Outlook PST File Not Compacting – Get Right Solution Here
In the context of Microsoft Outlook, “PST compacting” refers to the process of reducing the size of a Personal Folder (PST) file. PST files are used to store email messages, contacts, and other data in Outlook. Over time, as you add and delete items from the PST file, it can become fragmented and its size can increase. Compacting the PST file can help to reduce its size and improve Outlook’s performance.
Now, if you are facing an issue where your Outlook PST file not compacting, then here in this blog we are going to explain to you the right approach to fix this issue. But before that let’s have a quick look at Outlook’s inbuilt tool “Compact Now” and why is this error is occurring.
What is Outlook Compact Now?
Compact Now” is a feature in Microsoft Outlook that allows you to reduce the size of a Personal Folder (PST) file by removing gaps and empty space within the file. When you delete items from a PST file, the file can become fragmented, which can cause its size to increase. Compacting the PST file can help to reduce its size and improve Outlook’s performance.
What are the Reasons For Outlook PST File Not Compacting?
There are a few reasons why a PST file might not be able to be compacted in Microsoft Outlook:
- PST file is in use: In order to compact a PST file, it must not be in use by any other program or process. If Outlook is currently running, you will need to close it before you can compact the PST file.
- PST file is damaged: If the PST file is damaged, it may not be able to be compacted. You can use the “Scanpst.exe” tool to try to repair the file before attempting to compact it.
- PST file is already compacted: If the PST file has already been compacted, it may not be possible to further reduce its size.
- PST file has reached its maximum size: PST files have a maximum size limit of around 50 GB. If the file has reached this limit, it may not be possible to compact it further.
- PST file is used in Cached Exchange Mode: If the PST file is being used in “Cached Exchange Mode” in Outlook, it may not be possible to compact it. In this case, you can try disabling “Cached Exchange Mode” and then compacting the file.
- PST file is on a network drive: If the PST file is located on a network drive, it may not be possible to compact it. In this case, you can try copying the file to your local hard drive and then compacting it.
Right Approch to Use Outlook Compact Now
There is a chance that due to a lack of knowledge, you may opting the wrong steps to compact the PST file. So go through this section to get the details steps to use Compact Now.
1. In Outlook, go to the File menu and select “Account Settings”.
2. In the Account Settings window, select the Data Files tab.
3. Select the PST file that you want to compact and click the “Settings” button.
4. In the Properties window, click the “Advanced” button.
5. Click the “Compact Now” button.
Prime Way to Compact the Outlook Data File
If you tried the manual method correctly but still Outlook PST file not compacting, then here in this section we are going to discuss the prime way to fix this issue with an alternative solution.
PST Compress is a tool that can be used to compress Microsoft Outlook PST (Personal Storage Table) files. It is a tool that help you reduce the size of the Outlook data if your PST file size increased. Because compressing a PST file can help reduce its size, which can be useful if the file is approaching or has exceeded the maximum size limit for the version of Outlook you are using. Also, this tool compact the PST file without Outlook installation.
Working of the Tool
1. First Download and open the tool in your system.
2. After this click on Add Files or Add Folder to add the PST file.
3. Once the file is added choose the Compact options.
4, After this located the destination location to save the compressed PST file.
5. At last click on the Next button to start the process of PST compression.
Conclusion
Large Outlook data file always create issues hence Microsoft provides an option to compact PST files. But sometimes this option does not work properly. So if your Outlook PST file not compaction, then you can go through this blog and compress your large PST file easily.
