How to do Outlook Synchronization or Backup

One-way copying of Outlook Files

If you do a one-way sync or backup, it is quite straightforward. You just need to know where the Outlook files are stored. A typical path for Outlook files is:


or, on older Windows versions:

You can synchronize all files in this folder, or just the .PST file (specify *.PST in the File Masks field). Note that the .OST files are not needed because they contain only temporaray data.

Two-way copying of Outlook Files

First you need to know that this software cannot merge different emails from two computers and generate an Outlook database that contains emails or contacts from both sources. Syncovery always treats Outlook files as a complete entity, so it can only replicate the complete state of your emails from one computer to another. This is ideal for backup purposes. Large Outlook files can also be copied on a block level to speed up the transfer.

If the destination computer contains emails that are not on the source system and you copy the Outlook file from source to destination, then the email that were only on the destination computer are lost.

This problem can be overcome by adhering to a strict policy where you always synchronize the two computers before switching to the other one and receiving emails there. If you switch computers and receive emails before synchronizing each time you switch, then you get a mixed state which this program cannot resolve.

Copying PST files while Outlook is running

On Windows XP or later, Syncovery can use Volume Shadowing to copy locked files. Make sure that the software is running on the same machine where Outlook is storing its files. Volume shadowing does not work over the network.