Recover Deleted Outlook Emails from PST File
Updated on November 20, 2022 by Deepika Singh
The Outlook PST file is generally required to store emails, meetings, calendars, and other information within the Microsoft Outlook email program. Intentional removal of email items is a widespread problem among Outlook users.
When you accidentally delete one or more emails from MS Outlook with a moving hand or by pressing the wrong key, you always have an Undo option with the Ctrl + Z function, which you can use immediately before executing any other action just after deletion to restore the deleted emails.
However, this is not a regular situation. In most cases, the user discovers much later that the emails he inadvertently deleted were truly vital to him, the company, or his business, resulting in a loss of income or, in some cases, a significant risk to the organization's validity.
In this article, you will learn about the root reasons and several appropriate solutions to recover deleted Outlook emails from the PST file.
Reasons behind the deletion of Outlook emails
The removal of emails is dependent on user actions, such as using the Outlook advanced settings to "Empty Deleted Items folder while exiting Outlook" or individually erasing the Deleted Items folder, deleting emails permanently or temporarily, whether intentionally or unintentionally, and sometimes corruption in files leads to the instantaneous or accidental removal of emails.
However, some common causes are as follows:
- Intentional or unintentional deletion of emails using the Shift + Del buttons
- If you have chosen the Outlook Advanced option "Empty Deleted Items Folder When Exiting Outlook."
- The set holding period for removed items has expired.
- Inadvertently removing items from the deleted items bin
Free Methods to recover deleted Outlook emails from PST files exist
Most of the time, the deletion of an important email happens without the user's knowledge. But it is likely that there are some methods to recover deleted emails from your Outlook PST files. Let us discuss the methods step by step as follows:
Method 1: Check the "Deleted items folder"
Removed emails that are still available in the Deleted Items folder can be recovered. To ensure a good recovery, go through the following procedures in order:
- 1. Open MS Outlook and navigate to the Deleted Items folder.
- 2. Choose the emails that you want to move, and then choose the folder to which you want to move them.
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- 3. It is also possible to recover emails that have been deleted from the Deleted Items folder. Recover things recently removed from this folder by clicking on the "Recover items recently removed from this folder" link.
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- 4. Next, choose the emails that you want to recover and click OK.
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- 5. Inspect your Deleted Items folder now. These objects will be returned to their original location in this folder. You can move things to a new position.
Method 2: Use the backup and restore facility
If users practice the excellent routine of regularly backing up their PST files, they may simply recover lost Outlook emails from PST files using the most recent backup. They only need to carry out the necessary procedures.
- 1. Proceed to the Start menu, search for the Control Panel, and then open it.
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- 2. In the Control Panel, look for the Backup and Restore option, press it, and then pick the Restore my files option.
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- 3. Choose and upload your PST backup file from the device directory using the Browse button.
- 4. Give the restored file from the already taken backup file a saving path.
- 5. In this manner, you may recover the whole PST data set as well as the deleted emails.
If the user has activated the File History function in the Outlook program, the entire PST file, including deleted contents, can be restored to its earlier form. To do that, read the steps as follows:
- 1. Firstly, go to this location on your device: "C:\Users\UserName\Documents\Outlook Files."
- 2. Next, right-click the Outlook PST file and choose "Restore Previous Versions."
- 3. Flip to the Prior Editions tab in the next dialogue box and choose the most current version.
- 4. Then select the Restore option to restore that specific PST file edition to your PC.
- 5. Import this PST file into your Outlook program to utilize it whenever you need.
Method 3: Use professional software to recover deleted emails
Actually, it is important for all users to keep a backup of Outlook PST files to avoid further issues. But if you haven’t done so and, unfortunately, somehow your important emails have been deleted, then a professional PST Recovery tool can greatly assist you.
You can use the Regain Outlook Emails Recovery software. It is the most user-friendly software, with a step-by-step approach for straightforward and reliable PST file recovery. Using it, you can easily repair or recover corrupted or inaccessible PST files within just a few clicks.
Its benefits:
- Recover Emails That Have Been Permanently Deleted or Lost
- Export Outlook emails into Office 365 and Exchange Server.
- Import recover Outlook emails into Gmail, Yahoo Mail, Amazon Mail etc.
- Total mailbox restoration.
- Restored PST files may be stored in a number of different formats.
- Email recovery that is both quick and secure.
- Allow to save recovered emails in many other email formats such as EML, MSG, MBOX, vCard, PDF etc.
