Users who have old PST files and want to see the data in them. Then, there are methods that are easy. In this article, we discuss all these ways in a simple manner. So, read the article carefully.
Today, there are millions of users who have used Outlook from the start, and they are still using it. Throughout the years, the application has made significant changes and added new facilities to the program. Just like this, the PST file is as old as Outlook itself. It was only created to store all your data, like emails, contacts, and calendars. Over the years, the file has also had improvements like expanding the storage spaces and password protection options.
Now, back to the topic: if you have PST files from a long time, for example, 10–7 years, and you want to check the data, how can this work? If you have the Outlook application, then it is easy, but if not, then you don’t have to worry; there are methods available.
Methods to Read Emails from Old Outlook Files
The way you normally use it is the same. Just open the PST files in Outlook and then see the emails clearly. If you don’t have the program, then a third-party tool can also be used to open and read the files. Both are easy and free to use, so in order to see the data from old PST files, there are two approaches.
- Manual approach: import PST files in Outlook and view the emails.
- Automation approach: use the software to open and read the old files.
Manual Way to View Old PST File Data
This is simple: the way you import the PST files in Outlook, you can read the emails in them. But you have to make sure that you use the right version of Outlook. If you use different versions of the files, you cannot open them.
- Open the Outlook program and go to the File tab.
- Select the Open and Export button. Then click the Import/Export button.
- Browse your old files from the location where they were saved. Click on Export.
- Go to the inbox and read the old emails.
Limitations of the Manual Method
The above technique is easy, but it has so many drawbacks that it is difficult to use.
- The main problem is using the old PST files in the correct Outlook version. Because of their incorrect use, you cannot access them easily.
- It is a time-consuming process if you have multiple files to open in the program.
- You cannot analyze the files because it does not provide advanced settings.
So, this approach is not effective for professional work. You may have issues while doing it. However, the next method is a better choice.
A Professional Approach to Read Emails from Old Outlook Files
Whether you have old files or new ones, you can see both of them without any problem. The flawless PST Reader Software by FreeViewer is the one to directly open the files and read, view, and analyze the data. This is free-to-download software that provides great results. Here, you don’t need any knowledge to use the tool. It also has some additional features.
Features of Software
- You can read all PST files in Outlook.
- It has eight preview modes like HEX, MIME, RTF, HTML, attachments, normal mail view, message headers, and properties.
- The tool allows you to open corrupted or damaged PST files.
- It has a scanning mode to scan your files.
- You can also view contacts, calendars, events, tasks, notes, journals, etc.
Steps to Read Emails from Old Outlook Files
- Download and launch the software.
- Click on the Add File button and browse the old PST files.
- Check the Advanced scan option, then press the Add File button.
- The tool scans and loads your data. After that, you will see the data in front of you.
- You can now view the emails by clicking one by one and preview them.
Conclusion
Many users have old data and want to check whether it is important or not. That’s why, in this article, we provide methods to read emails from old Outlook files. In a manual way, we import the Outlook application to view the files. There is an alternative option, which is the software that allows you to directly open and view the files.
