Top 5 PST Repair Tools in Windows 10/11
Are you having trouble with your PST files? Follow along as we explore a few tools to repair Outlook data.
Outlook is one of the premier emailing services used by many students and professionals around the globe. It's quick and convenient. All these advantages make it one of the prioritized options among institutions and professional environments.
However, the problem occurs when the PST, the extension file saved by Outlook, gets corrupted or lost. That's when PST repair tools are an extraordinary program for many users. So, which are the best ones? Today, we'll look at the top 5 free PST repair tools and analyze the reason behind this problem. So, let's get started.
Common Causes of PST Files Corruption
PST or personal storage table is the file extension code for an Outlook file. While it's mainly found in Outlook, other Microsoft programs also use it to store necessary information, such as calendar events, contacts, emails, and messages.
However, when the PST file is corrupted, people often end up losing all the aforementioned data, such as messages, calendars, etc. So, what causes this sort of corruption? What are some of the common reasons people lose PST files and, consequently, their essential information?
Let's divide them into two categories:
PST File Corruption Due to Hardware Reasons
The first and perhaps the most common cause of PST data corruption is caused by hardware failure. This can include three main types of error and losses involving hardware, such as:
- Network issues
- Bad Sectors on Hard Drive
- Sudden Power Failure
Network issues can cause the computer to misread or corrupt the file if the connection is interrupted. While sudden power failure will stop the read/write process, which will end up ruining all the data within that PST file.
Lastly, a bad sector on a storage device is bound to cause such problems. This will cause not only Outlook to not work correctly but also corrupt PST files beyond readability.
PST File Corruption Due to Software Reasons
The second type of PST file corruption can be caused by software issues. These issues can corrupt PST files; however, no hardware is involved. So, what exactly causes this? It's likely to be two reasons:
- Malicious Software
- File System Recovery
A malicious virus attack can ruin every type of file, so there's no wonder it can also affect PST files. On the other hand, poorly recovered system file also causes this problem. The two significant reasons PST files become unreadable could be these two events.
Tip: Recover Lost PST Files for Free (Recommend)
Even if the PST file is beyond readable, that doesn't mean it's beyond recovery. So, how do you recover corrupted PST files if they have essential information? Moreover, how do you recover them for free?
The answer is using a professional recovery tool—preferably a third-party one. One of the best tools to do that is Deep Data Recovery. What makes it the top contender for recovering lost files? Let's find out.
Brief Introduction to Deep Data Recovery Software
Deep Data Recovery is one of the leading recovery programs today. It has become the top choice for many users around the globe, and it can recover files quite comprehensively—even corrupted PST files.
The reason it should be your prioritized PST repair tool is that it can recover lost or corrupted files in case of:
- Deleted files
- Files lost in storage formatting
- Accidental deletion
- Virus attack
These are only some scenarios it can help you with, but how exactly does it recover Outlook data? Because it recovers file types such as:
- PST
- DBX
- EMLX
Whether in Outlook or Outlook express, Deep Data Recovery's retrieval of these files can help you get back your lost PST data. On top of that, it's mostly free, and you can recover other essential media, such as documents, videos, photos, audio, and other files.
How to Recover Lost PST Files Using Deep Data Recovery
Now that we know why it's your best option for recovering files, how exactly do you recover PST files using Deep Data Recovery Software? Here's what you'll have to do:
Step 1. Launch Qiling file recovery software on your Windows computer. Select file types and click "Next" to start.
Step 2. Choose the drive or partition where you lost email files, and click "Scan".
Step 3. The software will initiate a scanning process immediately. Wait patiently until the scanning process completes. To quickly locate the email files, click "Others" in the left panel. Then, look for PST files or Outlook files in the file type list.
Step 4. Then, choose the desired email files and click "Recover". Save the files to another location instead of the original one.
As you can see, the tool comprehensively recovers your corrupted PST files for free. Making it an ideal recovery option to get back your vital information.
Top 5 Free PST Repair Tools
Let's cut to the chase and analyze the five best options we have today to recover the files. How did we pick them? Based on user satisfaction, these five programs were selected for their quality, free usage, and how well they can recover a lost PST file.
While some are direct tools for PST recovery, others are general data recovery tools. Now without further ado, let's dive in and analyze the five best PST repair tools available in 2022:
- 1. Qiling Email Recovery Wizard
- 2. Stellar Repair – PST File Recovery Tool
- 3. DataNumen Outlook Repair Tool
- 4. Kernel for Outlook PST Repair Tool
- 5. MS Inbox Repair Tool
1. Qiling Email Recovery Wizard
Qiling Email Recovery is a specialized program made to recover emails only. This program has become one of the top options for many people who lose their PST files or get them corrupted. So, what exactly makes it an ideal solution for this problem?
- Supports Microsoft Outlook, including 2010, 2007, 2003, 2002, 2000, 98, and 97
- Shows a preview before recovery - making selective recovery easier
- Recovers corrupted or damaged PST files
- It offers an easy UI
On top of all these, it can also help you recover encrypted passwords. Simply put, it's an all-around program for all sorts of recovery - making it a complete PST repair solution.
Pros:
- Easily recovers PST files
- Recovery of lost or deleted files
- Recovers corrupted or damaged PST files
- The free version does the same as a paid one
Cons:
- Paid versions don't offer a lot
- The free version undermines paid version
2. Stellar PST File Repair – PST File Recovery Tool
Stellar is one of the leading providers of recovery tools, and their PST File Recovery tool isn't too far behind. This program can help you recover Outlook data such as:
- Emails, attachments, contacts, and calendars
- Damaged or broken PST files
- Recovers Outlook inbox
These factors make this program yet another complete solution. By providing means to recover Outlook passwords, it also allows you to retrieve lost or missing emails. On top of that, you can remove duplicate emails to ensure 100% performance of your Outlook inbox.
Pros:
- Easy to use
- File preview
- Recovers PST files comprehensively
Cons:
- A little on the expensive side
- Limited free use
- Unable to recover in extreme cases, i.e., deleted files or files ridden with the virus
3. DataNumen Outlook Repair Tool
DataNumen Outlook repair tool is another extraordinary option with a user rating of 4.9. But is that true? Yes, it is, as it's one of the most efficient tools you can use to recover your PST files. Formerly known as Advanced Outlook repair, it can help you recover various files quickly and comprehensively.
From recovering emails, posts, folders, calendars, and events, it's one of the well-rounded programs available today. On top of that, it supports large-sized PST files as well.
Pros:
- Highly convenient
- Supports large PST file sizes
Cons:
- A bit expensive
- Outdated UI design
- Known to face problems when recovering attached images, videos, etc.
4. Kernel for Outlook PST Repair Tool
The kernel For PST Repair tool doesn't offer much else from the other tools on this list, but it's easily one of the most capable. What makes it a significant consideration? The users who like it give it a 4.9 rating for a 90%+ recovery rate.
It's an easy-to-use program with many great features that allow you to comprehensively recover damaged or corrupted PST files. Furthermore, besides Outlook, it also offers various other options.
Pros:
- Repair multiple PST files
- Very detailed UI
- Perhaps the quickest on this list
Cons:
- It might be confusing for new users
- The cheapest version will cost you $70
5. MS Inbox Repair Tool
MS Inbox Repair tool brings us to the final tool on this list and something from none other than Microsoft itself. This program is easily one of the best options, but it hasn't seen an update in years.
However, since it's from Microsoft, it's easily one of the most capable programs on this list. On top of that, it recovers files quite quickly and systematically.
Pros:
- Easy to use
- Recovers aptly
- Recovers quickly
- Microsoft made it
Cons:
- Can't recover in extreme cases
- Faces some problems in Windows 11
Conclusion
These are some of the leading programs to help you recover your damaged PST files. We explored the causes and the programs that could help you recover them.
While all of these programs are dependable, using the one from Qiling is your best option. Not only because it stands out with its free version but also because it offers more than any other program.
PST Repair Tools FAQ
Reading this article is bound to generate some questions in your mind. If you have any queries, then this FAQ section might help you answer some of them:
How do I repair a corrupt PST file?
As mentioned in the article, you can download one of the tools or use Qiling Email Recovery Wizard to quickly repair damaged PST files.
How do I fix a PST file is not an Outlook data file?
The tools mentioned throughout support PST files. In extreme cases, only Qiling Email Recovery can help you recover and repair them.
How do I find a lost PST file?
Whether by using the MS Inbox repair tool or Deep Data Recovery, it can help you retrieve deleted or lost PST files.
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