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Written By Lovely Baghel
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Published on: September 8th, 2025
The PST file is the primary storage data file used by Microsoft Outlook. It stores the entire mailbox, including emails, attachments, and other data files. On the other hand, MSG is a single Outlook email file. It contains only the emails, metadata, and attachments. Convert PST to MSG is helpful when you want to back up or share specific emails, avoid corruption, or meet compliance requirements. Here, we will perform conversion with the manual methods and by using an automated utility like SysInfo PST File Converter.
Converting the PST data files into MSG format has numerous benefits. Some points are mentioned below to understand the importance and need.
This section contains two manual methods to convert your files to the MSG format. Choose the suitable method for you and consider the following limitations of these steps as well. Follow the steps to convert the PST file to MSG format efficiently.
Method 1: Using Drag & Drop to Convert Outlook PST to MSG
Limitations:
Method 2: Save As MSG Format
Limitations:
If you are facing issues while performing the conversion with manual methods, then you should move to a professional solution. Here, we will see how you can do a migration using a PST Converter. This tool maintains the folder hierarchy and supports bulk conversion of files. Additionally, it can be used by anyone on any OS without Outlook and ensures you get optimum outputs. Moreover, it has a demo version for a few free conversions securely and efficiently.
Steps to Convert PST File to MSG
Feature |
PST (Personal Storage Table) |
MSG (Mail Messages) |
Data Storage |
Stores the whole Outlook mailbox, including emails, contacts, calendars, etc |
Stores only a single email with complete details, making it easier to handle |
File Size |
Often grows very large and may reach up to 50GB |
Always lightweight since each email is saved separately. |
Sharing |
Difficult to share one specific email without extracting it first |
Easy to share individual emails directly with others |
Backup & Organisation |
Not convenient for selective backup |
Perfect for selective backup and well-organised storage |
Legal and Compliance Use |
Not suitable for presenting a single message as evidence |
Widely used in legal, investigation, and compliance cases. |
To conclude, a PST file keeps all your Outlook data in one big place, while an MSG file saves just one email at a time. Sometimes, you don’t need the whole PST; you just want a single important email. That’s when convert PST to MSG makes things much easier.
Drag & Drop or Save As manual methods work fine for a few emails. But when you have multiple emails to convert, these methods are not efficient. That’s why using a PST Converter Tool is a better choice. It saves time, keeps your folders in order, and lets you convert many emails at once without problems.
Ans. Yes, you can. If you use the PST Converter Tool, it does not need Outlook to be installed on your computer. The tool itself can read the PST file and change it into MSG format.
Ans. Yes, it is safe if you choose a trusted tool. The SysInfo PST Converter Tool keeps your emails, attachments, and folder structure the same. It does not delete or damage your data, so your emails stay secure.
Ans. It depends on the size of your PST file. For small PST files, it only takes a few minutes. For very large PST files, it can take a bit longer. But the PST Converter Tool works faster than manual methods, so it saves you a lot of time.
About The Author:
As a content writer, I specialize in Email Migration, Data Recovery, Email Backup, and File Management. I have been writing professionally for two years now. There is so much information available in this field that I am intrigued by the newer technologies and techniques.
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