How to Split PST Files without Outlook?

PST is the standard file format supported by Microsoft Outlook (POP3 account) to store mailbox data, such as emails, contacts, calendars, tasks, notes, etc. 

Microsoft has defined size limits for PST files in Outlook. In Outlook 2003 and 2007, the default PST file size is 20 GB. 

On the other hand, Outlook 2010 and later versions have a PST file size limit of 50 GB.

It is always suggested to keep the PST files under the recommended size limits.

When the PST file reaches the defined limit, you start facing performance issues with your Outlook. 

Also, large-sized PST files are easily prone to corruption or damage. If your PST file becomes large or reaches the recommended limit, you can split the PST file into smaller parts. 

Below, we will see how to split the PST file without using Outlook.

How to Split PST Files without Outlook? 

To split the PST file, you can use features in Outlook, like archiving and Import/Export. 

You can archive older mailbox data using the Archiving feature or create a new PST file and move the data to this new file using the Import/Export feature.

If you want to successfully split PST files without Outlook, you need to use specialized third-party PST splitting software. 

Stellar Splitter for Outlook is one of the best programs to split PST files without Outlook. 

It also gives you the option to split large PST files in bulk by creating a batch. 

Throughout the splitting process, the software preserves the original file structure and data integrity. 

Besides, it can also split the PST files based on different factors like date, file size, email address, folder structure, etc.

The software supports PST files created in Outlook 2021, 2019, 2016, and earlier versions.

The software provides a user-friendly interface that facilitates easy and quick splitting of PST files. 

Let’s see how to use the software to split PST files into smaller parts:

Step 1: Firstly, download and install Stellar Splitter for Outlook on a Windows computer. The process is quite simple. After installation, launch the software.

Step 2: Then, you need to add the PST file you want to split. You can just “drag and drop” the PST file or choose the “Add PST” option to select the PST file manually. You can also use the “Find PST” option to automatically locate PST files on your computer.

Step 3: To upload PST files in bulk for the splitting process, select the “Select Batch File” option from the ribbon.

Step 4: Now, in the next window, you will see the date, size, mail ID, and date range as options for splitting the PST data. Choose the PST file-splitting option.

Step 5: Next, map a location on your computer where the PST files will be saved by clicking the “Browse” option.

Step 6: Click the “Split” tab at the bottom. Wait for the PST file-splitting process to complete. The software will show the message as “Splitting completed” for confirmation. Click OK.

Now, open the location you opted to save the resultant PST files. You can import the files into your Outlook profile to access the data.

Reasons why you need to Split PST File 

1. Avoid Performance Issues: Large PST files can slow down Outlook’s performance greatly. This can lead to delays in opening, sending, or receiving emails, and performing other operations. This helps in improving the overall performance of Outlook. 
2. Easy Backup and Restore: Managing backups of large PST files can be cumbersome and time-consuming. Splitting PST files into smaller sizes makes the backup process manageable and reduces the risk of data loss.
3. Optimize Network Storage: If your PST files are stored on a network drive or cloud storage, they can consume excessive bandwidth and storage space. It becomes a lot easier to optimize network storage.
4. Prevent Corruption and Data Loss: Large PST files are more susceptible to corruption or data loss. The risk of getting file corruption is a lot less.
5. Ease of Migration: When migrating to another Outlook profile or email client, dealing with large PST files can be challenging. This can simplify the migration process and reduce the likelihood of errors or data loss during migration.

Conclusion

You can use Outlook options to manually split your large PST file but these may not be effective. 

Also, the manual process is time-consuming and tedious. Splitting PST files without Outlook can be best done with the help of specialized PST splitting software, like Stellar Splitter for Outlook. 

It is a professional software for splitting PST files without file size limitations. Notably, it works excellently for splitting multiple large PST files at once. 

It can split large PST files into smaller sizes of 5 GB, 10 GB, 20 GB, 30 GB, and 50 GB. 

The software also provides a range of advanced options to split PST files, such as by date, email address, folders, and more. 

This Windows-based software supports PST files from all the Outlook versions.