Remove Forgotten Password from PST File in Outlook

PST file is password protected and you forgotten the PST file password. Now looking for a solution that can help you accessing password protected PST file. Don’t worry, this post will help you for the same. Let us understand the all possible ways to remove forgotten password from PST file of Outlook 2021, 2019, 2016, 2013, 2010, 2007, versions.

Applying password on PST file is vital to ensure digital privacy and restrict unauthorized accessed. More important applying password on PST file is the best way to secure mailbox data. But it turns in worst, if you forgot the password that you applied on PST file. In this situation, you will get PST file keeps asking for forgotten password error. 

Unfortunately, Microsoft Outlook does not provide any direct way to either remove or bypass PST file forgotten password. But we made it possible for you in this writeup. Get clear and step by step guidance to remove forgotten password from PST file. So, lets jump to the solution part directly.

Table of Content:

1. Recover password from PST file using command prompt
2. Remove PST file Password via Outlook Interface
3. Limitations of Manual Techniques
4. Alternate approach to remove PST Password

Free Ways to Remove Known Password from PST File

Microsoft Outlook itself provides option to remove password from PST file, change PST file password, reset PST password. But for this, you must be aware of your old password. Consider below steps if you are aware of your old password that you applied on your PST file. On the other hand, if you forgotten password that you applied earlier on PST file, move the professional solution.

Method-1: CMD Commands to Recover PST File Password

Follow below steps to remove password from PST file in Outlook all below versions. This requires technical knowledge.

• Make a replica of PST that you want to work with and close Outlook application
• Run Scanpst.exe an inbuilt utility and then, browse the specific PST file
• Launch the command prompt by holding Window + R key together
• Paste the file location to pst19up and your PST file named as pst19up.exe- filename.pst and press Enter key
• The command line seems like C:\My Documents\pst19upg.exe- x outlook.pst. This will generate a copy of PST file known as filename.psx
• After considering this copy, rename the original Outlook PST file with different names
• Now at the command prompt, type pst19upg.exe- filename.psx and click the Enter key
• After that, a new password free PST will be created. Again, you can launch MS Outlook and open the PST files

Methods-2: Remove PST Password from Outlook Interface

User will find this option in all Outlook versions. The option may be different in different Outlook versions. Before performing this steps make sure you know the PST password that you applied before. Follow the instructions carefully.

• Launch Outlook application and go to File tab
• After that, choose Account Settings>>Account Settings option

• Select the Data Files tab and decide the PST file for which you want to change the password and then, click Settings

• Then, hit on Change Password to apply password to PST file under the Outlook data file pop-up box

• Now, you can set a New Password to protect PST files and press OK button to verify it.

Remember: Keep in mind that password should be of 15 characters or less than 15 characters.

Limitations Faced While Implementing Free Ways

With all the above steps, you can remove password from Outlook PST files. But, there are some drawbacks while performing the manual solution. Some of them are listed below:

• You should be aware of old password. 
• It can not help if you forgot old password.
• When performing the manual solution, you need to select each PST file at a time to remove password.
• Microsoft Outlook installation is necessary to unlock Outlook PST file.

Professional Way to Remove Forgotten Password From PST File

To overcome all the shortcomings of manual approach, SysTools developed a reliable PST Password Remover Tool. It is designed in such a way to recover all types of Password: Lengthy and Multilingual. It is capable enough to recover forgotten password from bulk PST files at once. The best thing about this tool is to reset PST Password from protected file with no supported email client. Perform the following steps of the tool to bypass the PST file password issue:

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• Download and launch the software on your Windows system and click Add File/Add Folder option. For multiple PST files, choose Add Folder option.

• Locate the PST File which is protected by password and you forgotten the password.

• Now, you can view status of Password Protected .pst file. If the browse PST file is protected by password then this software will show the locked icon.

• Finally, the status report is generated to remove password from all PST files. Click on Remove Password button from bottom.

This software make the password removing process quite easy and secure. Free demo version of this utility is also available to test its working and features. It is the recommended software for removing forgotten password from PST file even without login into the Outlook interface. The tool requires only PST file, it doesn’t matter that. using which Outlook version or profile, the PST file is created. It will easily remove the password from PST file and help in the seamless accessing.

Do you know Outlook itself stores PST file password that user can check? Lets understand the actual meaning of this:

Where Can I Find Outlook Data File Password?

Outlook is widely used and popular email application because of advanced email management options. Along with this Outlook is proficient at managing Outlook data file password. Here in below section I will explain how a user can find Outlook data file password. Lets start exploring:

For Outlook 2003 and Below Versions 

Outlook 2003 and their earlier version allows users to change or recover Outlook data file password directly. For this, user can follow the steps: 

• Launch Microsoft Outlook and hit File > Data File Management.
• Select Password Protected PST File and Hit Settings > Change Password.
• Now user can either add new password or leave it blank to remove password. 

For Outlook 2007 Version 

If you are a Outlook 2007 version user and want to know where can you find Outlook data file password. But to perform the below steps to you must be aware of old password. Follow below steps: 

• Launch Microsoft Outlook 2007 and Hit File > Data File Management.
• Select Password Protected PST File and Hit Settings Option
• A Pop up will Appear hit on Change Password 
• Here provide current password and then apply new password or you can leave it blank to remove password. 

For Outlook 2010 and Later Version

Microsoft discontinued built in option recover or change password applied on Outlook data file. So, a user cannot recover password applied on PST file. So, it is not possible to find PST file password using Outlook dashboard.

Time to Conclude

Most of the time it happens with users that they set the password to PST file and now they want to remove password from PST file. Thus, in this blog, we have discussed a manual solution to unlock password of PST file. Multiple ways listed in this writeup, It totally depends on you which solution you opt to fix the PST file asking for forgotten password error.