To make the right decisions when it comes to the use of PST files, you must understand the essence of PST files, their specs, and some potential limitations. It is worth figuring out how to manipulate datafile locations and work with Outlook data files according to the specific requirements.

Exchange administrators are concerned about PST files. Many believe that a PST file isn’t the best choice when it comes to the primary storage for Outlook data for a variety of reasons:

• Accessing a PST file over a network isn’t supported and can create a real problem for those who need to modify an Outlook data file;
• PST files need to be stored locally on workstations of a user, which complicates archiving and recovery processes;
• PST files take up a way more space on your hard drive compared to the corresponding data on the Exchange server;
• PST files don’t support Single Instance Storage (SIS) storage, which makes them extremely vulnerable;
• The data stored in the PST file is impossible to access from any external source, such as a workstation or Outlook Web Access (OWA) client;
• PST files aren’t well protected. For example, passwords are easy to hack or even remove them using special tools.

Therefore, it is best to have a local back-up of a personal storage table PST. If the user needs a local copy of the Outlook data, cached Exchange mode is preferred. This mode creates an auxiliary copy of the Outlook data file with the .ost extension. Thus, a user can work with the local instance of Microsoft Outlook in the event of a disconnection between the workstation and the Exchange server. However, there are some situations where PST files are useful. Many companies use Microsoft Outlook to access message processing tools other than Exchange, and most of them use the Internet Protocol POP3 or IMAP4. The latter synchronizes with the server mailbox, while the former can be optimally configured to store copies of Outlook data files on the Exchange server. Personal storage table PST files are useful for organizing low-cost archives.

Creation of PST File

To accomplish the above tasks, you need to use special file utilities, such as EML to PST tools. For example, a PST to PDF converter allows you to merge email messages saved in .pst format into one doc file. To create a PST file, select the appropriate option on the first page of the wizard:

• Create a new PST file;
• Specify the path to the root folder of the mail database;
• Wait for the PST import to finish.

Keep in mind that unlike similar PST utility tools, the converter is unique due to its fast message processing algorithm, which allows it to carry out the necessary conversions very quickly.

How I Can Open PST

Do you have a PST file? You have a couple of options here. Microsoft Outlook is the standard email client and information manager used by millions of people on their Windows 10 machines. This software is a great choice to use for opening PST files in Windows 10. There is no need to install any other third-party software if you have Microsoft Office Outlook up and running.

However, if you want to open a PST file on your Windows 10 PC or any other machine running on Windows but don’t have Microsoft Office Outlook installed, there is an alternative approach for you to follow? Want to open a PST file without Outlook software? Here are the 5 ways to open without Outlook by using specialized software.

How to Import PST File

In most of these cases, PST data files that cannot be opened by Outlook remain on the user’s machines. To work with them, third-party services or services are required. Use the specialized application to import the PST files you need. Perform the below to speed up the process:

• Find the exact location of Outlook data files that you need to import;
• Open PST file in Microsoft Outlook menu by following the logic: File > Open & Export > Open Outlook Data File;
• Remove old files from Outlook settings by following the logic: Menu > File | Account setting;
• Open the Data files tab;
• Remove the PST file from the list of data files.

How Big Can a PST File Be?

The allowed max size for Unicode-based PST files is 33 TB; however, the default size shouldn’t exceed 20 GB. By modifying the registry, this threshold can be increased or decreased. Of course, the processing speed of large Microsoft Outlook data files isn’t the optimal one. Even 20 GB is too much to be processed in one go. Sometimes a user may want to prevent personal folders from reaching the top limit due to backup and restore resource requirements. This is necessary to maintain a high level of performance or even save disk space. The recommended size is about 10-12 GB.