Step 1. Access the Import and Export Wizard
Now let’s learn how to create a backup Outlook PST files manually. Start in your Outlook inbox, and click the File tab. The Account Information screen appears:
The first step to creating a backup email file is to access the Import and Export Wizard.
Click the Open & Export option:
Select the Import/Export option.
Next, click the Import/Export button. The system returns to your inbox and the Import and Export Wizard displays:
The Import and Export Wizard gives you a variety of import and export choices.
Step. 2. Use the Wizard to Export Emails From Outlook to PST File Format
Select the Export to a file option and then click the Next> button at the bottom of the wizard. The Wizard prompts you to select a file type:
Choose the Outlook PST File format.
Choose the Outlook Data File (.pst) option. Click the Next> button. Next, you’re prompted to select an Outlook folder that you want to export data from:
Choose the Outlook folder that contains the data to be exported.
Use the scrollbar to move up and down to see all your current Outlook folders. When you’ve selected a folder, click the Next> button.
Note: You can also choose to backup Outlook contacts, calendar information, notes, and tasks from this prompt.
Step 3. Select the Path Where You Wish to Store Your PST Backup
Choose where to save your file.
On the next prompt, browse to find a path to export the Outlook data file to. Or, you can save the file in the default path. If you save the file in the default path, you’ll need to specify whether you want to allow duplicate items. You can also change the file name on this prompt, which is a good idea, because the file name default is: backup.pst. Remember the file name and Outlook PST file location you selected so that you can find your Outlook PST file later.
When you’ve made your selections, click the Finish button at the bottom of the prompt. You’re prompted to create a password. This is an optional step, but it could be important if the data you’re backing up is sensitive and needs to be protected.
After you’ve exported your selected folder to a PST file, you can check to see whether the file is there by opening the folder in File Explorer.
Step 4. Find the Outlook PST File and Copy or Move It to a New Location
After you’ve created your backup email file, you can open File Explorer and find the Outlook backup file you just made. You’ll recognize it because the file Type will be Outlook Data File:
Go to the Outlook PST file location to find the backup file you created.
- To move a file, simply click on it and drag it into the folder where you want it to be.
- To copy a file, click on the file you wish to copy and press CTRL + C. Open the folder where you wish the file to be and press CTRL + V.
In this case, let’s move some files to a new folder I just created called Testing. After you've moved the file to a new Outlook PST file location, open File Explorer to see your Outlook backup file:
Backup Outlook PST Files copied to a new location.
Step. 6. Access Your Backup Email File From Outlook
It’s great to be able to create backup files, but they won’t truly helpful to you until you can open them again in your email account. For this exercise, I’ve created a backup email file called XYZProject.pst using my other Outlook email account. I’m going to open that file from my work Outlook email account.
To access your Outlook backup file, start from the Outlook Account Information screen. Click Open & Export > Open Outlook Data File.
File Explorer opens to the default location. If you’ve saved your outlook backup file elsewhere, you’ll need to navigate to the location where your backup PST file is stored. For this example, I need to navigate to the Testing folder I created earlier:
For this example, the Outlook PST file location is in the Testing folder.
Click on the file, then click Open. The system returns to your inbox.
The restored backup file(s) appear at the bottom of the Navigation Pane.
In the navigation panel on the left, you'll see a new category at the bottom of the panel, below the archives: Outlook Data. This category contains the information from the backup folder you just opened. To open the file and access your data, click on the arrow to the left of it. Since the folder I archived was a subfolder of my Inbox folder when I archived it, that structure was preserved. I also have to click the arrow to the left of the word Inbox.
You can now see the restored folder.
You can now open the folder to see the emails inside. You can also drag-and-drop the messages to other email folders.