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How do I switch default data file location to IMAP file in Outlook 2007?

How do I switch default data file location to IMAP file in Outlook 2007?

In Outlook 2007 I click Tools > Account Settings and then go to the Data Files tab. The current Default mail box is Personal Folders. Above it is my IMAP mail box. I want to switch the Default mail file from Personal to the IMAP one but when the IMAP one is selected the "Set as Default" option is disabled.

Asked by: Guest | Views: 1065
Total answers/comments: 2
bert [Entry]

"This is not possible.

The way IMAP is implemented in Outlook it does not support IMAP as a default default data file.

This is because the IMAP protocol is only designed for the storage of e-mails. Outlook needs to store other types of objects like contacts, notes, appointments etc. which (officially) are not supported by the IMAP protocol.

AFIK only .PST files, Microsoft Exchange accounts and a couple of third-party groupware accounts (via add-ons) can be be used as the default ""Message Store"" (that's how the data file is called internally)."
bert [Entry]

"After trying everything else, I resorted to making a NTFS link to force the folder into another drive. This seems to be the only way to define location of IMAP email datafile freely, which is unbelievable.

Registry editing e.g. ForcePSTPath did not work either.

The command prompt commands:

mklink /D C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Outlook F:\Emails

You need to be raised to administrator privileges to run the command, but afterwards the emails will appear into F:\Email (or whatever you choose as the target).

The original Outlook folder contents should be moved to F:\Emails and then deleted, before making the link."