Find out Where Outlook Stores Your Mail, Calendar, and Other Data

The location of your personal folder file depends on the Outlook version

by
Heinz Tschabitscher
Heinz Tschabitscher
Writer
A former freelance contributor who has reviewed hundreds of email programs and services since 1997.
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Heinz Tschabitscher
Updated on February 03, 2020
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Microsoft Outlook stores your email messages, contacts, calendars, and other data as .pst or .ost files in folders that can be difficult to find. Here's how and where to look.

Instructions in this article apply to Outlook 2019, Outlook 2016, Outlook 2013, Outlook 2010, and Outlook for Microsoft 365.

  1. Go to the File tab.

  2. Select Info.

    Info tab in Outlook File menu

  3. Select Account Settings > Account Settings.

    Screenshot of Account Settings

  4. Select Data Files.

    Screenshot of Account Settings showing Data Files tab

  5. You'll find the location of your Personal Folders files next to each email account that is set up in Outlook.

  6. Select an account.

  7. Select Open File Location to open the folder where your Outlook data files are stored.

Email messages for Microsoft Exchange, Microsoft 365, and Outlook.com accounts are backed up on your email server. In most cases, these types of accounts do not have Personal Folders files.

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