How to Move an OST file to another location

Updated On - March 21, 2023 by Nasir Khan |

Reading Time: 6 minutes

OST files are the offline storage files created by Microsoft Outlook to store a copy of your mailbox data, including emails, contacts, and calendar items, on your local computer. Over time, these files can grow large in size and take up a considerable amount of space on your computer’s hard drive. If you are running out of disk space on your current drive and want to move your OST file to another location, this blog will guide you through the process.

So, let’s get started without further delay!

Introduction

An OST file is a copy of your Exchange mailbox that is stored on your hard drive. This copy can be accessed when you are working offline or have a slow connection. Once you are back online, any changes made to the OST file are synchronized with the Exchange server.

Why should you move the OST file to another location

The OST file contains a lot of important data, such as emails, contacts, tasks, etc., for a user. It is created when an IMAP or POP account is configured in Outlook. Users can work offline, and all their changes will be saved in the OST file. This is very useful when there is no internet connection available.

However, some situations exist when users want to transfer their OST file to another location. A common reason for this is that the OST file becomes corrupted, and Outlook cannot open it. Users can create a new OST file and set up their account once more if this occurs. All their data will be downloaded into the new OST file.

Some other reasons why users might want to migrate their OST file is if they are changing to a new computer or upgrading to a newer version of Outlook. If that’s the case, they can transfer the OST file to the new location and reconfigure their account. By doing so, all their data will be downloaded into the new OST file.

Advantages of moving OST file to another location

There are several reasons why you might want to move your OST file to another location:

• The OST file may become corrupt if you are using an older version of Microsoft Outlook. You will need to move it to another location to continue using Outlook.
• For it to work with the new Outlook version, you may need to move the OST file when upgrading to a newer version of Outlook.
• Suppose you are moving an OST file from one computer to another location or copying OST file data into a new system for hardware recovery or any other reasons. In that case, you will need a converter to convert OST file format.

How to move an OST file to another location

You can relocate an OST file to another spot on your computer by taking the steps below. Please note that moving an OST file will not impact your email account or the messages stored within the file.

• Find the OST file you want to move using File Explorer.
• To access the OST file’s properties, right-click on it and select “Properties” from the drop-down menu.
• Go to the “General” tab and click on the “Location” button.
• In the “Move Folder” window, select the OST file’s new location and click “OK.”
• To save changes and close the window, click the “Apply” button and select “OK.”

Another Method to move an OST file to another location

Apart from the above method, there is another manual method available to move OST files. Below is the step-by-step process of that method.

Step 1: Close Microsoft Outlook

Before you begin moving your OST file, make sure that you close Microsoft Outlook. This will ensure that the file is not in use, and there is no data loss during the move.

Step 2: Locate Your OST File

Next, you need to locate your OST file. By default, OST files are located in the following folder:

C:\Users<username>\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Outlook

Note: Replace <username> with your actual user account name.

Step 3: Copy Your OST File to the New Drive

Now that you have located your OST file, it’s time to copy it to the new drive. To do this, follow these steps:

• Create a new folder on the new drive where you want to store your OST file.
• Navigate to the folder where your OST file is located.
• Right-click on the OST file and select “Copy.”
• Navigate to the new folder you created on the new drive.
• Right-click inside the folder and select “Paste.”

Step 4: Update Outlook Profile to Use the New OST File Location

After copying the OST file to the new drive, you need to update your Outlook profile to use the new file location. To do this, follow these steps:

• Open Microsoft Outlook and click on the “File” tab.
• Click on “Account Settings” and select “Account Settings” again from the drop-down menu.
• Click on the “Data Files” tab and then click on the “Open File Location” button.
• This will open the folder where your OST file is located. Close the window.
• Click on the “Add” button.
• Navigate to the new folder where you copied your OST file in Step 3.
• Select the new OST file and click “OK.”
• At last, close the Account Settings window.

Step 5: Test Your New OST File Location

To make sure that your new OST file location is working correctly, test it by opening Microsoft Outlook and checking that you can access your mailbox data without any issues.

Loopholes of the Manual method

Using the above method, you can only move the OST file which is connected with the Exchange server or have an active Outlook profile. Because OST files are accessible only when meeting the above requirements. To move orphaned or corrupt OST files, you’ll need to convert them into PST format.

Direct conversion of OST into PST is not possible, so you can take the help of any third-party software like the “Regain OST Recovery tool to easily convert OST into PST, including all email items such as contacts, tasks, notes, calendars, etc.

Regain OST recovery tool

As the name defines, the tool is developed to recover corrupt and Orphaned OST files and make them accessible. Using this tool, you can recover OST files and convert them into PST and several other formats to move them to another location.

Let me describe the process of moving the OST file to another location. The tool offers a convenient GUI, making the OST transfer approach a cakewalk even for newbies. Also, the tool supports all Outlook versions and works with all Windows Operating systems, including Windows 11.

Free Download100% Secure Buy NowPrice: $39

Move OST files (all types, including corrupt and orphaned) into another location

1. Install and open the Regain OST Recovery software in your system.
2. Click on the Open button and add the OST files that you want to move.
3. Now click on the Export option from the ribbon bar.
4. Select PST as a file format in the next window and choose appropriate options.
5. At last, click on the Convert now option, and the software will convert OST to PST format.

Once your OST files are converted into PST format, you can easily import them into your Outlook account and synchronize them with any Exchange server, and a new OST file will be generated in that system.

Conclusion

We hope this guide has helped you understand how to move an OST file to another location. If you have corrupt or orphaned OST files, then the only solution to move the OST file to another location is using Regain OST recovery tool. For any queries, please don’t hesitate to contact our support team for help; they are available 24*7 for your service.

FAQs

How can I move an OST file to another location on my computer?

The simplest method to transfer an OST file is to take advantage of the in-built Windows File Explorer tool. Start by opening File Explorer and going to the OST file’s current location. After that, drag and drop the file into the desired destination. However, this approach only works with exchange-connected OST files. e

Can I use the automated tool to move an OST file to a different hard drive?

Yes, you can move an OST file to a different hard drive. However, we recommend backing up the OST file before doing so. That way, if anything goes wrong during the transfer process, you’ll have a copy of the original file that you can fall back on.

What happens if I try to open an OST file after moving it manually?

An error message that the file is “in use by another program” may pop up if you attempt to open an OST file after moving it. Outlook has a lock on the OST file while it’s open, which causes this problem. To prevent this error, close Outlook before relocating the OST file.