Backup is always considered as the best way to prevent data loss. Thus, along with the backup of other crucial files and folders, the backup of your MS Outlook mailbox is also an important task. However, you may feel a little strange after reading this as taking the backup of your mailbox data is something less common. However, it is not like that. The users, especially those who have very crucial information in the Inbox or Contacts folder of their MS Outlook mailbox, consider it an efficient way to prevent mailbox data loss. They maintain a copy of their Outlook PST file and work efficiently without any fear of data loss in Outlook.
One of the common methods that most Outlook users use to take the backup of their Outlook PST file is ‘Import and Export’. It is a 5-step process wherein you take the backup of your complete PST file or can take the backup of selected folders inside the PST as well. Mentioned below are the steps to use this utility:
Import Export Utility:
- Open MS Outlook and click on the ‘File’ option provided on the menu bar. From there, select the ‘Import and Export’ option.
- After that, choose the option saying ‘Export to a file’.
- Choose ‘Personal Folder File (.pst)’ and click ‘Next’.
- Then, select the folder that you want to export like your Personal Folder File (.PST). You can check the option to ‘Include Subfolders’, if you want to include the subfolders in the export process. Moreover, you can set the ‘Filter’ option to export specific messages.
- Select a location to save the exported PST file and click ‘Finish’ on the wizard to end the task.
For the restoration of data exported through this process, follow the same wizard, but select the option to import the data from other program or file, browse for this location, and click ‘Finish’. However, if your PST file is large and you want to take its complete backup, then this process may take large amount of time.
Professional Mail Backup Tool:
Therefore, for such situations, use of professional mail backup software is recommended. Reliable mail backup tool creates the backup of your complete PST file in few minutes and saves your time. Most of the efficient utilities of this category provide scheduling of the backup process and allow you to restore the emails whenever you need.
However, both the options are efficient and reliable for mail backup, professional tool is recommended when time is a constraint for you.
Thanks for a great article! Just wanted to add another way to backup Outlook emails: save them as PDF or TXT files. In this case you can open emails outside Outlook as normal PDF or TXT files. Total Outlook Converter can do the job for you http://www.coolutils.com/TotalOutlookConverter
In my opinion, i prefer Stellar mail backup utility because it’s vendor is certified by Microsoft Inc.
I personally leaned my lesson, after loosing all my data a couple of times. Now I create a separate folder for each customer or contact, and save every important email there, as pdf, so my outlook stays always almost empty, nothing to loose. Whenever I re-install my Windows just copy the folders and I have everything there. Free, safe and always in reach, not web based..