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Remove limit for Outlook OST and PST files

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Outlook limits the default size for PST Files and OST Files to 50 GB. The size is determined by the registry value in the registry, the maximum can be increased to about 4 PB (4096 TB).

In Outlook 2003 and Outlook 2007, the maximum recommended size of a PST Data File and an OST Data File was limited to 20 GB.

Outlook 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and Microsoft 365 set this recommended limit to 50 GB.

How to increase the maximum file size of a PST Data File ?

To increase the maximum size of PST files and OST files in Outlook, the values must be created and set under the following key in the registry.

Outlook 2003
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\11.0\Outlook\PST
Outlook 2007
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\12.0\Outlook\PST
Outlook 2010
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\14.0\Outlook\PST
Outlook 2013
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\15.0\Outlook\PST
Outlook 2016 / Outlook 2019 / Microsoft 365
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\16.0\Outlook\PST

Increase Size of Outlook PST Data File and OST Data File

The following 2 new DWORD values must be created or set, to increase the Outlook Data File limit.

  • WarnLargeFileSize
    Do not set this higher than 4090445042 (decimal) or f3cf3cf2 (hexadecimal)
  • MaxLargeFileSize
    Do not set this higher than 4294967295 (decimal) or ffffffff (hexadecimal)

Run REG ADD in Command Prompt

Opening a command prompt by pressing the Win+Rcmd and run the following two lines.

REG ADD "HKCU\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Office\16.0\Outlook\PST" /v "WarnLargeFileSize" /t REG_DWORD /d "4090445042" /f

REG ADD "HKCU\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Office\16.0\Outlook\PST" /v "MaxLargeFileSize" /t REG_DWORD /d "4294967295" /f

Lines with Copy Paste run in the Command Prompt.

The first value WarnLargeFileSize indicates how many MB a user can write to a pst or ost file before receiving a warning that the file is full.The second value MaxLargeFileSize indicates how many MB the system can write to a pst file or ost file.This value must be at least 5% higher because more than just user data is written to a pst file and an ost file.

Outlook PST OST size, Registry Key WarnLargeFileSize MaxLargeFileSize

  Although the registry path is PST, it also applies to OST files.

  If the mailbox is on an Exchange Server or an Office 365 account, the quota must also be increased.

  In Outlook 2013 and earlier versions, IMAP accounts also used an Outlook Data File (PST). Starting with Outlook 2016 and Outlook for Microsoft 365, IMAP accounts use Offline Outlook Data Files (OST).

Outlook offline data file (OST)

Most account types, e.g. Accounts such as IMAP accounts, Microsoft 365 accounts, Exchange accounts, and Outlook.com-accounts use an Offline Outlook Data File (OST) to keep a synchronized copy of your mailbox information on your local computer.

Outlook Data Files (.pst) created using Outlook 2013 or Outlook 2016 are usually stored in the Documents\Outlook Folder on the computer.

Outlook PST, -OST Data File Size

Offline Outlook Data File (OST) from Outlook 2019 and Microsoft 365 is saved under %LOCALAPPDATA% under the path \Users\Username\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Outlook. Most of the data remains on the server. However, all locally stored items should be backed up. For example, Calendar, Contacts, Tasks and all folders are only marked as Local.

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WinSCP Sites configuration to INI or Registry

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WinSCP Sites storage is empty, the configuration are stored to registry or in INI file

WinSCP stores targets with the connection data under Sites, in using Windows ftp and scp connections, if all entries to the sites have disappeared after an update, there is no reason to panic. The sites can be restored easily and quickly, how to proceed is shown in this post.

WinSCP for ftp and scp connections in Windows

After a software update of WinSCP was performed, and the sites configuration were stored in the registry. Which was the default in the earlier versions. It may happen that after an update of WinSCP, the setting was changed to INI. So we just need to change the setting back to Registry.

WinSCP Preferences

The setting from WinSCP.ini to Windows registry can be changed by clicking the Tools button, if the Login Session window is not open, press the keys Ctrl+N then the Tools button.

Choose Preferences Configuration storage

Under Preferences go to Storage and in the Configuration storage area, enable with click on Windows registry.

Tools – Preferences – Storage – Configuration storage: Windows registry.

After exiting WinsCP and running again, the targets reappear in the Site Manager Ctrl+N window.

WinSCP Configuration in Registry

If the registry is used as configuration store, the configuration is saved under the following key.

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Martin Prikryl\WinSCP 2]

WinSCP Configuration in INI-File

When loading configuration, WinSCP first looks for an INI file in the directory, where WinSCP executable is stored in. The INI file needs to have an .ini extension and the same name as the executable (i.e. WinSCP.ini). If INI file in not found there, WinSCP looks to application data directory of your user profile, i.e. to C:\Users\username\AppData\Roaming\WinSCP.ini.

When you use INI file for the first time, WinSCP tries to write it to directory, where WinSCP executable is stored. If the directory is not writable, INI file is stored to application data directory of your user profile.

WinSCP Transferring Configuration

The created destinations (sites) with the connection data are copied into the WinSCP.ini file with the change from Windows registry to Automatic INI file. If the sites were previously saved in the registry. To make the sites for WinSCP available on another computer, the sites with the connection data are transferred under Tools with Export/Backup Configuration and Import/Restore Configuration.

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