Understanding Outlook Default Folders versus Default Account
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It becomes very important to understand the significance of “Default” email accounts and data files especially when migrating from one version of Outlook to another on a different machine.
For a quick video summary of the topic
The “default” email account and data file is set via Outlook Account Settings.The first email account configured in the profile is always assumed to be the default for the profile as is the associated data file created for this account. Also see “Understanding Outlook PST and OST files” and “Understanding Outlook Migration – Part 2 – Data Files“
Default Email Account
When multiple email accounts are configured in a profile, one will be designated as the “default” (which is normally the first email account configured unless changed). This is the account that will be used as the default “Sender” account when new email is created unless the email account is changed prior to sending the message.
Default Folders
A by-product of the first email account configured is that the data file created and designated as the “default data file” for the profile which governs which folders will be used as the “default” for such as Contacts, Calendar, Tasks etc]. Depending on what email accounts are configured and/or what data files are added to the Outlook profile, you may or may not be able to change which data file is used as the “default”.
For ease of explanation, focus will be on contact folders but the following information applies equally to any other folder type.
When multiple contact folders exist in a profile, the significance of which one is deemed to be the “default” is where a contact item is created when there is no specific focus set for a given contact folder prior to a new contact getting created.
For example, if the current focus in the Outlook interface is set to an email folder and you create a “New Contact Item” at this point, the new contact item will automatically be created in the default contact folder. Similarly if you click on “Add to contacts” for an email address in an email message, it will also be added to the default contact folder.
However, if you first open (set focus to) any specific contact folder and then add a new contact, it will be added to the contact folder which currently has the focus.
Default folders do not need to reside in any data file associated with an email account. A new PST file can be created and designated as the default for the profile however these folders cannot be sync’d to the equivalent folders in a MAPI or EAS email account. Only the information contained in the actual folders found in the MAPI/EAS data files can be sync’d automatically.
Outlook ‘2013 Caveat
If the first account configured in O’2013 is an IMAP account – the default data file for the profile will be the OST file which contains folders marked as “This Computer Only”. If a secondary email account is configured (i.e. Outlook.com EAS) – the default data file will still remain the IMAP based OST file where new items will be created. Should that file get deleted (or the IMAP email account get removed from the profile) – all the data in these folders will be lost. You can always manually change which data file is considered the default after additional email accounts are created.
Category: Understanding Outlook
