Convert OST to PST

Features:

• Supports all OST file types and all versions of Windows and Outlook.
• Restores the data from the Outlook BAK file created with ScanPST.
• Preserves original folder structure.
• Provides integrity of the data:
  • Exports Outlook items wholly, along with images, attachments (of all extensions), appointments, notes, contacts, tasks, and journal entries.
  • Retains item properties, metadata, and the original formatting.
• Imposes no limitation on the OST file size.
• Works quickly with large OST files and where several files must be converted at once.
• Does not require a connection to Exchange Server or IMAP mailbox.
• Recovers data from orphaned or archived OST.
• Allows selecting items for conversion automatically by item type or date.
• Optionally skips empty and system folders when converting.
• Splits the created PST file by size, date, sender and recipient data, subject, and folder or mailbox name.
• Enables to name PST files when converting from OST and specify a folder to save them or create a new one.
• Merges multiple OSTs into one or several PST files.
• Converts OST to PST on schedule and using batch scripts.
• Runs from Outlook or a standalone application.
• Creates a report at the end of the work.

Differences in PST and OST data files

The Outlook file format to store data depends on the account settings. IMAP, Microsoft 365, Exchange, and Outlook.com accounts use temporary file of OST format that is a local copy of the mailbox stored on the server. When you use it, any changes to your mailbox are synchronized with the mail server.

The PST file format used for POP3 accounts and Personal Archives is on your computer. This file is not synchronized with the server, no changes to it appear on the server.

Why convert OST to PST?

Since OSTs are temporary offline files, you can only open an OST file in the same Outlook account it was created in. To move an OST file to another computer or backup an OST file, you need to convert it.

Convert OST file to a PST file to:

1. restore old or orphaned OST files;
2. backup .ost file or selected items from it;
3. import OST file to Office 365, IMAP, Exchange Server accounts when:
   • moving Outlook to another drive,
   • upgrading Windows,
   • changing Outlook account;
4. export data from OST file to an Outlook account not synchronized with Exchange Server;
5. import OST file into different Outlook versions;
6. export OST data to PST selectively, for example, only emails for a certain period or only contacts.

How to convert OST to PST?

Outlook allows you to convert .ost to .pst format with the Import and Export Wizard. You can select individual folders to export. However, this method has several limitations:

• When converting OST with Outlook tools, the same Exchange Server account in which the file was created must be active.
• You can only convert one .ost file at a time.
• The Import and Export Wizard requires time and certain technical knowledge.
• It is impossible to convert orphaned .ost files using the Outlook feature.

An easy way to overcome these limitations is to use this Convert OST to PST tool. Perform a few simple settings and export OST to PST in whole or in part in a matter of minutes.

Selective OST to PST conversion

You can export OST file data to one or more PST files by customizing the utility in the way you want:

1. Specify the required file or folder with files to export.
2. On the Advanced tab, mark the items you want to export:
   • messages,
   • contacts,
   • calendar events,
   • tasks,
   • notes,
   • journal entries.
3. You can then select the period for which you want to convert the selected items. In the drop-down list specify a period of your choice.
4. The Message filter allows you to select specific messages for conversion:
   • all messages;
   • received messages only;
   • sent messages only.

How to organize data from OST file when saving to one or more PSTs

The utility allows you to export from OST files to an existing PST or to create new data files. Besides, you can conveniently group new files, automatically organizing them into folders using built-in macros:

• By Date, Time, or Year;
• By Email or Name of Sender;
• By Email or Name of First Recipient;
• By Subject;
• By Outlook Folder;
• By Mailbox or Data File Name;
• Using the current date and time in the name of the destination folder or file.

If no PST file name is specified, the original OST file name is used.

Additionally, you can split the final PSTs by a given size, setting it optionally in the Maximum file size field.

You can skip empty folders from the source data file and deleted items.

How to backup Outlook OST files?

When using OST format, the data is stored on the server where your account is hosted. The contents of your mailbox (email, contacts, tasks, etc.) are cached locally on your PC inside the .ost file. You can rely on the backup and storage methods used by the company hosting your Exchange account. However, often users need to backup .ost file or part of it for storage on disk or in the cloud. This way you can access the data you need at any time and from any computer, whether you have access to your mailbox or not. The most popular and reliable way to back up the mailbox data is to convert OST to PST format.

When regularly backing up to the same PST file, you can allow or disallow duplicates using a special option.

How to move the Outlook OST file to another account?

It's impossible to import OST to a new Outlook account when you don't have an OST backup copy in PST format. To avoid the risk of losing data from the mailbox and carefully transfer all its contents to a new account, use our Convert OST to PST software. The utility supports selective conversion, automatically skipping unnecessary items.

After the conversion, import the resulting PST to your Outlook account using the Import PST to Outlook tool.

The method of converting from OST to PST will also help you to open .ost file when updating the current version of Outlook or the Windows operating system.

How to merge OST files?

By default, the utility merges multiple OSTs to a single PST. After that, you can always have all your emails from different mailboxes at hand for more productive work. The program combines all items from different OSTs, messages, contacts, and others, preserving their properties. When merging, there is no limit on the size of the source and final data files. If you don't want to convert multiple OSTs into a single PST, select the "Create separate PST file for each OST file" option.

After merging data from several OSTs into a single PST file and connecting it to Outlook, you can get rid of duplicates with the help of utilities for deleting duplicate messages, contacts, calendar events, tasks, notes, journal entries, and attachments.

How to export OST to PST in bulk and on a schedule?

You need a bulk transfer of the Exchange mailboxes when your organization updates the operating system or Outlook profiles. Sometimes, user mailboxes on legacy systems are not synchronized with the Exchange server. In these cases, our utility easily converts many OST files at once.

The command-line app of the utility allows automatic OST to PST conversion using different scenarios, batch scripts, PowerShell. You can run multiple command-line applications at once for faster conversion.

FAQ

What is Outlook OST data file format?

An Outlook OST (Offline Storage Table) data file is a local copy of the mailbox on the server. It is an offline file that syncs with the email server. The .ost file is used in IMAP, Microsoft 365, Exchange, and Outlook.com accounts.

What is Outlook PST data file format?

The Outlook PST (Personal Storage Table) file contains Outlook account data: messages, contacts, calendars, tasks, and other mailbox items. It is on your computer and does not sync with the email server. The .pst file is used in POP3 Outlook accounts.

How to open and view the OST file in another Outlook account?

To view the OST file in an Outlook account other than the one in which it was created, convert OST to PST with this utility and open the resulting file for viewing in your Outlook account:

• Go to the File menu.
• On the left pane, click Open and Export.
• Then, click Open Outlook Data File on the right, and in the dialog box select the resulting .pst file.
• You can now view the contents of the original .ost file in the Outlook account.

How to import OST files into Outlook?

Importing data from an OST file is possible only by conversion. After converting OST to PST, import the resulting data file into your Microsoft Outlook account using the Import PST to Outlook utility. This tool is especially useful if you need to import multiple PST files or you want to further filter information when importing.

Do I need to backup the Outlook OST file?

Many users believe there is no need to backup .ost files since they can still get a new copy from the server. However, there are several cases where a backup is necessary:

• For offline access to the mailbox from a different account when the Outlook profile is inaccessible.
• In case of deleting the OST file and resynchronizing it (when fixing a corrupt OST).
• If you lose access or unexpectedly delete your Outlook account.

How to restore OST files from backup?

When you create a backup copy of a .ost file by converting it to a .pst, you can then easily open it in any Outlook account (see above). You can import the .pst file to Outlook with the Import PST to Outlook utility.

How to export contacts from OST file to PST file?

To extract contacts from an OST file to a PST, open the Advanced tab when configuring the utility and select only Contacts for export. If needed, use additional filters to select the desired contacts.

To view contacts in another Outlook account, import the resulting .pst file into that account. Then follow these steps:

1. Open MS Outlook
2. Then open the Advanced Find window using the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+Shift+F.
3. In the Look in list, select Contacts.
4. Click the Browse... button.
5. Select the imported .pst file.
6. Click Find Now.

Now you can see the contacts from the original OST. If you exported the whole OST file to PST and you want to import only contacts into another Outlook account, use the tool for importing PST into Outlook.

What would happen if I deleted the .ost folder?

If you delete the .ost file, no data loss will occur because you can download it again from the server. But this is only possible if you have access to your account.

If you deliberately want to delete an OST file, for example, if a synchronization error occurs, we recommend that you backup your OST in PST format using our utility. This ensures the safety of your data.

Why can't I use online OST to PST conversion?

Online email conversion does not ensure the privacy of your correspondence and the complete safety of the original data. You may face limitations on the size and number of exported files. Online conversion of large databases can be time-consuming. Don't take the risk and don't waste time and effort, use reliable tools to convert messages and other mailbox items.

Are there any restrictions when converting OST to PST?

The utility imposes no limitations on the number or size of the converted data files. The additional advantage of the program is that you can split oversized OST into smaller PSTs while converting it.