backup outlook

Hi Richard Silva,

Welcome to Microsoft Q&A Forum!

Have a good day and I hope you're doing well!

Thank you for the update. Since you have already followed the standard export path, I believe I understand the issue you are facing regarding the "missing files." 

This is a very common confusion. It is important to note that an Outlook Data File (.pst) acts as a single archive container. You cannot open this file via Windows File Explorer to view individual emails inside, nor will you see separate files for each message in that destination folder. 

To verify that your emails are successfully backed up and present within that file, you must open it through Outlook. Here are the steps to verify your backup: 

1. In Outlook, go to File > Open & Export > Open Outlook Data File. 
2. Navigate to the destination folder where you saved your backup, select the .pst file, and click OK. 
3. Look at the left-hand navigation pane in Outlook (where your inbox is). You should see a new file name (usually called "Outlook Data File") appear at the bottom of the list. 
4. Expand that folder to view all the emails and subfolders contained within your backup. 

Once you have confirmed the emails are there, you can right-click that Outlook Data File in the left pane and select "Close [Name]" to remove it from your view. 

For further reference on handling these files: Open and close Outlook Data Files (.pst)

I hope the information provided is helpful and gives you additional insights. Please feel free to reach out if you have any further questions or if there is anything I may have misunderstood. 

Best regards.

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