[2024] 4 Best Free PST Viewer to View PST without Outlook

Simon Marcus

2023-10-26 19:28:30

56577 views, 4 min read

Accessing a different PST file through Microsoft Outlook without overwriting (and potentially corrupting) your current PST file is very difficult to do. Most users who attempt this end up wiping their active PST and for that exact reason, it's preferable to use a PST file reader instead. In this article, we will show you 4 PST viewer for viewing PST files. Keep reading to learn more.

4 Best PST Viewer You Should Never Miss

After researching the best solutions, we've pulled together the important details about the 4 best Outlook PST readers and assembled them in our guide below.

1Best Free PST Reader -ScanOutlook

Time and time again we recommend ScanOutlook for all PST/OST related tasks, and for good reason. It is an effective software to open the pst file without Outlook, offering widespread support of all Outlook versions and as you'd expect, it's a wonderful PST file reader.

Features for ScanOutlook

• View PST files from any Outlook version (2003. 2019) for Free
• Access all items in the PST file including contacts, notes, tasks, attachments, and more
• Scan and recover  your permanently deleted items from your PST file
• Export data from PST files as HTML, MSG, EML, RTF, and PDF
• Repair corrupt, infected, or damaged OST/PST files
• Works well on various Windows OS, including the latest Windows 11.

Try it FreeComing Soon

After checking out these features and downloading ScanOutlook, jump into the guide below to use it as a simple PST reader and viewer.

Step 1. Launch ScanOutlook on your computer. A list of data files found in the default Outlook installation will be shown.

Step 2. Either select one of these PSTs or use the manual select feature. Once you've chosen a PST, click "Repair" to proceed.

Step 3. After a short scan and possible repair, everything in the PST will be accessible. You can navigate through this data using the menu on the left.

Step 4 (optional). If you want to export data, tick the box next to the file and click "Export Selected" at the top of the window.

Step 5 (optional). Now choose one of the saveable formats, a save location, and press "Export".

Exporting is completely optional so if you just want to use ScanOutlook for viewing a PST file, this is doable without the final steps. As you can see, this is a basic yet effective program that is ideal for viewing PST.

Try It FreeComing Soon

Key Features of AnyRecover Data Recovery Tool:

• All-in-one data recovery software to recover data from iPhone/iPad devices, Windows and Mac computers.
• With "Ai repair" new function,you can repair corrupted or damaged files/photos/videos in-one-click, including corrupt, infected, or damaged OST/PST files
• Enables you to recover most of data in various scenarios, such as:Accidental Deletion,System Crash,Water Damage,Forgotten Password,Black Screen,etc;
• Supports recovering 1000+ data types including photos,messages, contacts,WhatsApp and more from phone directly without backup.

2Kernel Outlook PST Viewer

Kernel Outlook PST Viewer is also a great program that offers a simple solution to view whatever data your PST file is storing.

Pros

Provides an easily readable data tree after scanning PST.

Can open PST files in bulk and simultaneously.

Displays all email data (timestamps, recipients, subject lines, etc)

Scans and displays corrupt/damaged PST files if the damage isn't too severe.

Allows users to create informative reports about the PST data.

Free to download, doesn't require a license!

This free program is as simple as it gets and is easy enough to use that nobody will get stuck or confused when they use it. Being able to read multiple PSTs at the same time and create data reports are two unique features that make Kernel Outlook PST Viewer stand out, but there are some negatives.

Cons

Reportedly slower performance than other PST viewers.

PST files with intense damage cannot always be opened.

3Sysinfo PST Viewer

All the features that we generally need in a free PST reader without Outlook can be found in Sysinfo PST Viewer. With a simple interface and easy navigation, you can expect viewing your PST files with this program to be a cakewalk!

Pros

Opens and views corrupt Outlook PST data.

Lets users preview data before exporting to a new file (emails, attachments, and more).

Doesn't require Microsoft Outlook to be installed.

Includes 3 scanning modes to make sure as much data as possible can be viewed.

For the cherry on top, if you're using the viewer and don't feel like it's done a good job, a money-back guarantee is in place. For the most part, this is a great program but of course, we can't ignore the disadvantages.

Cons

A Unable to export data from PST files into another EML, MSG, or DBX file.

Requires $49 license purchase for access to all features.

4FreeViewer PST File Viewer

The final addition to our list is FreeViewer PST File Viewer. Considered more of a PST analyzing tool than it is an Outlook PST reader, FreeViewer is surprisingly effective and users are rarely disappointed by the results it delivers.

Pros

Repairs and displays corrupt PST files.

Provides detailed information about all the data inside of PST.

Has 2 scanning options depending on if PST is damaged.

Preview and selectively extract data from PST files.

Includes advanced PST viewing tools (such as bypassing password protection).

Being able to access encrypted PSTs is an impressive feature that this free PST reader has. We've all been there. forgetting your Outlook password and not being able to read the most recent emails is a disappointing experience.

Cons

Not actually free (requires a paid upgrade to access premium features)

Although it functions great, the interface is somewhat unappealing.

Conclusion

So, without the tricky reconfiguring of Microsoft Outlook, you can download one of these PST email readers and access the file's data easily. ScanOutlook always delivers great results and is a reliable tool for all things OST/PST. Whether repairing a corrupt data file or simply reading the data, that's the tool to use.