I cannot move emails from new Classic Outlook in Windows 11 to my archive .pst files. Error message "Are you sure you want to move the selected email(s) to the "xxxx file name". The folder you have chosen is in another acccount

Hi @Neville Bryan,

Thanks for using Microsoft product and posting in the Microsoft Q&A. I can absolutely understand how frustrating and confusing it is when a familiar tool, like Outlook, changes and breaks your established workflow, and I appreciate you reaching out for assistance.

You've hit on a very common and specific issue that many people face with the shift in Outlook's design, and you are on the right track with using Outlook "classic" for your .pst files. The problem you're seeing—that the files are treated as separate accounts—is the key to what's happening.

You've correctly identified that you can't move mail from your main account to what Outlook sees as a separate entity. The solution is to change how Outlook views those .pst files, so it sees them as simple storage, not independent accounts. To fix this, you must open your .pst files as Outlook Data Files, which links them to your primary email profile and allows for seamless moving or copying of emails.

The most effective way to solve this is to remove the .pst files from their current (and incorrect) location and add them back in the right way. Don't worry, this won't delete any of your precious emails!

1. In Outlook classic, please go to File in the top-left corner.
2. Select Account Settings, and then from the dropdown menu, click Account Settings… again.
3. In the new window that appears, click on the Data Files tab.
4. Here, you'll see a list of all the files Outlook is connected to. Your .pst archive files will likely be listed as their own "accounts." Select each of them one by one and click Remove. A friendly note: This action only removes the connection to Outlook; your actual .pst files and all their contents will remain safely on your computer.
5. Once all the .pst files are gone from this list, click the Add button.
6. Navigate to where your .pst files are saved on your computer, select the one you want to add, and repeat for each of your archive files.

After you've done this, the files will appear in your left-hand navigation pane, and you will be able to easily drag and drop or move messages from your inbox to your archive folders just as you're used to.

Please try these solutions in the order provided and let me know if any of them help resolve the issue. If the problem persists after trying all these methods, we can explore further troubleshooting steps.

Warm regards,

Chloe L. | Microsoft Q&A Support Specialist

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