How to Reduce Outlook Mailbox Size without Deleting Emails
In this article, we will explain how to reduce Outlook mailbox size without deleting emails. Along with that, we also suggest the professional PST Compress Tool for compressing the Outlook PST file. Read the article to get complete information.
Microsoft Outlook is the most widely used email client. Because of its advanced features and different premium plans, it is suitable for both individuals and organizations. Every day users receive numerous emails in their Outlook application. If they have configured multiple email accounts, the size of their mailbox increases drastically, and further leads to the ‘Microsoft Outlook mailbox full’ issue.
Why Reduce Microsoft Outlook Mailbox Size?
A large size Outlook mailbox is more inclined to numerous Outlook errors and freezing. It causes many serious issues in Outlook. Below we describe some of the adverse effects of an oversized Outlook mailbox. So, you can better understand why you should reduce Outlook mailbox size.
- A large Outlook mailbox declines the speed of the email client. It further reduces productivity.
- Chances of Outlook errors and file corruptions are high when mailbox size exceeds the limit.
- Managing and sharing the Outlook data file will become difficult because of the oversized Outlook mailbox.
Because of these reasons, users want to reduce the size of a large Outlook data file. Now, we will share some prominent methods to help you minimize Outlook mailboxes without deleting emails.
How to Reduce Outlook Mailbox Size – Manually
Numerous solutions are available to reduce Microsoft Outlook mailbox size. You can choose any method as per your requirement. These techniques are efficient and free of cost. Another approach for compressing the Outlook mailbox size is the professional PST Compress Tool. We will discuss both solutions one by one. First, we will explain the DIY manual methods.
#1. Using the Outlook Cleanup Tool
With the Outlook Mailbox Cleanup Tool, you can reduce the size of your Outlook mailbox to a great extent. Also, you can check the mailbox size in Outlook. Follow the below steps to use the clean-up tool options.
- Open the MS Outlook.
- Click on the File button at the top bar.
- In the Info section, click on Tools and choose Mailbox Cleanup.
- It will show the Mailbox Cleanup wizard.
- You can opt for either AutoArchive or Empty the Deleted Folder option.

#2. Split PST File Data
Another solution to reduce Outlook mailbox size without deleting emails is by splitting the PST file into multiple PST files. You do not need to delete any email for reducing the mailbox size. Follow the below instructions.
- In the MS Outlook application, click on the New Items
- Select the More Items option and click on the Outlook Data File
- After that, provide a suitable name and destination for the PST file. Press OK.
- The new PST file will appear in the left panel. Now, create a mailbox folder.
- Open the PST file which you want to reduce. Select the emails and right-click on them.
- Choose the Move to option and move them to the mailbox folder of the newly created PST file.
- It will break a single PST file into two PST files.
It is a DIY method to split your PST file. However, if you want to break the large PST file into multiple smaller files based on different parameters, the most appropriate solution is the DRS PST Splitter Tool.
#3. Archive Older Emails
When your mailbox is filled with old emails that are no longer of any use, you can use the AutoArchive feature of MS Outlook. It allows you to save the older emails into a separate PST file. So, you can reduce Microsoft Outlook mailbox size without deleting emails.
Follow the below instructions to learn how to reduce Outlook mailbox size.
- Click on the File button, then choose the Options
- In the Options wizard, select the Advanced option.
- Scroll to the AutoArchive section and click on AutoArchive settings.

- After that, define the frequency and other settings of auto-archive.
- At last, click OK to save changes.
#4. Compress Outlook Data File
MS Outlook provides an inbuilt feature to compress the Outlook data file to reduce Outlook mailbox size without deleting emails. Follow the below steps.
- Click on File >> Info >> Account Settings >> Account Settings.
- The Account Settings tab will open. Switch to the Data Files tab and hit Settings.
- In the Outlook data file dialogue box, click on the Compact Now button.

All the above techniques are effective for all users. However, some data may get lost while reducing the Outlook mailbox size. Therefore, we suggest the automated utility to compress large PST files without Outlook.
Professional Tool to Compress Outlook PST File
DRS PST Compress Tool is the most appropriate solution to compress Outlook PST files which further reduces the Outlook mailbox size. This utility provides different compression options. Moreover, you can filter out duplicate emails and also split the resultant PST file. The application is widely compatible with all versions of Windows OS.
Steps to Reduce Mailbox Size in Outlook
- Launch the DRS PST Compress Tool. Opt for the Single File option and hit Next.
- Click on the Select File Choose the desired PST file and press Open.
- After that, the selected files appear in the list. Click on the Next
- From the mailbox preview, choose desired mailbox items and press Next.
- At last, choose the PST file compression options and hit the Start Compression button.
Also Read: Archive Emails in MS Outlook 2016
Conclusion
In this article, we have discussed how to reduce Outlook mailbox size without deleting emails. First, we explained why you need to reduce the mailbox size of MS Outlook. After that, we discussed different manual solutions to minimize Outlook mailbox size. The DIY manual techniques are effective, but may not be suitable for non-technical users. Therefore, we recommended the professional PST Compress Tool. It is the best solution to reduce your Outlook PST file without altering the data integrity.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can reduce the size of your Outlook mailbox by different methods:
● Archive old Outlook emails.
● Split Outlook PST file into multiple smaller files.
● Compress Outlook mailbox via the inbuilt compress feature.
● Use a professional PST Compress Tool.
You can free up your Outlook mailbox by archiving old emails into your PC. After that, you can delete them from Outlook. Another solution is to open the Mailbox Clean up Tool and select the Empty Deleted Items folder option. It will remove all emails from the Deleted folder.
About The Author:
Shivam is a digital marketer and technical content writer at DRS Solution®, specializing in topics like databases, email recovery, and migration solutions. She enjoys researching and crafting content that assists database administrators, businesses, and beginners in resolving various issues related to MS SQL, MySQL, and Microsoft Exchange.