Recover Lost Outlook Passwords

Martin Brinkmann
Jun 3, 2008
Updated • Mar 23, 2014
Email, Microsoft Outlook
|
3

Microsoft Outlook .pst (Personal Folder) files can be password protected with a -- very weak -- encryption algorithm. While it will keep computer users with no computing experience away from decoding the file and browsing your messages, it won't keep tech-savvy or experienced users away for long.

Knowing that you can recover the password of an Outlook pst file can be positive, for instance if you need to recover your own account when you forgot the password, but also inconvenient as you know that your Outlook mails are not protected properly.

While the weak password may keep prying users away who do not know anything about the protection scheme used, it won't keep away tech savvy users who either know that the pst protection is weak, or find out that it is after searching on the Internet for a couple of minutes.

Nirsoft created the PstPassword (via Genbeta) application, a Outlook PST Password Recovery software that is compatible with Outlook 97, Outlook 2000, Outlook XP, Outlook 2003, and Outlook 2007.

It requires only access to the pst file which means that you can run it on a computer where Outlook is not installed on. As usual, the software can be run from any location on the hard drive without installation.

It also comes with a graphical user interface and command line options, high quality like usual. All pst files of the user who is logged in on the system will be displayed automatically. Other pst files can be dragged into the program window or loaded from the File menu.

Several passwords can restore the contents of a pst file which is why PstPassword displays three working ones after analysing the pst file.

Each password will work and it can be that none of them is the original password that was used to password protect the file. The list of passwords can be saved in various formats for later usage.

Note that the program is not compatible with Outlook 2010 according to the program homepage. While I can't say why it is not compatible with newer versions of Outlook, it may be that Microsoft did improve the password algorithm in those versions.

Please note that some programs may identify the program -- wrongly -- as malicious which it is not.

Advertisement

Tutorials & Tips


Previous Post: «
Next Post: «

Comments

  1. can t recover file pst said on January 25, 2009 at 4:26 pm
    Reply

    For work with pst files and similar files advise try-Recovery Toolbox for Outlook,program has many features and as far as i know it is free,application can fix problems with your mailbox and restore its normal operation,restore your mailbox and extract all critical information from these files,will work under all versions of Windows operating system, from Windows 98 to Windows Vista,ecovering pst files from Microsoft Outlook does not modify the source file during recovery process, you may try any other recovery service,yet recovering .pst files and Outlook pst file recover for the first time.

  2. Starboykb said on June 3, 2008 at 8:58 am
    Reply

    ahhh i always used this software to recover or before reforamnt my customer pc. quite handy tools indeed. just the problem with many anti-virus still detect as virus or keylogger.

    safemode is the best to grab the password.

Leave a Reply

Check the box to consent to your data being stored in line with the guidelines set out in our privacy policy

We love comments and welcome thoughtful and civilized discussion. Rudeness and personal attacks will not be tolerated. Please stay on-topic.
Please note that your comment may not appear immediately after you post it.