You have an oversize PST file that you want to see but have trouble doing so. This article will explain the reason your file is large and the solutions to explore too-large PST file.
In a PST file, users can store many Outlook items, like emails, contacts, calendars, events, records, etc. The data saved in the file is in very systematic order; as a result, you don’t have to worry about harming your data. A PST file is an Outlook data file that uses a POP server. As a lot of people use PST files, to protect the data from theft, you can add a password to your file. With this, your file is protected if you have committed any crimes.
Why has the PST File Become Large?
The size of the PST file differs from Outlook versions. But it is advised to keep the size of your file below 20 GB for Outlook 2003 and Outlook 2007. For Outlook 2010 and later, version 50 GB, if it exceeds the maximum size limit, then a lot of problems occur. Like data corruption, the inability to access the file in Outlook, taking storage space, etc.
Although the reason for being oversize is that we store a lot of data, sometimes, without the user’s knowledge, your file becomes huge. Following are the reasons why PST file become large.
- This issue occurs when you export multiple data points in a PST file, and after that, the resulting file will be huge.
- The attachments in your file are very large.
- Sometimes the large PST file is due to the large deleted item folder. So, it is important to delete the item from the folder.
So, in this way, your file becomes too large, and you want to see the contents of the file.
Methods to Explore Too Large PST File
When you have an oversized PST file, it becomes difficult to open in Outlook. So, if you want to view an oversized PST file in Outlook, then there is no way to view in Outlook. Therefore, you need ways to open the file without Outlook. For this, there are some methods you can use.
The first is GSMMO (Google Workspace Migration for Microsoft Outlook). This is a tool by Google that allows you to see your file in Gmail. This can be used if you have no Outlook program to read your files or have a problem reading the file in the program, like this issue. While you use this method, there is no guarantee that you can see all the data in the files. For a better job, a professional method will help you. Here, we use a third-party tool to open and read the files. So there are two methods to view your large PST file.
- Migrate our oversize file into Gmail using GSMMO.
- Use software to open the file and explore it.
Read Oversize PST File by GWMMO
The GSMMO tool is free, and you can download it at tools.google.com/dlpage/gsmmo/. From there, choose the version you want and download it. After that, follow the steps given below to move your files to Gmail.
- After downloading the tool, enter your Gmail account ID, and then continue.
- The tool then shows you a message, and you log in to your Gmail account. Click on the Continue option.
- Click on the Allow option to access the migration process.
- Now, select the oversize PST file from the drop-down menu and hit the Next button.
- You can customize the process and click on the migration button.
- After the process is complete, the tool will show the current location.
- Follow the location, and then you can see your data from the large PST file.
This method is free, but you are dealing with an oversize PST file, and there is no guarantee that you can explore too-large PST file or not. But the next method can definitely view the file.
Professionally Read Oversize PST File
The software we use in this method is one of the great PST File Viewer Tool developed by FreeViewer. It is the best method because the software allows you to view any size. There are no file size limitations. Also, you can view the content of normal, damaged, corrupt, or password-protected files. Not only that, the tool offers many other features, such as.
Features of Software
- You can get a complete preview of your PST file emails with attachments.
- The tool provides many preview modes, like HEX, HTML, MIME, RTF, attachments, etc.
- It has a scanning mode to scan the file for any corruption issues.
- The software is downloaded on Windows 11, 10, 8, 7, and Windows Server 2019, 2016, 2012, R2, 2008.
- You can preview your file by looking at contacts, calendars, events, journals, etc.
Steps to Explore Too Large PST File
- Download and install the software.
- Click on the Add File option, and then browse the button to search for your oversized PST file.
- Check the advance scan box to scan your file for any corruption issues. Click on the Add File option.
- After that, the tool scans your file and loads your files. Your data will then be shown in front of you.
- Preview your files and click on the contacts and calendars option from the left side of the screen.
Conclusion
This article explains the reasons why your PST file is large and the methods to read oversize PST file. There is no guaranteed way to open Outlook. So we use methods such as GSMMO and professional tool. Both are easy, but the professional one will be a great way to explore too large PST file.