Microsoft Outlook is an email client that the majority of us use to manage our communications and work. All of your mailbox information (emails, attachments, contacts, calendars) is stored in a PST (Personal Storage Table) file. Outlook is generally a reliable email client, but one annoying problem that a lot of people run into is having duplicate emails and attachments. Having duplicate emails and attachments in your mailbox does not just take up space in your mailbox, but also can slow Outlook down, increase the size of your PST file, and increase the probability of file corruption. Be assured, if you have noticed some of your Outlook folders have duplicates of the same message or that you have duplicates of attachments, you are not the only one! In this blog, we will discuss why the duplicates are there (some duplicates happen automatically), and discuss how to obtain duplicates manually and/or by using an Outlook Duplicate Remover Tool professionally.

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Why Do Duplicate Emails Appear in Outlook?

Here are some of the most common reasons for duplicate emails and attachments:

  • Multiple Accounts Setup- You have the same email account established in Outlook more than once.
  • Synchronization Issues- Issues with mail synchronization (POP/IMAP) or issues with mail synchronization being interrupted.
  • Incorrect Rules/Filters- Improperly configured rules that copy and/or move a single email multiple times.
  • Importing PST files- Importing PST Files without checking the "Do not import duplicates" option.
  • Bad Internet- An unreliable internet service could potentially create interruptions in the send/receive process that "force" Outlook to re-download the same messages again.

Methods to Remove Duplicate Emails and Attachments

You can choose between the methods described in Outlook or a commercial software to get the most out of your time.

1. Manual Methods

a) Using Outlook's Clean Up Tool

Outlook has a Cleanup tool for e-mails that are duplicates based on the conversations.

To find the Clean Up tool, launch Outlook and navigate to the Home tab.

Once you are in the Home tab, select either Clean Up, Clean Up Folder, or Clean Up Folder and Subfolders.

Outlook will do the rest of the work, eliminating any duplicate messages, leaving the most recent message intact.

Disadvantage: This method is a nice option for emails that are in a continuous thread, but it will not eliminate solo duplicates or attachments.

b) Manual Sorting and Deleting

Navigate to the mailbox folder containing the duplicates.

Select the View tab, and then select Arrange By > From/Subject/Date.

Locate duplicates and delete them manually.

The drawback is that it isn't very effective for a larger PST and can take considerable time for larger mailboxes

c) Review and Change Rules

  1. File > Manage Rules and Alerts.
  2. Check through all rules to make sure messages are not being duplicated.
  3. You can edit or delete rules you deem unnecessary.

While these manual processes can solve the issue, they are limited. If you have a larger PST to manage or thousands of duplicates or repeated duplicates, manual cleanup is probably not the best option.

Remove Duplicate Emails and Attachments from Outlook PST

While manual techniques work for smaller mailboxes, for sizable PST files, one might want to automate it, such as the TrustVare Outlook Duplicate Removal tool. It scans multiple PST files to find all the scanning duplicates and deletes them accurately, while also saving users time and energy. It can work with any Windows OS 11, 10, 8.1, 8, and even 7. Those users who don’t have technical skills will find this tool manageable.

Key features of the Tool

  • Smart Duplicate Identification – Identify duplicate PST email messages, attachments, contacts, tasks, calendars, and notes.
  • Folder & File mode – Go through duplicates in a single PST file, or several PST files at once.
  • Advanced Filtering Options – Find duplicates with criteria of sender/sender, subject, date, and attachments (ALL).
  • Preview before Action – Any duplicates found in PST will be shown as the previewed list.
  • Multiples Save as Option – Remove duplicates PST and save cleaned PST file back to existing or new PST, as needed (keeping all originals).
  • Without Outlook Installation - Output PST without Outlook being installed.
  • All Outlook Versions Available - Done side PST files, preserving existing emails from Outlook versions 2021, 2019, 2016, 2013, and before.
  • User Friendly- Simple steps to follow, even for the untechnical.

How to Use this Tool

  • First, download and install the software.
  • After that, choose which mailbox folders to search for duplicates.
  • Next, decide the duplicate criteria (subject, sender, date, attachments, etc.).
  • Last, review the identified duplicates.
  • Finally, select what you would like to do with these duplicates — delete them, move them into another folder, or export them into a clean PST.
  • In a few minutes, the tool will remove all duplicates and optimize your Outlook data.

How to Avoid Duplicated Emails in Outlook

After cleaning your mailbox, there are steps you can take to help prevent duplicates.

  • Don’t configure the same email account multiple times.
  • Make sure you have the correct POP3/IMAP settings.
  • If importing PST, always check “Do not import duplicates.”
  • Give yourself time to monitor and optimize rules.
  • Archive old data, as effectively managing your PST file size helps avoid duplicates.

Final Thought

Duplicate emails and attachments can eat up storage, slow down Outlook, and possibly lead to double PST corruption. While Outlook's built-in tools and manual methods can only do so much, they often fall short on larger or more complex mailboxes. If you want a faster, much more reliable, and easier solution, a third-party tool like Outlook Duplicate Removal is a great option! Not only will it identify and remove duplicates, but it will also maintain your original data and make Outlook run faster. With Outlook manual cleanup