Accessing Outlook .pst files in New Outlook

Anonymous
2024-06-04T14:06:01+00:00

I have twenty years of history in various .pst files.  When I first started using Outlook, my single .pst file and all my folders got too large and I was instructed to move some of my folders into new .pst files.  These .pst files contain lots of important emails and historic records attached to emails.  So I filed all the emails into various folders within various .pst files. 

If Outlook will no longer support .pst files, how will I be able to access the .pst files?  I understand that Microsoft will no longer support “Old Outlook”.  So what can I now do to be able to access these various .pst files?  Should i go back to what I was doing originally and move everything from .pst files into folders within my "root" Outlook email? That would put about 4.5G of emails into my New Outlook. How will that work?

Outlook | Windows | New Outlook for Windows | For home

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  1. Hal Hostetler MVP-Outlook 12,011 Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator
    2024-11-05T20:11:43+00:00

    From the Microsoft 365 Roadmap page I linked earlier:

    The initial version of PST support in new Outlook for Windows will enable users to open "*.pst" files (a.k.a. Outlook Data Files), read all e-mail messages within the "*.pst" file, and search e-mail messages within the ".pst" file. This initial support is limited to Mail items and is read-only. All Calendar, Contacts, and Tasks data saved in the "*.pst" files are still there, but they cannot be accessed in this initial version. #newoutlookforwindows

    • Feature ID: 399467
    • Added to roadmap: 6/6/2024
    • Last modified: 6/6/2024
    • Product(s): Outlook
    • Cloud instance(s): Worldwide (Standard Multi-Tenant)
    • Platform(s): Desktop
    • Release phase(s): General Availability

    FWIW, both versions will install and run at the same time. Originally, I clicked the toggle and Outlook new installed. I went back into Classic and turned the toggle OFF again. I now have both installed, both run, and the toggle in Classic remains OFF so Outlook New only runs when I launch it.

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  2. Ron-6928 4,991 Reputation points
    2024-11-05T20:04:13+00:00

    I wouldn't use an unfinished product (Outlook new). It's still under development and full of bugs. No one knows how PST support is going to be when it's available.

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  3. Anonymous
    2024-11-05T19:42:00+00:00

    Outlook New is the web-based client that is replacing the Windows 10/11 Mail and Calendar app and is supposed to eventually replace Classic Outlook Desktop. Classic Desktop is the Outlook that has been around since 1998, is part of Office 365, and uses .PST files.

    So Outlook New [I hope there is a better name] which is web based is supposed to support PST files directly? Or import?

    But if I toggle on "Try the new Outlook" in Microsoft 365, there will be no access to PST files at all - other than importing them into the mailbox. So if I want to continue to use PST files in Classic Outlook for Desktop [part of Office], I shouldn't toggle "On" then.

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  4. Hal Hostetler MVP-Outlook 12,011 Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator
    2024-11-05T19:28:14+00:00

    Outlook New is the web-based client that is replacing the Windows 10/11 Mail and Calendar app and is supposed to eventually replace Classic Outlook Desktop. Classic Desktop is the Outlook that has been around since 1998, is part of Office 365, and uses .PST files.

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  5. Anonymous
    2024-11-05T19:16:29+00:00

    .PST file support is coming to Outlook New in March 2025:

    Microsoft 365 Roadmap | Microsoft 365

    Also, Outlook New will not be replacing Classic Desktop Outlook until at least 2029, both will run on the same machine in the meanwhile.

    OK. Define "Outlook New" and "Classic Desktop Outlook"? Either or both in the perpetual Outlook and/or subscription Outlook in Microsoft 365?

    I have Microsoft 365 at work and I see a button in the upper right corner say "Try the new Outlook" and then warns me PST files are not supported if I toggle "On".

    Microsoft should really change app names to something more obvious as there is also "Outlook for Windows" which is the updated app that comes with Windows 11.

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