Office Settings & Configuration

How to Change the Location of an Outlook Email Account

Huma Ashraf Ch Oct 10, 2026 868 views

Question details

The user is looking to change the location settings associated with an Outlook email account, which could refer to the local data file storage, geographic region, or profile location.

How to Change the Location of an Outlook Email Account

Product: Microsoft Outlook
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Modifying account settings or local data storage paths to manage email account details or free up disk space.
Observed behavior: The user needs to clarify which 'location' they want to change (data file, region, or profile) and locate the correct settings menu to perform the update.

Before you start

Determine exactly which 'location' you need to change: the local storage path for your downloaded emails (.pst data file) or the geographic country/region linked to your Microsoft account profile.

Solution 1Recommended

Change the Outlook Data File (.pst) Storage Location

Use this method if you want to move your saved Outlook emails and data from your primary hard drive to a different folder or external drive to free up space.

This solution works for POP3 or IMAP accounts that use a Personal Storage Table (.pst) file. Note that Exchange accounts using Offline Storage Table (.ost) files cannot be moved using this method and require advanced registry edits.

Locate your current data file

Open Outlook, click on 'File', select 'Info', then click 'Account Settings' > 'Account Settings'. Navigate to the 'Data Files' tab to see the current file path.

Move the data file

Close Outlook completely. Open Windows File Explorer, navigate to the file path you just found, and copy or cut the .pst file. Paste it into your newly desired location on your PC.

Relink the data file in Outlook

Reopen Outlook. An error message will appear stating the data file cannot be found. Click 'OK', which will open a file browser. Navigate to your new location, select the moved .pst file, and click 'Open' to reconnect it.

Change the Outlook Data File (.pst) Storage Location

Data Safely Moved: Your Outlook data is now running from the new location. You can verify this by checking the 'Data Files' tab in 'Account Settings' again.

Solution 2

Change Your Microsoft Account Country/Region

Follow these steps if you are moving to a new country and need to update the geographic location associated with your Outlook.com email address.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can I change the location of an OST file in Outlook?

Yes, but it is not as straightforward as moving a PST file. You must use the Windows Registry Editor to create a 'ForceOSTPath' string value to redirect the storage folder. This is an advanced process and should only be done if you are comfortable editing the registry.

Will changing my Outlook account region affect my Microsoft subscriptions?

Yes, updating your Microsoft account country or region may affect the availability of certain services, billing currencies, and automatic renewals for subscriptions like Office 365 or Xbox Game Pass. Make sure your payment methods are updated to match the new region.

Why can't I find the Account Settings option in the New Outlook?

If you are using the 'New Outlook' for Windows or the web-based version, the interface differs from the classic desktop app. You can find your account configurations by clicking the Gear (Settings) icon in the top right corner, then navigating to 'Accounts'.

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