How to Delete Personal Folders in Microsoft Outlook
By Adrian Grahams
The personal folders on Microsoft Outlook contain the email messages, calendar information and contact details that you store while using the software. The information in each personal folder is stored in an Outlook data file with a ".pst" extension, so that you can easily export the data to another computer. If you have duplicate personal folders on Outlook, or folders that you no longer use, then you can close the Outlook data file to delete the folder from the Outlook navigation pane.
Step 1
Launch Microsoft Outlook on the computer.
Step 2
Find the navigation pane on the left-hand side of the Outlook program window.
Step 3
Read through the list of personal folders, and decide which folders you want to delete.
Step 4
Right-click the folder that you want to delete.
Step 5
Select "Close (Folder Name)" from the context menu. This deletes the folders from the Outlook navigation pane.
References
Tips
- You can close all personal folders other than the default Outlook folder that is used to save new messages. If the "Close" command isn't available from the context menu in Step five, it means you're trying to remove the default personal folder.
- Closing a personal folder deletes the folder from the navigation pane but Outlook retains the data from the folder on your computer.
Writer Bio
Adrian Grahams began writing professionally in 1989 after training as a newspaper reporter. His work has been published online and in various newspapers, including "The Cornish Times" and "The Sunday Independent." Grahams specializes in technology and communications. He holds a Bachelor of Science, postgraduate diplomas in journalism and website design and is studying for an MBA.