How to Backup Microsoft Outlook

This page tells you how to backup Microsoft Outlook using the free Personal Folders Backup add-in. Once you install and configure it, you shouldn't have to do anything more than let the add-in do it's thing when it pops up.

NOTE: I'm assuming that you have a regular backup strategy in place for your PC and that your goal here is to get a copy of your Outlook data into a location that will be backed up. If you don't have a backup strategy for you computer, you should, but that is out of the scope of this website. If you look in the archives of your favorite personal computing magazine you will likely find a detailed guide to backing up your computer.

Looked at from a high level, you have two tasks to complete:

1. Download and install Personal Folders Backup.
   
   
2. Configure and use Personal Folders Backup.

Download and Install Personal Folders Backup

1. Close all Outlook windows so the add-in can be installed.
   
   
2. Click the following link to go to the Personal Folders Backup page at the Microsoft Download Center. The link opens a new window so you won't lose your place in these instructions. Personal Folders Backup Download Page
   
   
3. Follow the instructions on this page to download and install Personal Folders Backup.
   
   

Configure and Use Personal Folders Backup

1. Start Outlook.
   
   
2. In the main Outlook menu, click File, then Backup. This opens the Outlook Personal Folders Backup dialog box.
   
   
3. Click Options to open the Backup Options dialog box.
   
   
   
   Set Personal Folders Backup options here.
   
   
4. Adjust the options as you see fit. In particular, ensure that the File Location is a folder that is included in your normal backup strategy.
   
   
5. Click OK to return to the Outlook Personal Folders Backup dialog box.
   
   
6. Click the Close button (the red button with the X in it) in the upper right corner of the dialog box to close it.

Click Save Backup, wait a moment for the add-in to do it's work, and Microsoft Outlook backup is done.

• Click your browser's Back button to return to the page you came from.
  
  
• Click Backup Microsoft Outlook to return to the top of this How to Backup Microsoft Outlook page.