How to Import or Restore an Archive in Outlook

BACKGROUND: 

What is an archive? 

 

An archive is a back-up of a user’s e-mail. By using archives, users can download e-mails off the server, store them in a safe place, and delete them from the server to free up space. Then, if the user needs to access those e-mails, they can load the archive. 

 

Archives save in the .pst file format. This is the same format used for saving Outlook configurations and profiles. 


The official Microsoft documentation on this subject can be found here.


IMPORT AN ARCHIVE: 

  1. Navigate to File in the top ribbon 

  1. Select the Open & Export tab 

  1. Select the third option, Import/Export, with arrow icons. 

 

 

  1. Select “import from another program or file” 

 


 

 

 

 

  1. Select “Outlook Data File (.pst)” 

  1. Hit Browse and select the Archive you want to import. 

  1. It should open up to where Outlook saves Archives by default.  
    C:\Users\<domainname>\Documents\Outlook Files 
    If the archive is elsewhere, navigate to it. 

 


 

 

 

  1. Leave the options as they are by default and click Next. 

  1. Select which folders to import from the archive, and which account folder it should be imported to. If the user has no explicit preferences, just hit “Finish.” 

  • “Folders” refers to the collapsible categories on the left sidebar in Outlook. Usually, these are just named after the user’s e-mail. 

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