Understand How to Copy Outlook PST Folder Structure to a New File

Approved By Aswin Vijayan

Published On July 6th, 2019

Reading Time 5 Minutes Reading

We all know the importance of Microsoft Outlook for an organization or an individual user. This email client is popular nowadays to maintain the continuity of the work. However, at times users want to copy the Outlook file structure to a new file due to certain reasons such as at the time of switching to a new company or to use the same file in some other system, etc. Hence to Copy Outlook PST folder structure to a new PST file is not a tough process, but finding a relevant solution is a challenging task for users. Therefore, in the following article, we will go to discuss two manual methods for copying Outlook folder structure.

Related Solution- Remove Duplicate Tasks in Outlook

Resolution to Create Duplicate Outlook Email Folder Structure to a New PST File

There are two methods available through, which users can manually perform this task.

Method 1: Outlook Archiving Options

Note: The below-mentioned steps in method 1 are performed in the Outlook 2010 version. The steps are somewhat different in case, users are using another version of Outlook. However, the result will be the same.

This method can be divided into two simple steps as mentioned below:

Step 1

Create New PST File

For the creation of new Outlook PST files, you need to follow the steps as mentioned below:

Firstly, you need to open Outlook
Then, go to File> > Info >> Account Settings > >Account Setting
Click on the tab of Data Files and then on the tab of Add
Now, in File name option you need to enter your desired MS Outlook PST file name. For instance abc_Folder_Replication and then click OK

Step 2

Copy Outlook PST Folder Structure to a New PST File

First, open Outlook and then go to File> > Info >> Cleanup Tools >> Archive
You need to make sure that Archive this folder and all subfolders are chosen
Now, scroll down and choose the current personal PST file
Once it is done, in Archive items older, enter a date so far back so that there is no possibility you have an email in your existing PST file to archive
Then, in Archive file, click on Browse to choose the new PST file you have constructed in Step 1 and hit on OK
Go back to your MS Outlook. Now, you can see the new PST file, which has replicated the folder structure of your existing PST file.

All the other subfolders will be empty.

Method 2

The process can be divided into three parts:
Firstly, open Outlook and click File >> Import and Export
Then, select “Export to a file”, and then click on “Next”
Select “Personal Folder File (.pst)”, and then click on the option of Next
A screen will be displayed, choose the top of the hierarchy, which is usually listed as “Personal Folders” & ensure that “Include subfolders” is marked, and then click on “Next”
Choose an exclusive name for the latest file along with the location of the new data file and then click on “Finish”
If you see, an additional screen called “Create Microsoft Personal Folders”, you need to click “OK”

Note: Depending on the size of your archive Outlook email and the speed of the machine, this process may a take from 30 seconds to 45 minutes or more.

Once the export is done, click on File> > Open> > Outlook Data File, and open the Outlook PST file that has been just created by you. To Copy Outlook PST Folder Structure, follow these steps:

Firstly, click on File> > Archive
Then, click the top folder of the file you created in Section 1
Now, put tomorrow’s date in the box of “Archive items older than”
Ensure, that the box i.e. “Include items with ‘Do not AutoArchive’” is checked.
Then, click on “Browse” and select a name along with the location for the archive PST data.
After this, click on OK.

MS Outlook will migrate the entire data from the copy of mailbox that we have created in section 1 to another PST file. Once the process is finished, Outlook will automatically mount the new AutoArchive data file as “Archive Folders”. Make a right-click on the file & choose “Close ‘Archive Folders’”.

Now, to compress the Outlook PST file that has been created in step 1, follow these steps:
In Outlook, right-click the PST file you created in Step 1.
Firstly, select “Properties” then hit on “Advanced” button.
Now, click on “Compact Now”.
Once the compact is done, click on “OK” twice.
Then, right-click the new PST data file in Outlook and select “Close”
Finally, close Microsoft Outlook, and remove the “temparchive.pst” you have created.

After this process, you can use the blank Outlook data file as an archive PST file. However, this empty PST file contains your existing folder structure which you can copy to a new PST file to some other computers too.

Final Words

Considering the importance of Microsoft Outlook, we have discussed that sometimes it becomes necessary to copy Outlook PST folder structure to a new file. For this, there are multiple solutions available, but choosing the right one is a difficult task. Therefore, in this blog, we have discussed two manual methods to create duplicate Outlook folder structure to a new PST file which users can opt as per their choice.