People use email applications to send or receive emails and other items to one another. Microsoft Outlook is one of the popular email clients that users use for personal or business purposes. OST (Offline Storage Table) file format is supported by MS Exchange to save the entire mailbox items. The user can easily work on an OST file under the offline mode and the changes made will be saved once the internet connectivity is re-established. However there are several limitations as well. Users cannot directly access the offline files in MS Outlook. So, many users need to import OST file into Outlook program. There are various reasons to perform the OST to PST Conversion. PST (Personal Storage Table) format is supported by MS Outlook to save the mailbox database. We will discuss the reasons to import OST to Outlook 2016. We will provide manual and third-party best OST to PST Converter to convert OST to PST quickly.
Now let’s understand some basic reasons to import OST to Outlook.
Reasons to Import OST File Into Outlook
There are numerous reasons for which users need to migrate OST to PST file format of Outlook. Go through the listed points below for better understanding for the users.
- PST files are easy to access and portable in nature.
- Accidental Exchange crash and a reliable backup system requirement.
- Exchange server maintenance.
- If the user needs to export other mailbox items as well, they need to export OST to PST. As PST format is suitable to backup the mailbox data.
- For backup requirements and to avoid the situation of data loss.
These are some basic reasons for which the user needs to convert OST file to PST format. Now let’s proceed further to different methods to solve the user’s query about “how to convert OST to PST”.
Manual Process to Import OST File Into Outlook 2016
Manual conventional methods can be used to import OST to Outlook without spending a single penny. Manual methods are sometimes complex and more time-consuming. So there are risks to human errors that can lead to severe data loss. It is suggested to create a backup of the PST data to keep the access to the database. Once the backup is done, then follow the steps provided to convert OST to PST.
Method 1: Import/ Export Feature
- Sign in to Microsoft Outlook application.
- Click on the File tab.
- Select the Import/Export option.
- Click on Export to a file and press Next.
- Now Select the Personal File folder (.pst).
- Click on the Parent root.
- Check on the include subfolders
- Select the location to save the PST data in the system.
- Click on the finish button.
Method 2: Outlook Archive Option
- Launch Microsoft Outlook.
- Go to the File section
- Click on Options
- Now, click on the Advanced section
- Click on Auto Archive settings…
- Navigate the location to save archived files.
- Click on the OK button.
Limitations
- More time consuming process.
- Good technical knowledge is required.
- Unable to backup the corrupt OST data.
- Huge risk of data loss due to human errors.
How to Import OST File Into Outlook Professionally?
Professional techniques can be used to convert OST to PST without Outlook installation required. We have already seen that manual methods are more time consuming and complex approaches. So for a safe and quick conversion process, users can opt for any reliable OST converter. The DRS OST to PST Converter Tool is able to convert OST to PST, EML, MBOX, MSG, PDF, HTML, CSV, Gmail, Yandex mail, Live Exchange, Office 365, etc. The software can export all mailbox items such as emails, calendars, tasks, contacts, etc. There are no file size restrictions with the software. Even a novice user can easily run the software without requiring any technical knowledge. The software supports all Windows and Mac OS versions. The demo OST to PST Converter can export 50 emails for free.
Conclusion
In this article above, we have described the best methods to import OST file into Outlook 2016. We have discussed manual and professional OST converter software to convert OST to PST. In the end, it is suggested to opt for advanced OST to PST Converter for a quick and effortless conversion process.
