How do I move or copy a newly-created PST folder in Outlook (into which I have copied e-mails from an Outlook folder) to a folder in OneDrive?

Question

How do I move or copy a newly-created PST folder in Outlook (into which I have copied e-mails from an Outlook folder) to a folder in OneDrive?

Answer 1

Dear @Bram White SIOR, 

Good day, and I appreciate how clearly you outlined your concern. I understand you created a new PST in Outlook, copied emails into a folder inside that PST and now want to move or copy that “PST folder” into OneDrive. 

I would like to clarify one important point first. The folder you see in Outlook isn't a physical folder on the computer. It exists inside a single Outlook Data File with the extension .pst. Because of this, it isn't possible to copy only that folder to OneDrive. The entire .pst file must be copied instead. 

PST files are file based data stores that are frequently updated by Outlook. They aren't designed to be actively opened or used from OneDrive or other network or cloud synced locations. Doing so can lead to file locking issues, synchronization errors, performance problems, or potential data corruption. 

• I recommend keeping the PST file stored locally on your computer. Use OneDrive as a backup location only, not as the active location for the PST. 

Here are the steps you can copy the PST file to OneDrive safely: 

(Since you didn’t specify whether you’re using the New Outlook for desktop or Classic Outlook, I’ll include steps for both versions. Please feel free to let me know which version you’re using.) 

Step 1: Open File Explorer and locate your PST file.  

Classic Outlook: 

Open Classic Outlook. 

Go to File > Account Settings > Account Settings.  

Select the Data Files tab. 

Select your PST and choose Open File Location (so File Explorer opens the exact folder).  

New Outlook both web and desktop version: 

Open New Outlook. 

File > Open and export > Outlook Data Files. 

Select Manage for your PST file.

This will display the file path. Open File Explorer and follow the path or enter it into the address bar to access the file.

Step 2: Close Outlook completely to ensure the PST file is no longer in use or locked. 

Step 3: Copy the entire .pst file and paste it into the desired OneDrive folder. 

Step 4: Allow OneDrive to fully finish uploading and syncing the file. 

This provides you with a secure cloud backup of the PST without the risks associated with opening it directly from OneDrive. 

• If you need to open the PST again in the future: 

Step 1: Copy or download the PST file from OneDrive back to a local folder that isn't synced by OneDrive. 

Step 2: Open Outlook and connect the PST from that local location. 

This workflow avoids the unsupported scenario of running an active PST across a sync layer or network style path and is the safest option for data integrity. 

I’m sorry to know this may not be the outcome you were hoping for. In this forum, my role as a moderator is to help explain product behavior and guide you toward appropriate support channels or options, workarounds, or practical ideas. I don’t have access to back‑end systems, nor the ability to modify configurations or escalate internal feedback directly. While I don’t have visibility into deeper backend analysis, I’ll continue to do my best to support you within the scope of my responsibilities. 

I hope this information is helpful. If you have any questions or need further support, please don’t hesitate to reach out at any time.  

Thank you for your patience and understanding.  

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Answer 2

A PST file is a single Outlook data file stored on disk. To have that PST stored in OneDrive, move or copy the PST file itself in File Explorer, not the folders or messages inside Outlook.

Follow these steps:

1. In Outlook, make sure all the emails have been copied into the new PST data file and then close Outlook.
2. Wait for any current OneDrive sync activity to finish.
3. Open File Explorer and locate the PST file for the new data file. Common locations are:
   • C:\Users\<username>\Documents\Outlook Files
     If the PST is not there, open Outlook (once), right‑click the account that uses that PST, select Data File Properties > Advanced to see the full path, then close Outlook again.
4. In File Explorer, copy or move that .pst file into a folder that is under the OneDrive path, for example:
   C:\Users\<username>\OneDrive\Documents\Outlook Files
   or any other folder inside C:\Users\<username>\OneDrive\....
5. After the file is in the OneDrive folder, let OneDrive sync complete.
6. Open Outlook and, if needed, reattach the PST from its new OneDrive location:
   • Go to File > Account Settings > Account Settings.
   • On the Data Files tab, if the old location still shows, select it and choose Remove (this only disconnects it from the profile; it does not delete the file).
   • Select Add (or New Outlook Data file), browse to the PST in the OneDrive folder, and select it.

This stores the PST file in a OneDrive-synced folder so that OneDrive can back it up or sync it, while Outlook continues to use it from that new location.

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References:

• How to remove an Outlook .pst data file from OneDrive