Code
What is a .pst file?
A .pst file is a Microsoft Outlook Personal Folders (ANSI) (version 1997-2002). This is a code, script or executable format. Confusingly, this extension has been used by 2 different formats over the years — they're all listed below.
This extension has been used by more than one format
2 different formats have claimed .pst over the years, so two files with the same extension aren't necessarily the same kind of thing.
How to open a .pst file
- VS Code opens and highlights nearly every text-based code format.
- Never run a script you didn't write or trust.
The registry records this extension against Microsoft Outlook Personal Folders (ANSI), Microsoft Outlook Personal Folders (Unicode), so software from that family is the most likely match.
How to convert a .pst file
- Text-based code needs no conversion — just save with a different extension if a tool insists.
MIME type
When a .pst file travels over the web, servers label it with this MIME type:
application/vnd.ms-outlookThe technical record
For archivists, developers and the merely curious: these are the PRONOM registry entries for .pst.
| Format name | Version | MIME type | PUID |
|---|---|---|---|
| Microsoft Outlook Personal Folders (ANSI) | 1997-2002 | application/vnd.ms-outlook | x-fmt/248 |
| Microsoft Outlook Personal Folders (Unicode) | 2003-2007 | — | x-fmt/249 |