PST file support in new Outlook for Windows

garyb0125 · Mar 16, 2025

I know it’s way early in the game, but I was at least able to add my PST file to Outlook for Windows. However, I noticed that any emails in the PST file older than mid-2010 or so show up with the sender as [Unknown], and the email can’t be opened (“Message can’t be displayed right now”). I can view and open all emails using classic Outlook 365. My emails are all associated with a POP account if that makes any difference. I was wondering if anyone else is experiencing this issue or has any possible suggestions. Thanks in advance.

spapakons · Mar 16, 2025

I would check if there is any other common format between classic Outlook and new Outlook app and export to that instead of PST.

garyb0125 · Mar 16, 2025

Thanks. I have tried exporting to another PST file and have run SCANPST, but neither solved the problem.

spapakons · Mar 16, 2025

I mean to export to a different format, not PST.

garyb0125 · Mar 16, 2025

I've also tried old PST format (97-2002) as well as CSV....neither one worked.

spapakons · Mar 16, 2025

Some incompatibility perhaps? Probably you had an older version of Outlook back then and it saved in some older incompatible version of PST. That's why I suggested to save to another format. If you have a genuine license of an old Outlook you could install and use it to open these older emails and use new Outlook for everything else.

garyb0125 · Mar 16, 2025

spapakons said:
Some incompatibility perhaps? Probably you had an older version of Outlook back then and it saved in some older incompatible version of PST. That's why I suggested to save to another format. If you have a genuine license of an old Outlook you could install and use it to open these older emails and use new Outlook for everything else.

But then that defeats the purpose of having a single Outlook (Outlook for Windows) going forward. I'll continue to use Classic Outlook until I can't since it can read/open all of my old emails.

I've forwarded feedback to the development team. It remains to see what (if anything) they will do about it.

Thanks for your suggestions.

spapakons · Mar 16, 2025

New Outlook is meant as a replacement to modern Mail app, which was a replacement to Windows Live Mail, which replaced Vista's Windows Mail, which replaced Windows 95/98/XP Outlook Express. All of them have limited compatibility and features compared to the "regular" Microsoft Outlook. They are free but limited substitutes and a substitute is never as good as the original. The best is to keep using Microsoft Outlook 2016 or higher. Older versions don't support 2 factor authentication and cannot be configured to use some modern emails, such as Google, Yahoo and others.

Marcus Vinicus · Mar 16, 2025

MS have info on the implementation of pst files in New Outlook here.

Open and find items in an Outlook Data File (.pst) - Microsoft Support

Describes how to investigate items in an Outlook Data File (.pst) and troubleshoot search issues.

support.microsoft.com

I have a Microsoft 365 Business Standard subscription (Office apps in the beta insider channel) and it is partially implemented currently.

PST file support in new Outlook for Windows

Well-known member

My Computer

Well-known member

My Computers

Well-known member

My Computer

Well-known member

My Computers

Well-known member

My Computer

Well-known member

My Computers

Well-known member

My Computer

Well-known member

My Computers

Semper paratus

My Computers

Similar threads