Gmail through Outlook: Best Practice (local pst files)

I have a user with an older version of Outlook (2016) connecting into Gmail via IMAP.

Everything is working as it should, but as expected Outlook has created a massive PST file on the machine where it is running. I suspect there is no way around this and probably as close as one can get to using Gmail via Outlook (without using the Gmail interface).

The cause of this question is the user's concerns about having a PST file of their entire mailbox sitting on the PC (laptop) they are using. Is there any way to avoid this (creation of the PST file)?

Solution 1:

[The user is] super concerned about privacy. Since it's a Windows box I suggested turning on Windows encryption (to prevent anyone from reading the drive if physically accessible.

Encryption works. Be certain the user keeps the encryption key. Some do not and all is lost.

Computer machine and BIOS passwords work. Exceedingly little chance someone could break into a computer secured this way.

Once running, make sure Windows itself and then Office / Outlook have strong passwords.

These steps will make a PST file on a local computer very safe. I have kept PST files on my own computer (secured as noted) and there has never been an issue.

Make sure the user has a good spam filter. All the security counts for little or nothing if they click on a bogus link. That is true for web based IMAP mail as well.

So the user can secure their computer and be safe.