Outlook data files are stored in the hard drive of your computer in the form of PST files. These files store your archived emails, calendars, and other important stuff from your email server. However, since these files are physically present in your computer’s memory location there is a chance that you may accidentally delete them.
In that case, you can restore the deleted files from the Recycle Bin of your computer. But what if you permanently delete the PST files by emptying the Recycle Bin? Once the PST files are permanently deleted it’s hard to recover them back using the conventional methods. But you don’t have to worry because in this article we are going to share with you tips using which you can effectively recover the deleted PST files in Outlook.
Quick links to specific parts of the article
- Recover Deleted PST Files From System Backup
- Recover Permanently Deleted Outlook PST File
- Import Recovered PST Files To Outlook
- Final Verdict
- FAQs
Recover Deleted PST Files From System Backup
On Windows PC you get the option to set up system backup and restore points, which lets you backup your important folders in case of permanent deletion and corruption. If you have already set up a backup on your operating system then you may recover the deleted PST file from there itself. And here’s how you can do that.
1. Go to the Documents folder on your computer.
2. Now under Documents, right-click on the Outlook Files and select Restore previous versions.
3. Outlook properties tab will open, here you can select the restore points from where you want to recover the PST files. Since we have not created a system restore point before therefore we get the message that there are no previous versions available. But if you have created the backup you will find all the restore points here themselves.
Recovering permanently deleted outlook PST files this way is very easy, but most people are unaware of system backup and therefore never create one. If you too are among them then there is no need to worry as you can still retrieve your important PST file back. However, you will need to use professional data recovery software for this task, which will require you to make some investment.
Recover Permanently Deleted Outlook PST File
You can use any professional data recovery tool for this task, but we would recommend going with EaseUS Data Recovery software because it is easy to use and can recover all types of deleted files from your computer. If you already have any other data recovery software then you can also use it for this purpose. The steps for recovering deleted outlook data files remain almost the same on all the software. Here is how you can recover permanently deleted PST files using EaseUS Data Recovery.
Note: EaseUS Data Recovery is available for both Windows and Mac. Here we have used the Windows version for demonstration purposes.
1. Launch the software on your computer and select the location from where your files were deleted. Since PST files are stored in the C drive so you can scan the C drive to retrieve the lost outlook data files. If your data recovery software allows scanning a particular folder then you can also select the Documents folder for quick recovery.
2. The scanning process may take some time, so be patient and wait for the results to show.
3. Once the scanning process is completed you can search for your Outlook data file by searching for the file by its name or file extension. You can also add filters to only show Email files if your software allows you to do so.
4. Once you have located the PST file you can now restore it to your device by clicking on the Recover button.
As you have now successfully recovered your permanently deleted PST files, you would want them to import to your Outlook account. If you don’t know how to import the PST files to Outlook then you can follow these steps.
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Upload Recovered PST Files To Outlook
1. Launch Outlook on your PC and then go to Files > Open And Export. Here select the Import/Export option to import your PST files.
2. Now on the new tab that opens select Import from another program or file > Outlook data file(.pst) and then click on the Next button.
3. Lastly, browse for your recovered PST file on your computer and click on the Next button to add or import the files to Outlook.
With this, the PST file will be imported to your Outlook account and you can see all your recovered emails, tasks, calendars, attachments, etc.
Final Verdict
Just like other documents, PST files can also get deleted from your computer. But you can easily recover them from recycle bin if they are not permanently deleted. However, the problem arises when you have permanently deleted the files either by pressing Shift + Delete or by emptying the recycle bin. In this scenario, you can recover the shift deleted PST files either by system backup or by using a third-party data recovery software.
If you have created a system backup then it’s good because your job will be done for free. However, if you don’t have backup then you have to pay for good data recovery software.
FAQs
How Do I Recover A Deleted Outlook File?
You can recover the deleted Outlook file from recycle bin. If it’s not there you can either use data recovery software or recover the file from system backup if you have created one.
What Happens If I Delete My PST File?
If you delete the PST files you may lose all your backup emails and calendars you have stored on it.
Where Is The PST File Stored?
It is stored in the C drive of your system. You can find it at location Windows C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office16.
