How to Extract Emails from PST Files Using 2 Tested Ways?
Are you looking to extract emails from PST files for accessibility, e-discovery, searchability, or forensic analysis? The process can be easily done using the Outlook email client and an automated PST email extractor if you do not have an Outlook installation.
You may go with any of the methods depending upon the size and sensitivity of the PST data you are handling. For the free manual method, it is necessary to have an active Outlook installed on your PC. However, the advantage of the automated approach is that it can work with any version of a PST file, regardless of whether Outlook is installed.
Now, before moving forward to the actual step-by-step working of the methods. Let us understand what the common reasons are behind the need to extract PST emails from orphaned Outlook data files.
Best Way to Extract Emails from PST Files without Outlook? Quick Answer
To extract emails from a PST file, the best suggested solution is the PST email extractor. Since the PST file is a proprietary format of the Microsoft ecosystem, it cannot be accessed without Outlook. Using a standalone helps to extract email messages from the PST file and store them in more generic, accessible formats like PDF, HTML, DOC, DOCX, EML, MBOX, etc. Additionally, using the pro solution also allows for preserving folder hierarchy, Digital DNA, attachments, and metadata of the original PST emails.
Reasons to Extract Email Messages from PST Files
Everyone who has even a passing familiarity with technology is aware that the PST file holds all of the data for Outlook. In order to view the Outlook data PST file, it is necessary to have Outlook installed on the PC.
However, a large number of customers need the ability to extract emails from a PST file outside of Outlook. It’s possible, for instance, that digital forensic investigators can stumble across some PST files that they need to analyze, but they won’t have Outlook installed on their computers.
It’s possible that other users will want to view the PST file as well, but they won’t be ready to install Outlook just yet. Because of all of these factors, it is necessary for users to have access to a standalone application that can extract emails from PST files even when Outlook is not installed.
User Query 1: “I wanted to extract email addresses from PST files and verify them as part of the investigation purpose. I got multiple large-sized Outlook PST files. But I don’t use Microsoft Outlook or any other Microsoft applications in my Office system. But I need to extract and convert data from the Outlook PST file and it’s an emergency. I need to know whether there are any ways available to extract emails from PST files without Outlook installed in the system. Suggest a solution to fix this.”- Penelope, Indianapolis
User Query 2: “I have a few old PST files saved in the system. I wanted to open and read some email messages in it. However, I do not have MS Outlook installed on my machine. And I am not interested to install Outlook only for this reason. Please suggest to me some other way extract emails from the .pst file without Outlook.”- Jaxon, Phoenix
How to Extract Emails from PST File Manually?
Users can extract emails from PST files as MSG and PDF. Outlook allows users only to extract single emails as msg and PDF. Read all the instructions and limitations before starting the process.
Important Note: Create Outlook PST file backup before starting any manual and professional techniques for a safe procedure.
Instructions: –
- The Outlook email client must be installed on your machine.
- If you have an orphan PST file, then first import PST file into Outlook.
- Outlook must be in running condition.
Steps to Extract Email Threads from PST using Outlook
As MSG file: –
- Open the Outlook application.
- And then, drag and drop the single email at the desktop.
- It will save in MSG format.
Limitations – This procedure is too easy, but you must face some situations while doing the process, such as users cannot extract multiple emails from a PST file. Also, you must repeat the process again for each email.
As PDF Format: –
If you want to save Outlook emails in PDF format, then here you will get the complete details below
- Launch Outlook and open the PST email need to be extracted.
- Next, press the CTRL + P button and choose the printer as Microsoft Print to PDF.
- Finally, click the Print button, choose the destination path and click Save.
How to Extract Emails from PST File without Outlook?
If you do not have the Outlook installation and are looking for a more sophisticated solution. Then you may use the expert PST converter by BitRecover. This automated utility allows users to extract emails from PST files without Outlook. Additionally, the BitRecover wizard for extracting PST emails allows users to store the extracted email messages in a wide range of file formats.
Moreover, the software is engineered to preserve all email attachments, PST email threads, and folder hierarchy without changing the digital DNA of original PST emails.
Steps to Export Emails from PST File without Outlook
Step 1: Install and run the mentioned software. From the second function, click on the “Add” option to add PST file(s) into the tool.
Step 2: You can extract data from your PST file by choosing the “Select Files” or “Select Folders” option. Using this option, you can load a PST file from its location, or else you can search for the existing PST files in your system. You can add multiple PST files together. Click on the “Next” button.
Step 3: Without an installed Microsoft Outlook account, the PST Email Extractor will preview all mailbox folders and files, including emails, calendars, tasks, notes, journals, etc. in the display panel. Click on the “Next” button.
Step 4: In the new window, you can select a savings option file format as per your requirement. The software provides various standard file formats to save PST file data items. Namely, MSG, EMLX, TXT, PST, HTML, MHT, XPS, RTF, DOC, ICS, vCard, IMAP, etc.
Step 5: In the same window, you can set all required advanced settings options that are required for extracting emails from the Outlook.pst file. You can set: file name for resultant emails (Naming Convention option). Provide the destination path by browsing to the location to save the output file. Then click on the “Next” button.
Step 6: The software will start the conversion process. It will convert data from a PST file to the desired file format without installing Outlook in the user’s system.
What are the best formats to Store Extracted Emails Threads from PST Files?
The best format to store extracted PST emails completely depends on the reasons behind extracting email messages from the Outlook data file. Here are the best formats you use to store extracted PST emails for migration, forensic analysis, accessing archived PST, and optimising storage space.
- For migrating to a new email platform, the most preferred format is converting PST emails to EML or MBOX. These formats are widely supported by almost all email clients.
- If required to extract PST email messages for forensic purposes or legal evidence, the best approach is to convert PST to PDF. This format is best suited by forensic analyst for legal evidence.
- To easily access archived PST emails, the best method is to extract emails from PST files and save them as a more generic file format. You may convert Outlook emails into HTML, DOC, etc., for easy accessibility.
- For saving storage space, you may extract emails from the PST file and store them in black-and-white grayscale PDF format.
Read Also: How to Extract Contacts from PST File?
Time to Conclude
To extract emails from PST file without Outlook, you cannot rely on any other methods. According to the experts, this application is the ideal way to extract and view email messages in PST file without installing Outlook in the system. The major reason is that all other option available to read PST file data needs to be installed in MS Outlook in the user system. And if even if you find any, it is not necessary, they may help you appropriately. Get a free demo version of PST Email Extractor and see the magic yourself!!
