How to Manage Outlook Data Files Size?

Feb 8
15:47

2010

Mohit Mathur

Mohit Mathur

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Microsoft Outlook is one of the dynamically used e-mail clients and usually processes various incoming and outgoing e-mails. Since its data file (.pst...

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Microsoft Outlook is one of the dynamically used e-mail clients and usually processes various incoming and outgoing e-mails. Since its data file (.pst) is bounded to a specific file size,How to Manage Outlook Data Files Size? Articles 2 GB in Outlook 2002 and earlier versions, user needs to give special care to maintain the file size. Even when one deletes the file items, it may find no considerable changes in the file size of Outlook data file. The reason is that PST is a database and once the space is allocated, it cannot be freed up until you compact the file. However, there can be several ways, using which one can manage the Outlook mailbox size, one of them being is Split PST File utility.

Empty the Deleted Items Folder

The 'Deleted Items' folder usually consists of e-mails that one has already discarded. So, you can empty this folder and compact the file later. You can also delete the undesired e-mails.

Compact the PST

Outlook compacts the PST in background, however to force the compaction, you can proceed as follows:

(1) Click 'File' and then, 'Data File Management'.

(2) Select the target data file and click 'Settings'.

(3) Click 'Compact Now'.

Archive the PST

You can archive the older e-mail items to a different Outlook PST as mentioned below:

(1) Select 'File' and then, 'Data File Management'.

(2) Click 'Add'.

(3) Click 'Office Outlook Personal Folders File (.pst)' to create a new personal folder.

(4) Click 'OK' and specify a file name.

(5) Move the desired old e-mails to this new PST.

You can create several such PSTs .

Split PST

There are various PST File Splitter available that can split any size of Outlook PST and help you to keep PST manageable with respect to its size. These software allow to perform PST Split using powerful, yet safe, algorithms. Also, these applications are easy to install and use with their self-explanatory interface.

Stellar Phoenix PST File Splitter is a professional and trusted utility that splits Outlook data file on the basis of e-mail ID and date. The Split PST File softwaresupports MS Outlook 2007, 2003, 2002, and 2000. The software can split PST into several smaller PST files, each of which is directly importable within Outlook.