Recover PST File: Complete Guide for Outlook Users in 2026

I accidentally deleted some Outlook .pst files while doing a data cleanse. Did not realize they were in a “Downloads” folder. can I get it back?
— From Reddit

If you’ve spent any time on Reddit, you’ve seen this question. The short answer is yes. PST file is the file format used by Outlook. This file stores Outlook data locally on a computer. It contains emails, contacts, attachments, and other data. Losing the PST file means years of personal information just vanishing into thin air.

Loading the Outlook app without a PST file will show an error. The app will also fail to load the mailbox. But don’t worry. You can recover PST file if you have lost it for whatever reason. This guide will show you where the PST file is located and how to recover deleted Outlook PST file using easy methods.

Part 1: Can PST Files Be Recovered?

Yes, PST files can almost always be recovered. Like any normal file on your computer, a Personal Storage Table file is just a regular file. You can get it back if you lost it due to formatting, deletion by mistake, file system error or another issue.

Check the Recycle Bin for a normally deleted Outlook data file. You can also try the undo shortcut if the file was deleted recently. Another solid option offered by Windows is File History. But what if the PST file was permanently deleted? The best option in this scenario is data recovery software.

You can also take these steps to improve the chances of recovering Outlook’s PST file:

Stop using the drive. You should not save new data in the location from which you lost the PST file. Adding new data leads to overwriting and lowers the recovery chances.
Save the recovered file to a different destination. After recovering the Outlook PST file, you should store it in a different destination. It shouldn’t be the same spot from which you lost the file!

Part 2: Where Is My Outlook PST File Located?

It’s worth checking whether the PST file is still on your computer before attempting recovery. There’s a chance that Outlook can’t locate the file, but it still exists on your computer.

These are the common folders where the PST file is usually located:

For Outlook 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, and Microsoft 365

C:\Users\<username>\Documents\Outlook Files\

Older versions of Outlook

C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Outlook\

Here’s another way to search for this file. Type *.pst into the File Explorer’s search box and hit Enter. Windows will search your computer for any file with this extension. No results means it is deleted or lost.

Part 3: How to Recover Deleted PST File in Windows 10/11?

Is the Outlook PST file deleted? No need to panic, as Windows offers several ways to recover it. The ideal recovery method would depend on how you lost the personal storage table file.

We have listed all the different methods you can use to recover deleted PST files. These methods are arranged from simple to the most advanced.

Method 1: Use Undo Delete (Ctrl + Z)
Method 2: Check the Recycle Bin
Method 3: Recover a PST from a Previous Version

Method 1: Use Undo Delete (Ctrl + Z)

The Windows OS is known for its ease of use. This ease of use also leads people to accidentally delete stuff. That’s why the OS offers an undo option. It can be used to revert any recent deletion.

Let’s look at how you can recover PST file via this feature:

Open the Folder where the Outlook .pst file was present.
Press Ctrl + Z.
The deleted .pst file will be restored to its original folder.

Method 2: Check the Recycle Bin

The first spot for deleted data is the Recycle Bin. But there are a few exceptions. It doesn’t go there when removed by Shift + Delete . Or if the data exceeds the size limit of Recycle Bin.

Now, let’s see how to recover deleted PST file:

Open the Recycle Bin. You can find it on the desktop.
Look for a file with the .pst file extension.
Right-click on it. Select Restore from the options.
These steps will restore PST file to its folder. Next, you can run Outlook and open the recovered data file.

Method 3: Recover a PST from a Previous Version

Windows offers a number of backup tools. One of them is File History and is available in Windows OS. Once enabled, File History automatically creates copies of your files.

By default, this backup option also covers the Documents folder. And the Outlook Files folder is located right inside the Documents folder. So, the .pst file is covered by File History.

You can only use this method if File History was enabled before deleting the file.

Follow these instructions to use File History:

Use the File Explorer to open the folder where the PST file was present. Depending on your Outlook version, the folder will be:
C:\Users\<username>\Documents\Outlook Files\

or

C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Outlook\
Choose Properties from the Home menu (at the top).
Go to the Previous Versions tab.
Choose an old version of the Outlook Files folder. Make sure to pick a version that was created before the PST file was deleted.
After selecting an earlier version, click on Restore.

Part 4: How to Recover Permanently Deleted PST Files?

The .pst file is not in the Recycle Bin, and there’s also no backup? Then, the only way to recover .pst file is to download a data recovery software and scan for deleted files.

A modern data recovery tool that’s really good at .pst file recovery is iToolab RecoverGo Windows Data Recovery. This software offers a very easy recovery process and a high recovery rate (99.7%).

The best part about it is free scan and free preview. This means you can use this tool to scan your drive for the .pst file. In a nutshell, you can test RecoverGo for free and only buy a paid plan if it manages to find your file.

Why Choose iToolab RecoverGo?

Recover deleted PST files: You can easily recover .pst and any other file type. The tool supports 1000+ file types.
Support HDD, SSD, USB drives: It can scan any type of storage device and recover your data.
Free scan & preview: The scan and preview features are completely free.
Read-only recovery: The tool strictly uses a read-only scan and recovery process. This ensures that the data on the drive is not overwritten.
Simple 3-step process: You can recover .pst or any other file in 3 simple steps (select location -> scan -> recover).

Guide to Recover PST File with iToolab RecoverGo

Step 1 Launch the tool and select a location from the screen. Select the location from where you lost the PST file. After that, press the “Search for lost data” button.

Step 2 Wait for the tool to complete the scan. You will see the “Scan Complete” alert once it has finished.

Step 3 A list of all the recoverable files will show up. You can use the search to find the PST file. After that, select it and click on Recover.

Recover PST File FAQs: Everything You Need to Know

Can I recover emails from a PST file?

Yes. You can open or import the .pst file into Outlook to access your emails and other data. But this only works if the PST file is still intact. If the data file is deleted, then you need to recover it before opening it in Outlook.

How Do I Recover a Corrupted PST File?

You can repair a corrupted PST file using SCANPST.EXE. It is Microsoft Outlook’s inbox repair tool. It is included in Classic Outlook. If the repair fails, you can restore the file from backup or recover an earlier copy of the .pst file.

Can I Open a PST File Without Outlook?

Yes. There are many 3rd party PST viewer tools. You can utilize them to view the contents of the data file without installing Outlook. Some of the free options are:

GoldFynch’s free web browser-based PST viewer
SysTools Free PST Viewer Tool

Conclusion

This guide explains how to recover PST file via multiple methods. The easiest route is to check if the file still exists in its specified folder. You can open/import it into Outlook if it already exists.

You can check File History or the Recycle Bin if the .pst file is deleted. For permanently deleted .pst files, you can use iToolab RecoverGo Windows Data Recovery. It is a modern data recovery tool and offers the best chance of recovery. The key is to act quickly, as continuing to use the same drive can overwrite the deleted file.

How to Recover PST File in Windows 10/11: 4 Proven Methods