If you want to retrieve a single email from a backup file, importing that whole file of emails into Outlook is time-consuming overkill. Here's how to open a PST file in Microsoft Outlook and browse the contents, no importing needed.
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Select File > Open & Export > Open Outlook Data File.
- Select the Outlook Data File (.pst), and then select Open.
- Once you open the Outlook Data File (.pst), the file will appear in your folder pane. Usually, you'll find it at the bottom of the list of folders.
The name of your Outlook Data File (.pst) will likely not be Outlook data file.