Best Way Convert OST to PST in Outlook: The Ultimate Guide

Convert OST to PST

Summary: The following article contains the best solutions to convert your Outlook OST to PST file format. Along with that we explain why you should change the file format. The two main approaches described in this write-up are manual and professional. If you want a fast and efficient solution, we would recommend the CloudMigrationOST to PST Converter Tool.

Introduction

If you are working with Outlook you might be familiar with OST and PST files. OST files also known as offline storage tables are the Outlook data files that store an offline copy of your Outlook mailbox. Whenever you add an email account to Outlook, a corresponding OST file will automatically get created at the root folder and updated with every modification in your mailbox.

Outlook has an inbuilt option to backup your mailbox data into your system. The backup file is stored in PST file format. It is the proprietary file format of Microsoft Outlook. Now, when you want to share or import the complete Outlook profile, you need to convert Outlook OST file to the PST file format.

There are various reasons that emphasize the OST to PST conversion. Let us learn why we should convert Outlook OST file to PST file format.

Need to Change the Outlook data file from OST to PST

It is well known that Outlook stores all your Exchange mailbox data in Offline Data Files (.ost), which are copies of your mailbox on your local machine. You can access these OST files while working with Outlook. In some cases, OST files cannot be accessed, so you need to convert them to PST files. There are many reasons to backup Outlook OST files to PST.

  • OST files become inaccessible when Exchange Server crashes. If your file was converted to PST, you could retrieve it.
  • PST files allow you to store your data anywhere, so your data is safe.PST files allow you to store your data anywhere, so your data is safe.
  • When your OST files are corrupt, you cannot retrieve them.

As we’ve seen, these are the reasons why you want to convert from OST to PST. Now we discuss a few ways to convert an OST file to a PST file.

Best Methods to Change Outlook Data File from OST to PST

It is possible for your OST files to be damaged or corrupted, and you want to re-access them,  so in that case, you will need to convert them. You can convert from OST to PST using a few different techniques. These manual techniques explain how to change the OST files to PST.

Method 1: Export OST to PST By Import/Export Wizard

You must first sign in to your Microsoft Outlook account and follow the on-screen instructions to export OST files to PST.

  1. Open MS Outlook and Select the Open menu.
  2. Next, Choose the Open & Export option then click next.
  3. Now, in the import and export wizard, choose the export to a file option.
  4. Here, you Select the type of the data file(.pst).
  5. Now, choose the mailbox folder which you want to change. After that check includes the subfolder box.
  6. At last, Select the location and click on the finish button.

Method 2: Convert OST to PST by “Archiving”

In this case, you can keep the data even if your storage limit has been exceeded. You can use this method to manage your mailbox size. Your mailbox size can be controlled by using Auto Archiving. You can use this method by following the simple steps below.

  1. Start Outlook, and go to the File tab, then Options.
  2. Here,  choose “Advanced Option then “AutoArchive Settings.”
  1. In the next tab, set the number of days you’d like AutoArchiving to run.
  2. Now, choose the location where you want your files to be moved and click OK.

Method 3: Use the “Drag and Drop” method to convert OST to PST.

You can use this method most commonly when you wish to move data from your Outlook account. You can convert your OST data file to a new PST to perform this task. This will allow you to reduce the size of your OST mailbox. The following steps will help you create a new data file in Outlook.

  1. Open Outlook, go to the Home tab
  2. Next, click New Items > More Items > Outlook Data Files > New Outlook Data File.

Note: These steps will help you to create a new PST file.

  1. Then drag all the mailbox folders to the newly created file.

Limitations of the Manual Method

It is possible to convert OST to PST by using these techniques, but This method is not effective for the users. Also, it has many drawbacks, which are detailed below.

  • The user must have the technical knowledge to perform this method.
  • It is a very lengthy method and fails to convert bulk OST files.
  • There may be a risk of data loss.
  • These techniques do not work if the OST file is corrupted.
  • The process of exporting OST files is complicated.

Manual methods can harm your data; thus, you need the assistance of a technical expert to convert OST to PST.

Convert OST to PST With a Professional Tool

As you see the manual method has many limitations. So you need to use the best solution. Download CloudMigration OST to PST Converter Tool to convert the OST file to PST, EML MBOX, HTML, EML, etc. You can also exchange OST files to Gmail, Yahoo Mail, AOL Mail, etc.  With this tool, you can convert files in bulk. 

This tool supports all windows versions also it has a very simple GUI. To know how this tool works you can download its free demo version.

Conclusion

The purpose of this blog post was to explain how to convert OST to PST for free. As well as manual methods, we have also discussed technical knowledge methods. If manual approaches fail to work, you can use software that converts OST to PST.

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