Examine Contacts from PST Files using Free and Simple Ways

You can read your contact items in Outlook without any problems. This article will provide you with different ways to examine contacts from PST files. All the methods will be easy, so read the article to the end for better understanding.

PST files are the proprietary files of Outlook; they store items like emails, contacts, calendars, events, etc. With this, if you want, you can save your entire inbox in one file. The backup of the Outlook data is also used in PST format. Users can add a password to their PST file to save the data from any unknown users. Other than sending and receiving emails, you can also manage contacts or calendars. So, if you want to see the contact items, you can easily do this.

If your contacts that you want to see are already in Outlook, you can easily read them. Just go to the contact folder from the folder pane and see the data. But if the data is in a PST file, then there are a number of ways you can view the files.

Methods to Examine Contacts from PST Files

In Outlook, you can either import the PST file or see the data. But if there are multiple files, then the drag-and-drop option would be good to view bulk files at the same time. These methods are used in Outlook, but if you don’t have the program, you can use a professional tool in place of them. The software directly opens your PST file, and you can read the data in it easily. So, there are three approaches to view Outlook contacts.

Import the PST file directly to Outlook and read the contacts.
Drag and drop batch PST files and see all the contacts at the same time.
Use software to open and examine the PST file.

Import PST File Directly in Outlook

We use the in-built option in Outlook to view the files. Before opening the file, you should know the location of the PST file.

Open Outlook and click on the File menu bar.
Select the Open and Export button, and then click on Open Outlook Data File.
Browse the location of the PST file and click on the Import button.
Open your PST file and see the contacts.

For multiple files, you have to open each PST file every time to see the data. But to make this easier, the next method is a good option.

Examine Contacts from PST Files by Drag and Drop

In this way, we move the multiple PST files into the Outlook folder. So, we directly import our contacts into the contact folder.

In Outlook, go to the contact folder. Here, we import all the files.
Without closing the program, go to where your PST files are stored.
Select any one file and drag and drop it to the folder that you have chosen.
With the same steps as above, move all the files into the folder.
After that, you can read the files in the contact folder.

Limitations of Manual Methods

The above methods are used in Outlook, so if you don’t have the program, then they are not applicable. Not only this, but there are other issues along these lines.

You have to physically move individual files into Outlook, which is a time-consuming process.
If your file is affected by a corruption issue, then Outlook cannot access it.
There are chances for human error.

So, these are not reliable ways to read the data. The next method would be a great way to read the files.

Professionally Examine Contacts from PST Files

The manual techniques don’t provide good results. But with this technique, you can easily open and read the files. PST File Viewer developed by FreeViewer, will allow you to view Outlook contacts, emails, calendars, events, etc. The software doesn’t require Outlook to open the file files; you just have to add your PST file, and it automatically opens the files. To make your experience better this software provides additional features.

Features of Software

With this tool, you can easily browse and read the PST files.
The tool provides a full preview of your files with the attachments.
You can do an in-depth analysis of the file.
It has a scanning option for corrupt PST files.
There are various preview modes to view the files in HEX, MIME, RTF, HTML, etc.

Steps to View Outlook Contacts

Download and launch the software.
Click on the Add File option and browse the location where it is stored.
Select Advance Scan. If your file is corrupted, then
Click the Add button.
The tool scans your file and shows the data in the center of the screen.
Click on the Contact option and read the data. Also, preview the file in various modes as well.

Conclusion

Outlook also manages contacts, emails, and calendars. To examine contacts from PST files, this article explains three methods: directly opening the files in Outlook, dragging and dropping the PST files in the Outlook folder, or using the software to open and read the data in it. All the ways are good to see the files. So here you have techniques to view Outlook contacts.