How to Create an Outlook Data File (.pst) to Save Your Information

The purpose of this article is to guide users on how to create an Outlook Data File (.pst) to save emails, contacts, and other important information locally on your device.

• Vanderbilt University Community

  • Faculty and Staff

  • Graduate and Professional Students

• VUIT Internal Knowledge  

• Have access to Microsoft Outlook on your computer

• Have knowledge of the location where you want to store your Outlook Data File (.pst)

An Outlook Data File (.pst) is a personal storage file used to save copies of your messages, calendar events, and other Outlook items locally on your computer. This is useful for backing up your data or transferring emails from one Outlook account to another.

This article will walk you through the steps to create an Outlook Data File in the desktop version of Outlook.

For Windows:

1. Open Outlook: Launch Microsoft Outlook on your computer.

2. Access Account Settings:

   • Go to the File tab.

   • Select Account Settings, then click Account Settings from the drop-down.

3. Create a New Data File:

   • In the Account Settings window, click the Data Files tab.

   • Click Add to create a new Outlook Data File (.pst).

4. Save the Data File:

   • Choose a location to save your file and provide a file name.

   • Click OK to create the file. It will now be added to the Data Files list.

5. Use the Data File:

   • The new .pst file will appear in your folder pane in Outlook. You can now drag and drop emails or other items into the file to save them locally.

For Mac:

1. Open Outlook for Mac: Launch Outlook on your Mac device.

2. Export Data:

   • In the Tools tab, click Export.

   • Choose the type of items you want to export, such as email, calendar, or contacts.

   • Select Outlook for Mac Data File (.olm) and click Continue.

3. Save the File:

   • Choose a location to save the file and provide a name.

   • Click Save. Your data will be exported to the chosen file.

For Outlook on the Web (OWA):

Outlook on the Web does not support creating or managing .pst files. You will need to use the desktop version of Outlook for this functionality.

For assistance with Outlook data files, place a Communication and Collaboration General Request.

• File Not Appearing in Outlook: Ensure that the .pst file was saved in a valid location on your device and is not in a restricted folder.

• Cannot Open Data File: If you cannot open the .pst file, verify that Outlook has the correct permissions to access the file location. 

• It’s recommended to regularly back up your .pst file in case of data loss or corruption.

• Important: Storing .pst files on network drives or cloud services may lead to corruption. Always store them locally on your computer or external storage.

Microsoft - Create an Outlook Data File (.pst) to save your information