How to Decrease Size of PST File – A Comprehensive Guide

An Outlook PST file usually stores all of our email messages as well as other items that are saved on your operating system. If a PST file exceeds its final limit, then there are high chances of corruption and data loss. In that scenario, users need to decrease size of PST file and for that, we will explain the best ways to resolve this query.

If we were to talk about Outlook data file (.pst) and then there are 2 types of Outlook PST file basically created by Outlook. Therefore, if you have your data in the ANSI format then it can store up to 2 GB of mailbox data. Moreover, if your data file is in UNICODE Format then it can actually store up to 20 GB of items. Now, let’s take a look at the main reasons why user wishes to decrease size of PST file. 

Primary Reasons to Reduce the Size of PST File 

There are plenty of reasons why one should reduce the size of their Outlook PST file. Here are some of the main reasons that we have discovered:

1. The main reason to decrease the size of PST file is cause large PST file often leads to the possibility of data corruption and damage.
2. Along with that, if you happen to have a large data file then users cannot move it quickly manner. 
3. An Oversized Data file often takes up unnecessary space in your storage system.
4. Not only that, a large Outlook PST file can however cause overall performance issues in Microsoft Outlook.

Also Read:- How to Export Yahoo Mail to PST Without Outlook?

Methods to Decrease Size of PST File in Microsoft Outlook 2019, 2016, 2013 & Other Versions

MS Outlook can be reduced via a variety of methods, and here we will be discussing the tricks & techniques to complete this task accordingly:-

1. Using the Compact Now Option to Reduce PST File Size

1. Install and Launch Microsoft Outlook on your Windows Machine and navigate to the File menu.
2. Next, choose the Info tab and select the Account Settings>>Account Settings option.
3. Afterward, you can now choose the Data Files option and then you can select the Settings tab.
4. In the last step, press the OK option and you can now close your software.

2. Using the Mailbox Clean-Up Tool

Go through these below-listed steps to complete this task:-

1. Open & Run MS Outlook and go to the File menu.
2. From there you can navigate to the Tools option and then choose Mailbox clean up.
3. Next, one can easily select any option from the given options as per your requirement.

If these two method does not work as per your requirement, then you can simply archive your Outlook data files. 

3. Archive your Emails

Execute these below-mentioned instructions:-

1. Open Outlook and go to the File tab and choose the Info option.
2. You can now choose the Tools option and then clean up the old items.
3. Next, one can easily select the Archive this folder & all sub-folder options. Also, you can choose any folder that you want to archive accordingly.

Try a Professional Solution to Reduce the Size of PST File in Outlook 

The above-mentioned manual method can be a little complicated for non-tech users. It also consumes a lot of time. To save you time & effort we have come up with a perfect solution; The PST Compress Software will be the best solution as it operates on all versions of the Windows operating system. It also provides the option to exclude and include any file during the operation.

Decrease Size of PST File – A Working Demonstration

Here follow the listed steps mentioned down below:-

1. Download & Launch this Compress Software on your Windows Machine.
2. You can simply upload your files by choosing Add File or Folder(s) option.
3. Also, if by any chance you forget about the destination of your data file then you can simply choose the Search option.
4. For this, you can now select a specific folder from which you can easily compact your data files and then choose the Compress Outlook Data File tab. Then, you can add your files and click on the Compress PST option.
5. In the next step, you will be able to select any option from the given ones according to your requirements.
6. Lastly, you will get a message displaying on your Windows screen confirming that the compression process was successful.

Final Verdict

The blog elucidates how users can decrease the size of the PST file. For that, we have explained both manual and professional solutions by which one can reduce the size of their Outlook data file. If you face any issues with the manual methods during the procedure then you can simply skip them over and choose the professional solution altogether.