How to Save Outlook Emails Hard Drive Without PST: Full Guide

This article introduces you to three alternative formats for PST files and how to save Outlook emails to hard drive without pst.

Miya

By Miya Updated on December 27, 2023

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Why You Want to Save Outlook Emails Hard Drive Without PST?

PST files offer several advantages, being user-friendly and easily transferrable between computers. However, they come with drawbacks, such as potential for becoming large and consuming significant disk space, susceptibility to corruption leading to data loss, and the limitation of being exclusively opened in Outlook.

Consequently, if you lack Outlook on your computer, accessing PST data becomes challenging. Hence, opting to save Outlook emails to a hard drive without relying on PST files may be a preferable solution.

Well, let's take a look at the three alternative formats of PST file and how to save Outlook emails to hard drive without PST.

👉Bonus Tip: Backup Your Outlook Files to Prevent Data Loss

Overview of 3 Alternatives to PST Files

Numerous alternatives exist for storing Outlook data on an external hard drive instead of using PST files. Some popular alternatives include:

  • CSV Format:

CSV (Comma Separated Values) files store data in a tabular format with commas separating values. These text files are easily editable in text editors or spreadsheet programs like Microsoft Excel.

  • PDF Format:

PDF (Portable Document Format) is a format developed by Adobe for presenting documents with text formatting and images. Its widespread use is attributed to its ability to preserve original document formatting and facilitate easy sharing.

  • Word File Format:

Word files, created by Microsoft Word, utilize the default XML-based format for Word 2019, Word 2016, Word 2013, Word 2010, and Office Word 2007. They can be effortlessly opened and edited in various word processors such as Microsoft Word and OpenOffice Writer.

How to Save Outlook Emails Hard Drive Without PST

We've highlighted three PST alternatives above, providing options for storing Outlook emails on the hard disk in these three formats. The following methods are elucidated step by step, progressing from the simplest to the more intricate.

1. Export Outlook Email in CSV Format

To save Outlook data in CSV format, utilize the Export function in Outlook. Follow these steps:

Step 1. Open Microsoft Outlook and navigate to File> Open & Export> Import/Export.

Export

Step 2. In the Import and Export Wizard, select Export to a file and proceed by clicking Next.

Export to a File

Step 3. Select Comma Separated Values and proceed by clicking Next.

Comma Separated Values

Step 4. Select the desired folder for export in the upcoming window.

Step 5. Choose a location to save the CSV file in the following window, then click Finish.

Step 6. Once completed, your Outlook data will be stored in CSV format on your hard drive.

2. Export Outlook Email in PDF Format

PDF is a widely utilized format, and you can download Outlook emails in PDF format. However, it's important to note that this method is suitable for downloading emails one by one, not in bulk.

Follow these steps to convert Outlook emails to PDF:

Step 1. Open the Outlook app and access the email you wish to save in PDF.

Step 2. Click on File in the top-left corner, then select the Print option. Choose Microsoft Print to PDF under the Printer option.

Print Option

Step 3. Select the Print option to configure the printing settings according to your preferences.

Select the Print

Step 4. Navigate to the Save Print Output Asbox and designate the location for saving the converted PDF file.

Step 5. In the subsequent window, assign a name to your PDF file in the File name box, ensure the saved type is PDF Document (*.pdf), and then click Save.

Click Save

Step 6. Your email is now securely saved in the location you specified.

3. Export Outlook Email in Word Format

Here's an alternative method to save Outlook emails to a hard drive without using PST. Convert your email to Word format for more convenient editing. Keep in mind that this process involves saving the email in MHT format and then converting it to Word format using Microsoft Word.

Follow the steps below to convert an Outlook email to a Word file:

Step 1. Open Outlook and access the email you wish to convert to a Word file.

Step 2. Select File in the top-left corner, then choose Save As.

Step 3. In the Save As window, pick MHT File(*.mht) from the Save As Type menu. Click Save to save the file as an MHT file on your hard drive.

Step 4. Open Microsoft Word, go to File, and choose Open.

Step 5. Locate the MHT file you saved and double-click to open it in Word.

Step 6. In MS Word, select File> Save As.

Step 7. Choose Word Document (*docx) as the type in the Save As Type box and click Save to complete the process.

Above are the three methods of how to save Outlook emails to hard drive without PST, you can choose any of them according to your needs. As a matter of fact, it is very important to backup Outlook emails, which can prevent you from losing data due to various accidents, such as problems with your computer or improper operation, and so on.

Below I will recommend you a professional Outlook backup software to help you know how to save Outlook email to hard drive automatically, so that you can have a peace of mind.

Bonus Tip: Backup Your Outlook Files to Prevent Data Loss

For an easy and automated approach to back up Outlook emails, you can explore the capabilities of AOMEI Backupper Professional, a highly regarded email backup tool. This software provides efficient backup solutions for all Outlook data, covering emails, contacts, attachments, notes, and calendars. It is compatible with multiple Windows operating systems, including Windows 11, 10, 8.1, 8, 7, XP, and Vista.

▶Outlook Backup Options:
Backup Outlook emails to various locations: internal hard drive, external disk, USB, NAS, network, cloud client, etc.
Scheduled Automatic Backups:
Set frequencies (daily, weekly, monthly, USB plug-in, event trigger) for regular automatic backups.
Utilize the "Wake up computer to run scheduled tasks" feature for off-peak or idle times.
▶Efficient File Backup:
Optimize backup time and disk space by choosing incremental backup (default) or differential backup.
Back up only changed files in Outlook.

Okay, download and open AOMEI Backupper now!

AOMEI Backupper

Easiest Outlook backup software for personal use.

Step 1. Launch Outlook, compose an email, and click Connect. Follow the on-screen instructions to add the Outlook account, including the emails you wish to back up.

Add Account Oulook

Step 2.Launch AOMEI Backupper Professional. In the main interface, navigate to Backup> Outlook Backup.

Outlook Backup

Step 3. Select the Outlook email folders you wish to backup by clicking Add Outlook data. Confirm your selection and click OK.

Add Outlook Data

Step 4. Choose a backup destination by clicking the corresponding box to store your backup files.

Select Backup Destination

Step 5. Schedule your backup preferences, selecting from Daily, Weekly, Monthly, Eventtrigger, or USB plug in options. Once configured, click Start Backup to initiate automatic backup of your Outlook emails.

Schedule Settings General

Note: Utilize Backup Scheme to tailor your backups – whether full, incremental, or differential – based on your requirements. Enable Automatic Backup Cleanup to ensure regular deletion of old backups, preventing disk storage issues.

Winds up

Learn the method to know how to save Outlook emails to hard drive without PST through this article. AOMEI Backupper Professional offers a seamless and dependable way to safeguard your Outlook data with minimal manual effort.

This software simplifies the backup process, ensuring a comprehensive and efficient solution to protect your valuable email information. Moreover, it serves as a useful backup and restore tool, securely backing up files in the event of accidents, such as HP laptop screen flickering on Windows 11.

Miya
Miya · Editor
Miya has an excellent insight and receives professional and systematic technical training since joining AOMEI. She has a comprehensive understanding of computer issues, aiming at helping users troubleshoot all kinds of problems. A lot of computer users around the world have found her articles very helpful!