Best Methods to Split a PST File into Smaller Parts

Best Methods to Split a PST File into Smaller Parts

As an Outlook user, you must be aware that there is a defined PST file size limit in Outlook. This limit depends upon the version of Outlook you are using. For example, if you're using Outlook 97 and 2002, then you'll get a file size limit of 2 GB while in Outlook 2003 and 2007, you will get a PST file size limit of 20 GB. On the other hand, the newer Outlook versions – 2010 and later - has 50 GB limit for PST files.

Therefore, you have to make sure that the PST file size is below the specified limit. If the PST file gets large or is closer to the specified limit, then you start experiencing problems in your Outlook, like application becomes slow or freezes, synching or any other error, etc.

To prevent such kind of problems, you can divide your large PST file into several small files. In this article, we will discuss some best techniques to split a PST file, into smaller pieces.

Why is there a need to Split PST Files?

There are several reasons why users look for ways to split large PST files:

• Large PST files impacts the performance of Outlook. For example, search indexing, opening emails or attachments, sending and receiving emails, etc., take more time. So, splitting PST files can help improve the performance of Outlook.

• Large PST files are susceptible to corruption. Splitting the large file into smaller ones reduces the chance of corruption.

• Smaller PST files are easier to transfer to cloud storage or other devices for backup.

• Small PST files make it convenient to transfer or share data with other users.

Methods to Split PST Files into Smaller Parts

In this section, you will find some methods and workarounds that can help you split a large PST into multiple PST files.

Method 1: Move Data to a New PST File

There is no direct functionality in Microsoft Outlook to split a large PST file. However, as a workaround, you can create a new PST file and move some data into it. Here is how to do:

• Launch the Outlook for Windows application on your PC.

• Click on the Home tab in the menu bar.

• Next, click on New Items on the ribbon.

• Go to More items > Outlook Data File.

• It will open the Create or Open Outlook Data File wizard.

• Select the folder where you want to save the PST file on the system.

• Give the file a name and click on OK.

The new PST file will be created and will appear in the left pane in your Outlook window.

Now, select the required emails or other items and move them to the newly created PST file. You can also simply drag and drop the required items into the new PST file.

You can follow the above steps to create multiple PST files and move the mailbox items accordingly, thus splitting the data.

Method 2: Use the Archive Feature to Move Old Mailbox Items

Outlook has an Archive or AutoArchive feature to manage the size of the PST file. Using this feature, you can move older mail items from your mailbox (PST file) to a separate archive file. You can also use this feature to split your PST file data. Follow the steps given below:

Note – You may not see this feature if the network administrator has disabled it or your account is configured with an Exchange Server.

• While in Outlook, click on File > Info.

• Click on Cleanup Tools and click on Clean Up Old Items.

• It will open the Archive window.

• Select the folder/s that you want to archive.

• Enter the date against the Archive items older than option.

• Select the Include items with “Do not AutoArchive” checked option.

• Click on OK.

This will move the selected items to an archive PST file. Similarly, you can create multiple PST files and split the mailbox items.

Method 3: Use the Import/Export Wizard

There is a feature in Outlook, called Import/Export wizard. You can use this feature to selectively export your mailbox folders to PST file, thus splitting the data.

Here is how you can export mailbox folders to PST files:

• Launch Outlook on your desktop.

• Click on File in the menu bar.

• Go to Open & Export > Import/Export.

• The Import and Export wizard will open. Select the Export to a file option and click Next.

• The Export to a File window will open. Select the Outlook Data File (.pst) option and click Next.

• On the next screen, select the mailbox folder to export. Also, select the Include subfolders option. Click Next.

• Click on Browse to select the location where you want to save the PST file.

• Click Finish.

Method 4: Use an Advanced PST File Splitter Tool

The above workarounds are free to use but they are time-consuming and tedious. The best method to split a large PST file into smaller PST files is by using a powerful PST file splitter tool like Stellar Splitter for Outlook. It is an advanced software that allows you to split large PST files (50GB or more) without altering their file structures. In addition, this software has an option to split the PST file based on different criteria, such as email ID, folders, date range, and size. Furthermore, you can split multiple PST files in a single operation by creating a batch.

Conclusion

A large PST file can cause performance and other issues in Outlook. Moreover, a large PST file is also prone to corruption and integrity issues. Split the large PST file into smaller parts to avoid such problems. You can follow the above workarounds and methods to split your large PST file. However, the best option is to use Stellar Splitter for Outlook - an advanced tool that lets you easily split large PST file into smaller files based on multiple criteria, like size, email ID, folder, and more.