Import OST files to Outlook

Updated on December 27, 2023 by Armaan

Summary: Have you ever wondered what is Outlook OST file and how to import an OST file into Outlook? Well, it’s common amongst the Outlook users. This blog post helps you understand Outlook OST files and the different methods to import OST to Outlook. Additionally, It will introduce the Regain OST to PST Converter, an easy and reliable solution to convert and import OST files into various file formats and email programs.

What is Outlook OST File?

OST stands for Offline Storage Table. As the name suggests, an OST file is a local copy of your mailbox data stored on your computer. It allows you to access your mailbox data even when you don’t have an internet connection. The OST file type is essential for businesses that employ Microsoft Exchange accounts and are required to work on their emails, contacts, and other mailbox items even when there is poor network connectivity. Because it will sync with the Exchange server, and the modifications will reflect automatically once a connection is re-established.

Before moving ahead with the execution of how to import OST file into Outlook, you must know the OST file location on your computer. If you are using Outlook 2019, 2016, or 2013, the default location of the OST file is C:\Users\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Outlook. Furthermore, you can explore this informative blog post to Locate OST file in Outlook 2019, 2016, 2013, and other versions.

Reasons to Import OST to Outlook

While OST files are handy for offline access, still, there are plenty of reasons to import OST file to Outlook. Let’s understand the most common scenarios.

  • Moving to a new computer: When you switch from the old computer to a new computer, you don’t want to lose your previous Outlook data. In that case, it is feasible to move OST file to a new computer that requires you to import the OST file into your Outlook profile.
  • Exchange Server Crash: In some cases, users might need to add OST file into Outlook due to the Exchange server crash, data corruption within the OST file itself, or other technical issues.
  • Consolidating data: If you have multiple OST files from different accounts or computers, you want to consolidate them into a single Outlook profile. To simplify your Outlook, you can resolve multiple or two OST files in Outlook issues by importing them into a single Outlook profile.
  • Upgrading Outlook versions: To access new features and enhanced security, it is recommended to upgrade your Outlook version. In this scenario, import the OST file into the new Outlook version to ensure seamless access to your previous data.
  • Migrating from Exchange to a Different Email Client: Migrating from an Exchange server to a different email client requires to import OST files to IMAP server account using the Outlook application. It helps to back up your old data and preserves its data integrity.

Apart from this, some other reasons generate the requirement to add OST file to Outlook. So, without further delay, let’s dive into how to import OST file to Outlook effectively.

How to Open OST File in Outlook Manually?

Here is an official document from Microsoft that explains the PST and OST file formats. It is stated that you can’t import data from an Offline Outlook data file (.ost).

How To Import OST Files To Outlook

However, there is another way to import OST file to Outlook manually. In this process, you can change OST to Outlook PST file. After that, Outlook allows you to import the backed-up PST file directly into your Outlook profile.

There are two methods available that allow you to convert OST to PST manually. You can perform any of these methods to add the OST file to your Outlook profile.

1st method: Use Auto Archive to Convert OST to PST file

2nd method: Use Import/Export Feature in Outlook

Easy and Reliable Solution to Import OST Files to Outlook

Fortunately, we have an alternate solution that helps you to directly convert and migrate your Outlook OST file into different file formats and email clients. In this respect, Regain OST to PST Converter is the most prominent software that maintains high data integrity while performing this task.

This advanced utility can easily import OST files to Gmail, Yahoo, Office 365, Hotmail, Amazon Work email, etc. You can perform the task by following the below steps.

  • Step 1: Download and Install the Regain OST Converter tool.
  • Import OST files to Outlook using Regain Software
  • Step 2: Browse and import the OST file that you want to convert or migrate.
  • Select OST file
  • Step 3: After scanning, it shows the preview of your OST file data. Check the folder you want to import and click on the Export or Cloud Migration menu.
  • Scan OST file
  • Step 4: Now, it shows an Export Option pop-up window. Here, select the resultant file format (PST in our case).
    "It also allows you to Split the Resultant PST file and to check the Remove Empty Folder option."
  • Select File format
  • Step 5: At last, click on the Convert Now button to start the conversion process.
  • Successfully export OST files to Outlook

Why Choose Regain OST to PST Converter?

This section helps you to understand why you should opt for this advanced approach. Here, we explain its advanced built-in functionalities that help to maintain data integrity.

  • You can easily convert multiple OST files into different formats, including PST, EML, EMLX, PDF, MBOX, etc.
  • This software also allows you to import Offline OST to Office 365 without affecting the original hierarchy.
  • Additionally, you can split the resultant PST file to prevent it from corruption due to oversize.
  • You can install it on any Windows operating system. Also, it is compatible with all Outlook OST files.
  • It allows you to install the free version to check and analyze its advanced performance.

Conclusion

There is no direct manual method available to import OST file to Outlook. First, you need to convert the OST file to a PST format to transfer your data. However, using a tool like Regain OST to PST Converter, you can directly perform multiple OST file conversions or migrations in a single run. It ensures high data integrity and maintains the original file hierarchy. So, try its free version to verify and analyze its performance and features.

Frequently Asked Questions

Question: How do I recover data from OST?

Answer: It is feasible to opt for a reliable and secure OST File Recovery Tool to recover data from a corrupt OST file. In this regard, Regain OST Recovery Tool effortlessly retrieves the data from your corrupt OST and converts it into a working PST file. Its user-friendly interface allows you to recover data within a few simple clicks.

 

Question: Where is Outlook OST stored?

Answer: The default location of the OST file is C:\Users\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Outlook in Outlook 2019, 2016, or 2013. However, for older versions, you can refer to how to Locate the OST File in Outlook.

 

Question: How do I reduce the size of an OST file?

Answer: Oversized OST files can lead to corruption, ultimately causing data loss. In such a scenario, you can perform the following steps to reduce OST file size in Outlook.

  • Inactivate all plug-ins.
  • Archive OST file data.
  • Use Outlook’s built-in compression feature.
  • Reduce the size of OST Files using a Registry Key.