Locating the Outlook data files

Here’s a list of places where Outlook 2013 saves backed-up information on your computer.

Backed-up emails, calendars, contacts, tasks, and notes (.pst)

Outlook Data File (.pst), contains your backed-up e-mail messages, calendars, contacts, tasks, and notes, and is stored in the following default locations, depending on your operating system:

Windows 7 and Windows Vista Windows XP
drive:\Users\<username>\Documents\Outlook Files\ drive:\Users\<username>\My Documents\Outlook Files\

If you had created data files on your computer in previous versions of Outlook, they will be stored in the following locations, depending on your operating system:

Windows 7 and Windows Vista Windows XP

drive:\Users\user\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Outlook\

 drive:\Documents and Settings\user\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook\

Offline or cached Outlook items (.ost)

Email accounts, such as Microsoft Exchange, Outlook.com, or IMAP accounts, keep your mail on a server. The Offline Outlook Data File (.ost) is a synchronized copy of the account saved on your computer, and is stored in the following locations, depending on your operating system:

Windows 7 and Windows Vista Windows XP
drive:\Users\user\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Outlook\ drive:\Documents and Settings\user\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook\

 Note    All the data in the .ost file is kept on your account server, so you don’t have to back it up. Your account server synchronizes the .ost file on your computer to keep email and calendar items current.

Personal Address Book (.pab)   

Personal Address Book (.pab) files are lists of names and distribution lists, used in Outlook 2003 and earlier versions. To use them in Outlook 2013, convert the files from the following location into a contacts folder by clicking File > Open & Export > Import.

Windows 7 and Windows Vista Windows XP
drive:\Users\user\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Outlook\ drive:\Documents and Settings\user\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook

Offline Address Book (.oab)   

The Offline Address Book (.oab) is used by Microsoft Exchange Server accounts. It contains information, such as names, e-mail address, titles, and office locations, from the Global Address List (GAL) on the server that runs Exchange.

You do not have to back up or restore this file. This file is created and updated automatically by the server. It is stored in the following locations, depending on your operating system.

Windows 7 and Windows Vista Windows XP
drive:\Users\user\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Outlook\ drive:\Documents and Settings\user\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook\

Other Outlook Data

File Type Windows 7 and Windows Vista Windows XP
Navigation Pane settings (.xml) drive:\Users\user\AppData\Roaming\Outlook\profile name.xml drive:\Documents and Settings\user\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook\profile name.xml
Registered Microsoft Exchange extensions (.dat) drive:\Users\user\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Outlook\ drive:\Documents and Settings\user\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook\
Print styles (Outlprnt with no extension) drive:\Users\user\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Outlook drive:\Documents and Settings\user\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook
Signatures (.rtf, .txt, .htm) drive:\Users\user\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Signatures drive:\Documents and Settings\user\Application Data\Microsoft\Signatures
Stationery (.htm)

drive:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Stationery

Windows 7 and Windows Vista 64-bit with Outlook 2010 32-bit    

drive:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Stationery

 drive:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Stationery
Custom forms drive:\Users\user\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Forms drive:\Documents and Settings\user\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Forms
Dictionary (.dic) drive:\Users\user\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\UProof drive:\Documents and Settings\user\Application Data\Microsoft\UProof
Templates (.oft) drive:\Users\user\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Templates drive:\Documents and Settings\user\Application Data\Microsoft\Templates
Send/Receive settings (.srs) drive:\Users\user\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Outlook  drive:\Documents and Settings\user\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook
Message (.msg, .htm, .rtf)

drive:\Users\user\Documents

 drive:\Documents and Settings\user\My Documents

I can’t see the files listed in this topic

Some of the folders might be hidden folders. To display hidden folders in Windows, do the following:

  1. Click the Start > Control Panel.
  2. On the View by menu, click Large icons or Small icons.
  3. Open Folder Options.
  4. Click View >Advanced settings > Files and Folders > Hidden files and folders, and then select Show hidden files and folders.
  5. Click OK.

 
 
Applies to:
Outlook 2013