Open and find items in an archive Outlook Data File (.pst) By default, AutoArchive in Outlook regularly removes old and expired items from folders. You can set AutoArchive to move or copy old items to a designated archive folder or to automatically delete items. If you do not delete your archived items, they remain available to you in the archive folder.
Note The archive Outlook Data File (.pst) displays the same folder structure as in the file it archives. If a folder is empty in the archive, it means no items have been archived for that folder.
When an archive Outlook Data File (.pst) is open, to search for item you can use Instant Search in Outlook or Windows Search.
For more information on archiving items, including how to archive items manually or turn off AutoArchive, see Use AutoArchive to back up or delete items.
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Access archived items
To review items in your archive, do one of the following:
- If the archive Outlook Data File (.pst) is open in Outlook In the Navigation Pane (Navigation Pane: The column on the left side of the Outlook window that includes buttons for the Mail, Calendar, and Tasks views and the folders within each view. Click a folder to show the items in the folder.), in the Folder List (Folder List: Displays the folders available in your mailbox. To view subfolders, click the expand icon next to the folder. If the Folder List is not visible, press CTRL+6.), click Archives (or the name you specified for the archive file).
- If the archive Outlook Data File (.pst) is not open in Outlook , Click the File tab. Click Open. Click Open Outlook Data File, and then browse to open the archive Outlook Data File (.pst). In the Navigation Pane (Navigation Pane: The column on the left side of the Outlook window that includes buttons for the Mail, Calendar, and Tasks views and the folders within each view. Click a folder to show the items in the folder.), in the Folder List (Folder List: Displays the folders available in your mailbox. To view subfolders, click the expand icon next to the folder. If the Folder List is not visible, press CTRL+6.), click Archives (or the name you specified for the archive file).
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Archive Outlook Data File (.pst) locations
The location of the archive Outlook Data File (.pst) varies depending on the version of Microsoft Windows that is running on your computer when the archive is created.
New archives created with Microsoft Outlook 2010 are saved in the following locations:
- Windows 7 and Windows Vista drive:\Users\user\Documents\Outlook Files\archive.pst
- Windows XP drive:\Documents and Settings\user \Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook\archive.pst
If your computer previously had an earlier version of Outlook installed, archive Outlook Data Files (.psts) created by the earlier versions of Outlook are saved in the following locations:
- Windows 7 and Windows Vista drive:\Users\user\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Outlook\archive.pst
- Windows XP drive:\Documents and Settings\user \Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook\archive.pst
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