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Community Blog How to Convert OST File to PST File on Windows 11/10

How to Convert OST File to PST File on Windows 11/10

In this article, we will mention some best methods to convert OST file to PST file on Windows 11/10 system.

OST and PST are both Outlook data files. OST (Offline Storage Table) file is created on your computer when you sign in with an Exchange, IMAP, or Outlook.com account, whereas the PST (Personal Storage Table) file is created when your Outlook account is configured using POP3 account.

PST files are easily imported into another Outlook account. But OST file is linked with user account in which it is created and cannot be transferred to another Outlook account or profile. To move or transfer OST file data, you need to convert the OST file into PST file format. In this article, we will mention some best methods to convert OST file to PST file on Windows 11/10 system.

Why Do You Need to Convert OST Files to PST?

There are several reasons why you need to convert an OST file to a PST file. These are:

Access OST Data during Server Maintenance or Downtime: If mailbox server is down due to maintenance or any other reason, you cannot access the OST mailbox data. In such a case, you can convert the OST file to PST to access the mailbox items.

  1. Backup and Migration: To backup your emails and other items from OST file, you need to convert the OST to PST format. Also, PST file helps you to transfer or migrate your mailbox data to other Outlook profile or account.
  2. Archive Older Emails: If your OST file becomes large, you can archive older emails to PST file. You can easily access the archived emails in Outlook through the PST file.

Best Methods to Convert OST File to PST file on Windows 11/10

Here are some best methods that can help you to convert OST to PST without any hassle.

Method 1: Use Import/Export Feature in Outlook

You can use the Import/Export feature in the Outlook application to convert the OST file data to PST format. Here are the steps:

  1. Launch your MS Outlook on your Windows computer.
    image1
  2. Choose File and then click Open & Export from the options.
  3. In the right pane, click on ‘Import/Export’.
    image2
  4. In the ‘Import and Export Wizard’, under ‘Choose an action to perform’, select ‘Export to a File’, and then click on ‘Next’.
    image3
  5. In the ‘Export to a File’ window, select ‘Outlook Data File (.pst)’ from the options, and then click ‘Next’.
    image4
  6. Now, select the folder you want to convert to PST from the options under ‘Select the folder to export from’. Also, select the checkbox - ‘Include subfolders’ and then click ‘Next’.
    image5
  7. Click on the ‘Browse’ button to select the location to save the PST file. Select the radio button - ‘Do not export duplicate items’ and then click ‘Finish’.

Method 2: Use Archive Feature in Outlook

You can also convert OST file data to PST file using the Archiving feature in Outlook. You can configure ‘AutoArchive’ settings in Outlook to archive the older mail items automatically or archive the mailbox items manually.

Follow the steps given below to archive OST file items using the ‘AutoArchive’ feature:

  1. In Outlook, click on ‘File’.
    image6
  2. Select ‘Options’ from the dropdown.
    image7
  3. In the ‘Outlook Options’ window, click on ‘Advanced’.
  4. Under ‘Options for working with Outlook’, find and click on ‘AutoArchive Settings’.
  5. In the ‘AutoArchive’ window, set the desired frequency ‘days’ by selecting ‘Run AutoArchive every’ option. It enables Outlook to archive your old emails every ’30-20’ days or any other number of days automatically.
    image8
  6. Click on the radio button - ‘Move old items to’ and then click on ‘Browse’ to select the location to save the archived PST file. When done, click ‘OK’.

However, if you want to archive specific items or folder to PST manually, you can follow the steps given below:

  1. In your Outlook application, click on ‘File’.
    image9
  2. Select ‘Info’ and then click on Cleanup Tools > Archive.
  3. An ‘Archive’ dialog box will appear. Select the ‘Archive this folder and all subfolders’ option.
    image10
  4. Now, select a date in the ‘Archive items older than’ field. All the items received before the selected date will be archived to the PST file.
  5. Click on ‘Browse’ button to select the location to store the archived file and then click on ‘OK’ to complete the process.

Limitations of the Above Methods

The above manual methods can convert OST file into PST file format. However, these methods have some limitations, such as:

  1. The process is lengthy and can consume a lot of time.
  2. It requires technical knowledge and skills to complete the process successfully.
  3. These methods will not work if your OST file is orphaned or inaccessible.

Method 3: Use an OST to PST Converter Software

The methods mentioned above have some limitations and cannot convert inaccessible or orphaned OST files. In such cases, you can use a specialized OST to PST converter software, like Stellar Converter for OST for safe and secure OST to PST conversion process. The software allows you to save the converted OST file data in various other file formats, like MSG, RTF, HTML, and PDF.

Conclusion

Above, we have mentioned some best methods to convert the OST files to PST. However, the manual methods will not work if you have an inaccessible or orphaned OST file. In such a case, you can use a specialized OST to PST converter software, like Stellar Converter for OST. This software can successfully convert orphaned or inaccessible OST of any size to PST in just a few simple steps. It maintains 100% data integrity and original folder hierarchy after conversion.

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