Creating Personal Files in Outlook

I am using Wiindows 10 pro and have just done a new clean install.

I am also using Microsoft Outlook 2010 and am wondering if I can create some personal folders so that I can save the emails that I want to keep.

When I try to create an Outlook Data File the process always defaults to setting it up on the 'C' drive which I keep for the O/S and the programmes. I don't store any data in it at all. If I set this Data File up on the 'C' drive, I will lose it as soon as I want to do another clean install. With this in mind I would like to set it up on my 'D' drive where I keep all of my personal data.

The question is, can I do it and will it work?

Many thanks

Caledon Ken said:

Hi Bluenose 1940

Yes and yes.

Here is link on moving file. I would start small and ensure the PST is being updated as you use Outlook, that is the modified date shows a save date and time around when you used Outlook. I use Outlook 2013. By personal files and archive are on D: drive. Contacts and calendars are synced to outlook.com so they show on phone.

In the tutorial it shows you how to open file location. You can also get to that by clicking "File" in Outlook and the Account Settings, then account settings again, Data files tab. Not sure why she has people using control panel.

Move an Outlook Personal Folders .pst File


Ken

Hi Ken, thank you so much for this, I have got as far as moving the data file to my D: drive. Am I correct in thinking that I can now create sub-folders within this data file so that I can save my emails. What I want to be able to do is to create a file say called Cricket Club and save any emails to this, and one for Snooker club and so on. Is this possible? Will the sub-folders show up in Outlook so that it is an easy task to move the mails?
Thanks again for being so helpful

Caledon Ken said:

You do this inside Outlook just so we are on same page.

If you right click on Personal folders then click New Folder. It will become sub of Personal. It you right click on your new folder it will become sub folder of say Cricket.Club

Now I'm not recommending against this but understand you are making Outlook more complex to re-install or to fix and I think we can all say we've had to rebuild profile, it is a right of passage for Outlook 20xx users.

If you have your mail account connected to say outlook.com, using EAS, as you create folders on Web they appear in Outlook and Vice versa. Then when you have an issue with Outlook you just sync account again.


Ken

Hello again Ken. I understand the first part of your last post but then become lost I'm afraid, particularly when you mention creating folders on the web, this has confused me. I have noticed that since I did this little exercise earlier today, a couple of things have happened, firstly I notice that the 'send/receive' button has disappeared from the top right hand corner of Outlook, and secondly I have not received any mails into Outlook since then but, when I just go into my gmail via google there are quite a number of mails there which have not found their way into Outlook.

Caledon Ken said:

Hi.

The bit about the web was if you don't keep Personal folders on your computer then you don't have to worry about them when you re-install outlook or build a new profile. If the folders are within gmail and you set account up as IMAP, with all folders subscribed to you should see all the folders in under your Gmail account. I don't use gmail, I use an Outlook.com account.

Creating Personal folders should not have changed your ribbon. Go into your account settings. Under the email tab do you see your gmail account. Is it still set as default? Also check your data files tab. Gmail should still be your default.


Ken

Under email it is showing my gmail account and it is ticked as default but this is greyed out. Under data Files it is shown as default and is not greyed out.

Caledon Ken said:

Okay. Likely only one email account so you can't change and two data files so you can change so not greyed out.

Honestly Outlook makes so many things complex.

Along the top do you have a tab for Send / receive, can you click on it and then send / receive, left most icon on my set up.

Yes I do have a send/receive tab on the left. When it was working correctly this icon was out on the right. When I click on it now all is get is a momentary flash of the screen and not what I got previously which was some form of progress screen.