Microsoft Outlook Autocomplete cache file

Microsoft Outlook Autocomplete cache file

Outlook 2003 and Outlook 2007 has a feature called Email Address Auto Complete. As you type in an email address into the "TO:" or "CC:" or "BCC:" field outlook will display a list of matching email addresses from the outlook auto-complete cache.

When you move from one PC to another this will be lost as the Auto complete list is saved locally in your Computer.

Location of AutoComplete file.
The AutoComplete file of Outlook is always saved as the profile name of Outlook with .NK2 extension. Depends on which windows version you are using, it can be located from different folder.

XP/w2k
drive:\Documents and Settings\user name\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook.
(%APPDATA%\Microsoft\Outlook)

Vista/Windows7
drive:\Users\username\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Outlook
(%USERPROFILE%\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Signatures)

Note: you must have "show hidden files" enabled from windows explorer as the NK2 file is hidden.

How to backup and restore the autocomplet file.
When you migrate to a new machine, or reinstall the system, you need to backup the nk2 file so as to get your existing autocomplete list back.
Just simplely backup nk2 file and then copy it to the same location on the new system.

How to re-use the autocomplete file in another outlook profile:
If you are creating a new profile in outlook and want to use a previous autocomplete file for that profile, you can do it by renaming the .nk2 file to the new profile name.

How to delete an autocomplete entry.
Perhaps you just sent an email and you found out you made a typo….. Unfortunately that typo will remain in you cache until you delete it.
To delete the typo one:
Type the email address you wish to clear from the cache until outlook displays it, then press the down arrow key to select the email address and press the delete button.