in Microsoft Outlook

Go through the following steps to take backup of PST files (earlier version of Outlook) which are mentioned as below :

Step 1: First, you need to Open MS Outlook application and Select File menu
Step 2: Then, Click on the Open & Export. Next, Choose Import/Export option
Step 3: After this, selecting Export to a file icon and choose the Next button
Step 4: Now, choose the Outlook Data File (.pst) and click on the Next
Step 5: Select the desired email folder that you want to backup

Note: Keep in mind that the Include subfolders check box has selected. According to this way, everything will be exported like Calendar, Contacts, and Inbox within the account. Press the Next button

Step 6: Next, Click on Browse button where to save backup copy of Outlook PST files in Outlook 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016 and enter the name for your backup data file, and then click on the Finish button
Step 7: If you want to ensure that no one can access Outlook PST file, enter and confirm the valid password, and then choose the OK button

Go For the Trusted Third Party Tool

If the above-stated solution does not work properly, then one can take help of an automated software i.e. Outlook Data Backup, which backup OST File to PST File without any data loss. Moreover, it is a secure and reliable solution to backup Outlook Emails in a proper manner.

Conclusion

As a safety measures, multiple users are always recommended to take backup of PST files in Outlook 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016 on a regular interval. Usually, most of the users prefer to keep the backup system data so that it will beneficial for future purpose. Hence, in the above section, we have explained 3 manual solutions to create a backup of Outlook data files. Otherwise, one can go for an alternate solution i.e. Outlook Data Backup Software as per their choice.