Outlook 2010 Profile: A Basic Guide to Creating and Managing Profiles

An Outlook 2010 profile is a set of account settings and data-file locations that Outlook uses when it starts. If you want to keep work and personal mail separate, or choose between two accounts at launch, create or select a profile in Windows Control Panel. Close Outlook before changing profiles; Outlook cannot switch profiles while it is running.

A profile does not copy your messages or act as a backup. It tells Outlook which accounts and storage locations to use. Microsoft’s overview of Outlook email profiles explains that mail data may be stored on a server or in an Outlook Data File (.pst), depending on the account and setup.

What an Outlook profile contains

A profile can include email accounts, connection settings, and data-file locations. Depending on the account, messages may be stored on a mail server, in a local .pst file, or in offline data. You can also attach an archive .pst.

Separate profiles can keep work and personal accounts apart and reduce the chance of sending from the wrong account. They are not Windows logins and cannot be password-protected; protect the computer and Outlook data with a password-protected Windows account.

Open the Outlook 2010 profile settings

1. Save any open work, then exit Outlook. Check that Outlook has fully closed.
2. Open Control Panel. In the Control Panel search box, type Mail.
3. Open Mail or Mail (Microsoft Outlook 2010). The exact label can vary with the Windows version and whether 32-bit or 64-bit Outlook is installed.
4. In the Mail Setup dialog, select Show Profiles.

If Mail is missing, open Outlook once and search Control Panel again. Its location varies by Windows and Office installation; Microsoft recommends searching Control Panel for “Mail.” See Microsoft’s profile-editing instructions.

Create a work, home, or test profile

1. In the Show Profiles window, select Add.
2. Enter a descriptive name, such as Work or Personal, and select OK.
3. When the account setup dialog opens, add the email account you want this profile to use. Follow the prompts from your email provider or organization.
4. After setup, return to Mail Setup if you need to review the profile’s accounts or data files. Use E-mail Accounts for account settings and Data Files to review the files associated with the profile.

A new profile does not import messages from another one. Back up any .pst file and attach it to the profile that needs the archive. Mail stored on a server may sync after account setup, depending on the provider and account type.

Choose which profile Outlook opens

In Show Profiles, choose one of the startup options:

• Prompt for a profile to be used: Outlook shows a profile chooser each time it starts. Select this when you regularly switch between profiles.
• Always use this profile: Choose the profile name from the list and Outlook opens it automatically. You can return to Show Profiles later to change the selection.

Select Apply or OK to save the choice, then start Outlook. If you selected the prompt option, choose the profile you want for that session.

Edit, copy, or remove a profile safely

To adjust a profile, select it in Show Profiles and choose Properties, then review its email accounts and data files.

If the dialog shows Copy, use it only as a starting copy of the configuration. Review its account settings and file paths; copying a profile does not copy mailbox contents or back up a .pst file.

To remove a profile, select it and choose Remove. This removes that profile’s account configuration. A .pst file associated with it normally remains on the computer, but you must attach it through another profile to open its contents. Offline cached data may be removed with the profile, so confirm that important mail is available on the server and back up any .pst files before removal. Microsoft’s profile-removal guidance describes these data-file considerations.

Outlook 2010 support and connection limits

Microsoft ended support for Outlook 2010 in October 2020. A new profile may fix local configuration problems, but it cannot meet a mail provider’s newer sign-in requirements. Microsoft says the Control Panel Mail applet in current Outlook versions cannot configure accounts that require Modern Authentication. If Outlook 2010 cannot sign in, check the provider’s current requirements and consider a supported Outlook version. See the Outlook 2010 lifecycle page.

For a profile-selection problem, reopen Control Panel’s Mail applet and confirm whether Prompt for a profile to be used or Always use this profile is selected. For missing messages, check whether they belong to an account stored online or to a .pst file that has not been attached to the profile you opened.