Free PST Viewer for Outlook Microsoft 365 Folders

Outlook represents a well-known e-mail client, and now we can have it by subscription contained in a new bundle of services named Microsoft 365. Like thousands, maybe millions, of users, I genuinely enjoy Microsoft products, and with every new version release, I expect something new. Nonetheless, I have underestimated Microsoft’s greed.

They have not done anything to improve the product. All they have done is merely ask for more and more license fees. For now, they have decided to issue an office package by subscription. I believe it could be a good idea, but I have not found any difference with its previous version, so why should I pay more? Yes, users now need to pay more for Microsoft 365 because it is only distributed by subscription, Microsoft charges your card every month. The first payment is considerably smaller than the full license price, but they charge the same amount each month.  

Finally, the sum of all payments exceeds the license price. I could pay more, but I want to pay for a better product with new features and the like when I do. Now I do not see anything new.

Moreover, even data corruption issues in Outlook look similar. They have precisely the same pst viewer, powered by Microsoft 365, but it is as useless as its previous version, not any difference. Like before, I can count on Recovery Toolbox for Outlook: https://outlook.recoverytoolbox.com/pst-viewer.html only, no exceptions.

Free PST Viewer in Microsoft 365

Before trying Recovery Toolbox for Outlook, we need to see what we can do with the inbuilt Outlook repair option from Microsoft 365. Indeed, it is available, but there is no any pst viewer; that’s another thing. Anyway, I do not think it could be helpful, but why not? Let us check what Microsoft can offer in their new office package.

If we need to open a mailbox and view its contents, it is impossible due to the mailbox’s corruption. Then you need to have a backup? That’s the easiest way to fix any data corruption issue. The only problem is that nobody thinks about backups. Fortunately, Microsoft does not count on user backups too much. It provides a program named Inbox Repair Tool that allows looking through corrupted data files of PST format used by Outlook Microsoft 365 by recovering its data when it is possible. It just rebuilds pst files, that is all. Unfortunately, this tool is not efficient enough, because it did not help me last time, but hopefully, it helps you, so let me explain.

Firstly, you need this file: ScanPST.exe. It is the Inbox Repair Tool about which I am speaking. Open any file explorer on your PC and check this path: C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\root\Office19; it relates to Microsoft 365. At the same time, feel free to compare it with Office 2019, it has precisely the same path, so there is not any difference between Microsoft 365 and Office 2019.

I have made this conclusion not based on the path above. Other options also look similar. Why do they want us to pay more for Microsoft 365 when they did not change anything?

How Does Inbox Repair Tool Work?

After starting the app, try to follow the sections:

1. Click the button named ‘Browse.
2. Find a file of PST format on HDD or another removable media. The default placement of Outlook files are recorded in the e-mail client properties or simply search in Windows for all files of the specified format.
3. Check the box named  ‘Make a backup of scanned file before repairing‘ and make sure the backup saving path is correct.
4. Use the “Start” button and wait until it is completed.
5. Click the “Repair” button.

If you have done everything correctly and Inbox Repair Tool has successfully repaired your mailbox, feel free to open Outlook to view its folders. Microsoft presumes it is fixed. Let’s check to see if it is so. Open Outlook in Microsoft 365 and check everything. Can you open it? Are all e-mails and other objects available? If it does not work as expected, you need another solution. As you see, you need Outlook anyway. But what if you want to open a mailbox without Outlook just to preview its folders and get the necessary data?

Let Us Try the Recovery Toolbox for Outlook Now

If Inbox Repair Tool did not help—I knew it—there is no need to count on Microsoft anymore, they have already provided everything they can. There is an existing, but a bit obsolete solution. It seems we need another, more efficient approach, powered by Recovery Toolbox for Outlook. This software does not relate to Microsoft; another company has developed it.

However, it knows very well how to understand Outlook files, including Outlook Microsoft 365. There is a demo version of Recovery Toolbox for the Outlook app. This one can be deployed on any PC laptop or workstation, under Windows, just gets its free copy, and thinks if it could be useful for you. Let me provide some brief guidelines about how to preview corrupted pst files for free:

1. Get the program from https://outlook.recoverytoolbox.com/pst-viewer.html.
2. Install Recovery Toolbox for Outlook.
3. Open it and choose a file of Outlook Microsoft 365 format.
4. Recover it and preview results.
5. In case these results are good enough, export data into a clean Outlook mailbox.

Note the last step becomes available after the registration of Recovery Toolbox for Outlook only, no exceptions. The Demo version can be used for as long as you need; it is free to open pst files for preview only. But the last step is unlocked as soon as you enter a registration key. However, if you need just to preview data, there is no need to pay anything. Maybe you just need some notes that can be copied when previewing data? In this case, the program remains free.

Online PST Viewer

One more option works without any installation at all; this way represents a site, developed to recover Outlook Microsoft 365 data online. A one-time session of PST restoration is more advantageous than a permanent license for Recovery Toolbox for Outlook. Moreover, the service works from any device, Android, iOS, anything. Even when used in the online mode, it allows previewing of e-mail folders’ structure for free.

Look below, if you are interested, and do the same if needed:

1. Go there: https://outlook.recoverytoolbox.com/online/.
2. Browse your local HDD and choose a file of *.pst format to investigate.
3. Capture your actual e-mail address, enter a CAPTCHA code.
4. Pay for the service when it asks you about it.
5. Wait a while.
6. Download an Outlook mailbox, rebuilt by the service.

After download, Recovery Toolbox, Inc. removes all confidential information related to the order.