Final Reminder: Adjusting Version Retention for Outlook Data Files (PST File Type) on One Drive and SharePoint

As communicated in MC256835 (May ’21), starting August 16th 2021 the service will retain 30 days worth of versions for any PST files stored OneDrive for Business and SharePoint Online team site document libraries. This change will prevent cases of previous versions of PST files quickly consuming available storage. The change will only impact previous versions of PST files stored in your document library storage.

As best practice PST files should not be uploaded on OneDrive for Business and SharePoint Online team site document libraries due to the impact on storage and network bandwidth. When PST files are uploaded on OneDrive for Business and SharePoint Online team site document libraries, Outlook updates PST files generating multiple versions which leads to storage being quickly consumed by the multiple versions of the PST file.

The SharePoint Online Management Shell cmdlet Set-SPOTenant – DisableOutlookPSTVersionTrimming $true can be used to opt out until August 13th 2021. This will have no effect after the deadline. Opt out only applies to existing document libraries and does not apply to new doclib created after August 13th 2021. New behavior will be automatically enabled if you don’t opt out by deadline.

  • Command: Get-SPOTenant/Set-SPOTenant
  • Parameter: DisableOutlookPSTVersionTrimming
  • Value: True – Opt-out to the versioning change
  • False – default value

This feature is associated with Microsoft 365 Feature ID: 72237

How this will affect your organization:

As part of the change, version history for PST files will be retained for up to 30 days. Document libraries will be updated with new PST version retention limits. Once this change is rolled out to your tenant, versions of PST files stored on in your document library that are older than 30 days will be permanently deleted. With these changes the service will always retain a minimum of 30 day worth of PST versions that can be restored from.

What you need to do to prepare:

No action required – Document libraries will be updated with new PST version retention limits. If you wish to opt out of the PST version retention update, you will need to execute the SharePoint Online Management Shell cmdlet provided in this post by August 13th 2021. 

To prevent uploading .PST files from the OneDrive sync app, read Block syncing of specific file types and To move .PST files out of OneDrive, read How to remove an Outlook .pst data file from OneDrive.

We always value feedback and questions from our customers. Please feel free to submit either feedback or questions via Message Center.

Message ID: MC277809


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I've been working with Microsoft Technologies over the last ten years, mainly focused on creating collaboration and productivity solutions that drive the adoption of Microsoft Modern Workplace.

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