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How do I reduce the size of my Outlook data file?

Author

Emma Payne

Published Feb 21, 2026

How do I reduce the size of my Outlook data file?

Reduce the size of an Outlook Data File (.pst)
  1. Click the File tab.
  2. Click Account Settings, and then click Account Settings.
  3. On the Data Files tab, click the data file that you want to compact, and then click Settings.
  4. Click Compact Now.

Accordingly, how do I reduce the size of an OST file in Outlook 2016?

  1. Open the Filetab >> click on Info >> choose Account Settings.
  2. Press double-click on Microsoft Exchange >> and click on More Settings.
  3. Select the Advanced tab >> Outlook Data File Settings…
  4. At the last, Click on Compact Now.

Subsequently, question is, what does compacting Outlook data file do? Compacting Outlook data files reclaims the space that is unavailable because it was previously occupied by an item. This can greatly reduce the amount of space that the OST or PST file occupies on your hard drive, and helps Outlook function efficiently.

Similarly, it is asked, how do I reduce the size of my emails?

Right click the file, select Send to, and then select Compressed (zipped) folder. Most files, once compressed into a ZIP file, will reduce in size from anything like 10 to 75%, depending how much available space there is within the file data for the compression algorithm to do its magic.

Can I delete the Outlook data file?

For Outlook 2010 and Outlook 2013: Navigate to 'File > Info > Account Settings > Account Settings… > Data File tab' then select the PST file you want to remove and click 'Remove'. Note: You are unable to delete a PST file which is set as Default.

Does archiving reduce mailbox size?

Archive Older Messages
The archive. pst file can be created and updated at any location you specify, usually your local hard drive. Archived items are removed from your Outlook mailbox size and moved to the archive file based on the settings you determine.

What happens if you delete Outlook data file?

In normal cases, when the users delete an old Outlook OST file, there are chances that the email messages will not be deleted. Users are able to synchronize the account with Exchange Server and retrieve the Outlook data back. But, when the EDB file is inaccessible, users need a solution to recover corrupt OST file.

How do I handle a large OST file?

Manage Mailbox by Reducing OST File
  1. Delete the items that are not required anymore.
  2. Open Folder List view.
  3. Click on the File tab, click on Account Settings and then select Account Settings.
  4. Next, under the Data Files tab, select the file that is required to compact and then click on Settings.

How do I free up space in Outlook without deleting?

In Outlook, choose File > Info > Cleanup Tools > Mailbox Cleanup.
  1. First, choose the View Mailbox Size option which scans the size of your mailbox and all of the subfolders.
  2. Next, pick the options to Find older or larger items which you can delete directly from the results to cleanup the Outlook mailbox size.

What is the maximum size of an OST file Outlook 2016?

By default, a Unicode pst-file or ost-file can grow as large as 20GB in Outlook 2007 and 50GB in Outlook 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019 and Office 365. However, the technical limit lies at 4194304GB (which is 4096TB or 4PB) and the default limit can be adjusted.

Should I compact my Outlook data file?

This is why you need to occasionally compact Outlook data files. Compacting Outlook data files reclaims the space that is unavailable because it was previously occupied by an item. This can greatly reduce the amount of space that the OST or PST file occupies on your hard drive, and helps Outlook function efficiently.

Why is my Outlook data file so large?

Reduce your mailbox size
pst). Often, the cause of a large mailbox is a large Deleted Items folder. The tool provides a button to view the size of your Deleted Items folder and empty your Deleted Items folder. Occasionally, Outlook will store conflicted items in a folder called Conflicts.

Why is my OST file so large?

OST file contains entire mailbox data which has been gathering since your user account has been created. From then, none of the data has been deleted and OST files have become oversized creating an error “ OST file too large”. The large sized OST file contains the components such as: Hidden items.

How do you lower the MB of a picture?

Compress individual pictures
  1. To compress all pictures in your document, on the ribbon, select File > Compress Pictures (or File > Reduce File Size).
  2. Select an option in the Picture Quality box.
  3. Click Selected pictures only or All pictures in this file.

How do I make a file smaller to upload?

1.Compress files to "zipped" directory or file program.
  1. Locate the file or folder that you want to compress.
  2. Right-click the file or folder, point to Send to, and then click Compressed (zipped) folder.
  3. A new compressed folder is created in the same location.

How do I shrink the file size of a PDF?

In this section, you'll use the Reduce File Size command to dramatically reduce or compress the size of a PDF file.
  1. In Acrobat, open a PDF file.
  2. Choose Document > Reduce File Size.
  3. Select Acrobat 8.0 And Later for file compatibility, and click OK.
  4. Name the modified file.
  5. Minimize the Acrobat window.

How do reduce file size?

In this section, you'll use the Reduce File Size command to dramatically reduce or compress the size of a PDF file.
  1. In Acrobat, open a PDF file.
  2. Choose Document > Reduce File Size.
  3. Select Acrobat 8.0 And Later for file compatibility, and click OK.
  4. Name the modified file.
  5. Minimize the Acrobat window.

How do I clean up Outlook?

Open Outlook and click “File.” Choose “Info” from the sidebar menu and click “Cleanup Tools” found in the Mailbox Cleanup section. Click the “Empty Deleted Items Folder,” which will permanently delete all the mail you previously placed in Trash. Hover over an individual email in your inbox to determine its size.

How do I zip a large file?

Locate the file that you want to compress. Right-click the file and then hover your cursor over the "Send To" option. Select "Compressed Folder." Depending on the size of the file, you may have to wait a short period of time for it to be compressed. Right-click the ZIP file that automatically appears on your desktop.

What is my Outlook data file?

Outlook Data Files (. pst) created by using Outlook 2013 or Outlook 2016 are typically saved on your computer in the DocumentsOutlook Files folder. The offline Outlook Data File (. ost) is also saved at drive:UsersuserAppDataLocalMicrosoftOutlook.

How long does compacting PST file take?

20 to 30 minutes

Can I compress a PST file?

To compress a PST file manually, you can open the folder that contains your Outlook PST file and use built-in Windows compression technology to save the file to a ZIP archive.

What do I do when my Outlook mailbox is full?

A few simple ways to reduce mailbox size are:
  1. Delete large Outlook emails and attachments.
  2. Use Mailbox Cleanup utilities.
  3. Compress the Outlook data file (PST)
  4. Try third-party Outlook management tools like Compress PST, Split PST, Remove Duplicates, Attachment Management.

How do I fix the Outlook data file has reached the maximum size?

How to Fix Outlook Data File Has Reached The Maximum Size Error?
  1. Go to Start button >> Run.
  2. Here, type regedit in the Open box and press OK.
  3. Expand My Computer option after expand HKEY_CURRENT_USER.
  4. Next, expand Software >> Policies.
  5. Expand Microsoft >> Office.
  6. Now, expand:

Why do I have 2 Outlook data files?

Some of the possible reasons behind the creation of multiple OST files include: Outlook can create 2 OST files if you have multiple Outlook IMAP profiles configured; for example, one default and one created by you. The second OST file could be an old file or may be associated with a different Exchange account.

How do you send a ZIP file in Outlook?

How to attach a folder to email in Outlook:
  1. Starting in Windows Explorer, navigate to the folder you want to email.
  2. Right click on the folder itself.
  3. In the menu that pops up, choose “Send to”, then choose “Compressed (zipped) folder”
  4. Rename the zipped folder if necessary, then hit enter.

How do I make space in Outlook?

In Outlook, choose File> Cleanup Tools > Mailbox Cleanup. Do any of the following: View the total size of your mailbox and of individual folders within it. Find items older than a certain date or larger than a certain size.

Can you open a PST file without Outlook?

The OST PST Viewer is an application that allows you to view PST files without Outlook by using an Outlook-type interface. The free version of this application allows you to open, view and search PST files without Outlook. The PRO version has many more features, but at a cost.

Where are Outlook files stored?

By default, an Microsoft Outlook PST file is located at: “C:Users AppDataLocalMicrosoftOutlook” under Windows 7 or Vista and at: C:Documents and Settings Local SettingsApplication DataMicrosoftOutlook under Windows XP.

How do I open a .pst file in Outlook?

Open a .pst file
  1. On the File menu, point to Open, and then click Outlook Data File.
  2. Click the . pst file that you want to open, and then click OK. Note: The name of the folder that is associated with the data file appears in the Folder List. To view the Folder List, on the Go menu, click Folder List.

How do I change my Outlook data file location?

How to change Outlook Data Files to new location (new folder
  1. Account Settings -> Data File Tab select your account and open location. [00:29]
  2. Close Outlook Application before cut your data file. [01:02]
  3. Paste your data file on new location folder. [01:26]
  4. Click change folder and select inbox until show. [02:54]

How do I open Outlook when data is missing?

What to do when the Outlook PSTfile is missing?
  1. Begin by browsing to the folder where your PST file was located.
  2. Right click on the Outlook Files.
  3. From the menu list, you can choose Restore previous versions.
  4. The Folder Properties dialogue will now open with the Previous Versions tab enabled.

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