How to Detect and Remove Duplicate PST Files from an Outlook Account

Microsoft Outlook is a vital product for email management with millions of professional and organizational users. But over time, users encounter the irritating problem of duplicate PST files. Duplicate PST files are a waste of storage space, will slow down Outlook, and can make managing your data more cumbersome.

If you see that your Outlook is slowing down or has multiple PST files with similar data, it's time to take some action. In this article, we discuss how to find and remove duplicate PST files from your Outlook, step by step. You will also learn about an advanced automated tool that can clean out Outlook for you.

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Why Are There Duplicate PST Files in Outlook?

PST file duplication does not just happen randomly. Most often, duplicates occur due to common behaviors or errors. Some of the more common examples include:

• Multiple Imports - When users repeatedly import old PST files into Outlook, they create duplicates as the importing process adds duplicate items each time.
• Synchronization Issues - If Outlook is connected to more than one email server or account, synchronization issues may create duplicates.
• Restored Backups - Restoring older Outlook backups may inadvertently add duplicates to mailboxes or data folders.
• Multiple Account Configurations - If you are connected to multiple accounts that are pointing to the same mailbox in Outlook.
• Not Carefully Reviewing when Manual Merging - When users delete different PST files without reviewing them first, duplicates are often the outcome.

Understanding the root of duplication can help in preventing some future duplication; however, let’s just focus on your mailbox right now.

Consequences of Duplicate PST Files

Duplicate PST files can impact your Outlook in many more ways than you realize:

• Slower performance: Outlook loads more slowly and takes longer to search for and send emails
• Wasted storage space: Duplicate PST all take up needless storage
• Corruption issues: If a PST is large in size, it becomes more vulnerable to corruption or loss
• Difficult to manage: It can become difficult to find the desired PST or locate a unique email in the correct PST.

Step-by-Step Manual Removal of Duplicate PST Files

For those looking for a free approach, there are some built-in features in Outlook. Follow these steps:

Step 1: Determine All of Your PST Files

1. Open Outlook.
2. Select File > Account Settings > Data Files.
3. You can view all the PST files connected to your account. Look for files that have similar names or paths, indicating they may be duplicates.

Step 2: Delete Your Duplicate PST Files

1. Check any PST file that is not your default data file.
2. Select Remove to remove the data file associated with the account you just checked.
3. Please double-check to ensure it is the file you want to delete.

Step 3: Delete Your Duplicate PST Files from Your Computer

1. Exit your session from Outlook.
2. Locate to your file path for your PST files (typically Documents > Outlook Files).
3. Delete any unnecessary or duplicate PST files from your computer.

Step 4: Delete Duplicates PST (Emails, Contacts, Calendars, etc.)

1. Open Outlook and select any folder, such as the Inbox or the Sent Items.
2. Select Home > Clean Up > Clean Up Folder or Clean Up Conversations.
3. This feature will automatically delete the duplicate or repeated items within the folder being cleaned.

Limitations of Manual Process

• This can take a lot of time, especially if you have multiple PST files.
• Checking through the mail can lead to accidental deletions of important data.
• The Outlook Clean Up tool will not identify all duplicates.
• Not suitable for large mailboxes or multiple accounts.

For a more efficient and reliable way, use dedicated software that automates the entire process.

Quickly Detect and Remove Duplicate PST Files from an Outlook Account

When it comes time to safely and easily remove your duplicate PST files, the TrustVare Outlook Duplicate Remover Tool is among the best options. This software was specifically designed to detect and delete duplicate Outlook data. It will quickly scan your PST files and remove duplicates with the concern of losing your original data. This software supports all Windows OS versions, including 11, 10, 8.1, 8, and 7. It is great for non-technical users as the user interface is easy to comprehend. Users can take a free demo of this software before purchasing. This professional utility makes the process quick, accurate, and risk-free.

Top Features of This Tool:

• Removes duplicates from single or numerous PST files.
• You can add multiple PST files at once and remove duplicates at once, saving time and effort.

Smart Scanning Technology.

• The software is efficient enough to identify duplicate PST by analyzing email attributes such as subject, date, sender, recipient, and attachments.

Safeguards data integrity.

• It maintains your original Outlook data intact and safely handles it during PST duplicate removal.

Multiple Options for Removal.

• You can remove duplicate PST within a folder or duplicate PST occur in all folders based on your needs.

Saves Output to a New PST File.

• Once the duplicate PST is removed, you can save your clean mailbox to a new PST file to keep your Outlook organized and with new data.

Compatible with All Versions of Outlook.

• The tool is compatible with Outlook 2024,2021,2019,2016,2013, and older versions, and is also compatible with all Windows OS versions.

Easy to Learn Interface.

• Even beginners could utilize this tool with little effort due to its unmitigated and guided interface.

Free trial available.

• You could test the demo version and analyze the software to see how effective it is in removing duplicate PST before making a purchase.

Conclusion

Duplicate PST files can slow down Outlook, consume valuable storage, and cause mailbox confusion. Although you can try manual methods to delete them, these options are limited and risky for large or multiple files. If you want a safe, professional, and time-saving solution, use the Outlook Duplicate Remover Tool. It provides accurate results, maintains data security, and helps you keep your Outlook environment clean and optimized. Take control of your Outlook today, remove duplicates, and enjoy a faster, more organized mailbox.