How to Open a PST File on Mac?

6 min readAug 1, 2022

This guide teaches you how to open a PST file on a Mac computer. It explains how to open a PST file with Microsoft Outlook. It also explains three ways to open a PST file on Mac without Outlook.

Scratching your head about how to open a PST file on your Mac? 🤔
Never fear! In this guide you will learn:

What is a PST File?
How to open a PST File on Mac with Outlook?
Three ways open a PST File on Mac without Outlook
1️⃣ Easiest: How to open a PST File on Mac with Curiosity
2️⃣ Alternative: How to open a PST File in Gmail (migration tool)
3️⃣ Alternative: How to open a PST File using a 3rd-party converter

Read on to learn the best way to open a PST Outlook archive files on a Mac computer. Let’s jump right in!

1. What is a PST File?

When you link an email account with Microsoft Outlook, all the information for that account is stored on your computer in a PST file.

PST files store information on your emails, calendar, contacts, and more. PST stands for “personal storage table”. You can use a PST file to to access the information without an internet connection.

You can also use a PST file to archive an email account, e.g., if you run out of space. You might even get a PST file from a former colleague who archived some of their email before they left the team.

2. How to Open a PST File on Mac with Outlook?

If you have Outlook installed on your Mac, you can use it to open a PST file.

To open a PST file with Outlook on Mac, you need to import it first.

Launch Microsoft Outlook on your Mac
Click on the File tab in the top menu and select Import
That will start the Import/Export wizard. In the Choose the action to perform dialogue box, select Import from another program and click Next
An import file box will open. Choose Outlook data file (.pst) and click Next to continue
Decide whether to import duplicate items by checking the appropriate box (check the top option if you wish to replace duplicate items). Next, click Browse, find your PST file, and click to open it.
Lastly, choose your destination folder in Outlook. You can select (a) to import to the current folder or (b) a different folder. Click Finishto complete the process.

When you have finished importing your PST file, Outlook will start importing it. It will also start indexing it to make it searchable.

Afterwards, you can open and search the emails/calendar/contacts in your PST file in Outlook as the same as you would with any other email account.

Note

For more information and older versions of Outlook for Mac, check the Microsoft Outlook user guide
Indexing a PST file can take a long time depending on how fast your computer is and how large the file is (minutes or even hours).
If the Import is greyed out in step 2, check this Microsoft forum discussion

3. How to Open a PST file on Mac Without Outlook?

You might be in a situation where you need to open a PST file on Mac without Outlook. That could have a number of reasons:

Your Outlook license has expired
You’re using a Mac where Outlook is not installed
You’re sharing a PST file with someone who doesn’t have Outlook

There are three good ways to open a PST file on Mac without Outlook:
1️⃣ The easiest way: Curiosity
2️⃣ Alternative: In Gmail using the Google migration tool
3️⃣ Alternative: Using 3rd-party converter software

4. The best way to open a PST on Mac using Curiosity

The best way to open a PST file on Mac is by using Curiosity.

What is Curiosity?

Curiosity is a search and productivity app that helps people like you find all their email and files, no matter where it’s stored.

With Curiosity you can connect all your folders and tools to one search. That helps you save time and be more productive.

How to open a PST file on Mac using Curiosity?

Curiosity lets you open and search a PST file on Mac without needing to install a converter.

To open a PST file using Curiosity, follow these simple steps.

Download and install Curiosity from the official website
Upgrade to Pro by clicking on Upgrade and following the instructions. You need Pro for PST files, but the 14-day free trial gives you plenty of time to to decide whether you want to keep it.
Connect your PST file: Go to Apps & Files, selectOutlook Archives, select File
Find your PST File, select Open, and close the window… and that’s it!

How to view and search a PST file on Mac using Curiosity?

Your PST archive will be shown as an email account under Spaces in the left menu of the Curiosity app. The app will also start indexing it to make it searchable.

You can click on the PST archive in the Curiosity app under Spacesto search and explore it, and open all the emails and attachments.

There’s no need to worry about keeping your data private because with Curiosity all your data says safe on your laptop and is never sent to the cloud.

5. Alternative 1: How to migrate a PST file to Gmail

If you use Gmail, you can open a PST file in Gmail using the GWMMO tool.

⚠️ Warning: The Google migration tool will mix the PST emails in among your normal emails, so don’t do this unless you don’t mind having them in your account forever.

Follow these steps to open a PST file in Gmail using GWMMO.

Download the GWMMO tool from the company’s official website
Run the program. In the setup wizard, enter your Google account details and click Continueto proceed
On the next page, click on the Allowbutton to authorize data migration
Choose PST Fileand click Next
In the wizard that appears, click the checkboxes for the items you want to migrate and click Migrate

The migration process will start. Once it’s complete, click Finish. Now you can go view the emails from your PST file in your Gmail account.

5. How to open a PST File on Mac using converter software?

The final way to open a PST file on Mac is by using third-party converter software. Converters are usually paid software.

Converters let you convert a PST file and save it in a different file format, e.g. HTML, PDF, or TXT.

Depending how what format you convert the PST to, some information will be lost. For example, email attachments will not be available.

There are many converters to choose from. One alternative is the PST Converter for Mac. Here’s how to open a PST file on Mac using the PST Converter for Mac:

Download and Install PST Converter for Mac from the company’s official website
Open your .pst file using the Add Filebutton
Click Next too continue
Choose PST file you want to migrate and click Next
Choose how you want to save the content (as HTML, PDF, or TXT) and click Next

The contents of your PST file will be saved in the format you selected, You can now open the contents in that converted format.

The PST Converter app isn’t free though: You’re looking at a hefty $99 open your PST file even once!

Wrapping Up

A PST file is used for saving information from Microsoft Outlook, like contacts, calendar events, and tasks.

Opening a PST file on a Mac can be challenging, especially if you don’t have Outlook installed. Nevertheless, there are several ways you can do it.

In this guide you learned to open a PST file on Mac using Outlook for Mac. You also learned three ways to open a PST file without Outlook:

1️⃣ The easiest way: Curiosity
2️⃣ Alternative: In Gmail using the Google migration tool
3️⃣ Alternative: Using 3rd-party converter software

Now you’ll never be stumped by a PST file on Mac again!

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