Index PST files – Windows 7

You can search local Microsoft Exchange PST email archives easily from within Outlook but you may also want to search multiple PSTs at once or (I keep my email archives by year) include PST files in the results of a standard file system search. The following steps get it done quickly and easily in Outlook 2010 Professional Plus (similar steps for Outlook 2007)

1. Confirm any PST file that you wish to search is active in Outlook (if not you can manually add them to the index by their location)
2. Click the File Tab to access the “Backstage” area
3. Choose Search
4. Click Indexing Options
5. Click Modify
6. Expand Microsoft Outlook
7. Select your Index Locations 
   1. Outlook
      1. PST files (available only for PST files active in Outlook)
      2. OST files (offline cache) or Offline Files (below Outlook section)
   2. Email accounts
   3. SharePoint lists
8. Click OK
9. Once indexed use Windows Find to search the index:
   1. Windows key + F
   2. F3 from the Desktop or Explorer
   3. ** The standard search field within explorer will not work. Why? It appears you must add Indexing of Properties and Contents for the PST file extension for this to work (via the Advanced options within Indexing)

That’s it! Leave Outlook open to index your server based mail (for results within Outlook). PST files will be Indexed in due time, leave the Index app open to watch the file count increase. Once completed – use Find to search your PST files.

Index Locations

Indexing Options

Outlook Search