How To Open OST File In Outlook 2016 / 2019 / Office 365
The fastest way to open the folder where your Outlook Data Files (.pst and.ost) are saved is to do the following: In Outlook, click the File tab. In right pane, click Account Settings, and then click Account Settings. On the Data Files tab, click an entry, and then click Open Folder Location. OST files are created in Microsoft Outlook while as MAC mail creates MBOX files. To export OST to Mac mail, one needs to convert.ost offline files to.pst first, and then to MBOX file format. The write-up describes how to perform the conversion of OST to Mac Mail manually without any hassle and save time in performing the conversion via the.
Quite frequently, users ask about opening a file using a program that does not support that file format. Sometimes, the fact that file cannot be opened using that program comes as a surprise.
How to open an OST file in Outlook 2019 / Office 35/ 2016 is one such frequently asked question by users. And the answer is surprising – Outlook 2016 (Windows or Mac) cannot import or open an OST file format. This is surprising because OST is natively a data file of Outlook. It creates an OST file to store the data it downloads from a web-server when you add an IMAP based or Exchange based email account.
But you cannot import data in OST file manually because it’s not built for that purpose. PST is the personal storage file used for the purpose of backup, importing, and all such operations.
Nevertheless, if you do have an OST file that you need to open in Outlook 2016, you can do so by converting it into PST file using an application from third-parties.
Through a converter, you first load the OST file and then convert it into PST, then using the in-built feature of Outlook, you simply import it like a regular data file. There’s one problem in that process and that is finding a converter that works without losing any information. There are few that can convert data while making the entire structure totally modified or even corrupt. But there are always hidden gems among the sea of inefficient tools.
Tool to Open OST File In Outlook 2016
“OST Extractor Pro” is that gem that will give you full satisfaction over converting OST to PST file.
There are dozens of reasons why we picked “OST Extractor Pro” as the most suitable third-party tool to go through the conversion.
Here are some of them:
First of all, it is available for both Mac and Windows users. If you are a Mac user and looking to import OST file in Outlook 2016/2019/Office 365 Mac, you can download the Mac edition. It works because PST is compatible with Mac Outlook too.
Secondly, it is not merely an OST to PST converter. There are other output options to convert OST file to, such as MBOX, EML, Thunderbird, Postbox, and Apple Mail. As a Mac user, this makes “OST Extractor Pro” highly useful because most converters only convert OST to PST.
The third reason why it wins over all other converters is its amazingly simple interface. For a process that is usually very tricky and confusing, it’s quite surprising that “OST Extractor Pro” has the most intuitive interface that makes perfect sense and can be used intuitively even by users who know nothing about email migration.
And finally, there’s a support team that is ready to help you 24×7. Though, it’s unlikely that you will need one, but it makes a huge difference to a very small portion of users that may find themselves in a pickle in an unexpected way. A helping hand from a team of experts is priceless then. That’s why we think the support of USL Software backing ‘OST Extractor Pro‘ adds another dimension to an already proficient software solution.
How To Open OST File In Outlook 2016/2019/Office 365
If you have an OST file and you were confused by Outlook not giving you any option to import it, don’t worry. “OST Extractor Pro” will quickly convert it into PST file that you can import easily.
Try it here: https://www.ostextractorpro.com/.
Get your free trial copy and start checking out all the other features and interface as thoroughly as you want before activating.
Related Article:Microsoft OST to PST Converter
To know How To Open OST File In Outlook 2016 / 2019 / Office 365, download the copy of OST Extractor Pro and try it yourself.
You might be wondering why your computer is limping to process a large OST file while it can smoothly run a 100 GB game at a full HD resolution. It is because a Large OST file or an oversized OST file might require a lot of bandwidth to sync with the server that holds your OST file. So, if you ever encounter any error related to an oversized OST file you find all the information on how to fix it in this article.
Why is My OST File so Big?
OST file stores all the Outlook data that is accumulated from the point you created your account. Additionally, it also stores all the attachments, contacts. Generally, it might not sound like a lot but, in a long run slow and steadyly, OST file grows size.
Why are Large OST files are Such a Huge Problem?
Firstly, an OST or Offline storage table file works on the principle of synchronization. That means you can work on your Outlook even while you are offline and later sync with the server when the internet connection is available.
Since the working of an OST file is entirely dependent on synchronization, the larger the OST file, the longer it takes to sync with the online server and result in Outlook sync errors.
It doesn’t stop there, Outlook keeps performing regular data integrity checks so once again, larger the OST longer it takes to check, sometimes it might just get stuck in verifying the integrity otherwise known as Outlook stuck at verifying data integrity error. This is why a Large OST file which sounds mild can become highly complicated to handle.
How Big can an OST File Be?
Version | OST File Size Limit |
Outlook 2007, 2003 | 20 GB |
Outlook 2010, 2013, 2016 | 50GB |
Note: Whenever you are fixing any error, a smart step you can take is to archive the OST file contents. Because, when you are working to fix any Outlook related errors, might damage the OST file. The instant and effortless way to backup the OST file is by using Remo Outlook Backup and Migrate, a one-stop tool for all your Outlook related issues. With the help of Remo, you can Backup, Restore, and even Migrate the OST file.
Fortunately, you do not need to stress yourself on how to fix the oversized OST file, Outlook has an inbuilt utility that will help you on reducing the size of the OST file which is known as the “compact now” option.
How to Reduce the Size of the OST file?
Before compacting the OST file, The practice of creating a backup of your OST file is considered the best practice. One simple method is to recover OST to PST file and save that PST file in a safe location. You can also instantly convert an OST file to PST by using Remo OST to PST converter.
Coming to compacting the OST file, go to Files tab > Account Settings > Data File
Double click on the data file which opens Outlook Data file settings dialogue box with the option Compact Now. Click on compact Now to reduce the size of the OST file.
Why is My Mailbox Larger than OST file?
Mailbox is larger than OST files due to inconsistencies in the calculation. In the 2007 and older Outlook versions there were inconsistencies in size calculations and file structure which made Mailbox 20% to 30% larger in size than corresponding OST files. In the case of 2010 and the latest versions, Outlook size calculation is more accounted for, the latest Outlook uses compression technology which auto compresses text. Which again made the OST file smaller than the corresponding mailbox.
Using Clean up Option to Avoid Large OST files.
Outlook also has an option that will allow you to clean all the unnecessary files from the trash in a single click. Since, the OST file also stores the deleted items, not cleaning the deleted items pile up and result in a large OST file.
How To Delete Outlook Ost File On Mac
Ost File On Mac
To use the Cleanup option go to Files tab> Cleanup Option > Empty deleted items folder to clear all the deleted items on a single click.
You can also go to Cleanup options > Mailbox cleanup wizard which is a dedicated wizard that has all the options that will help in managing redundant data existing in your mailbox.
Where To Find Outlook Ost File On Mac
However, these are temporary remedies, they cannot stop the large OST error to repeat. Fortunately, there are a few adjustments you can implement on Outlook that will avoid the same error happening again in the future.
Does Archiving Reduce OST Size?
Yes, regularly archiving the OST or Outlook data file will create a backup relatively reduces the OST file size on the server. Which is also going to regulate the OST file size from reaching the limit.
How to Use Auto Archive to Avoid Oversized OST file
The auto-archive is a comprehensive tool that can be really handy to extensive Outlook users. It will streamline the regular archiving without any intervention. The following are the instructions on how to use archives.
- You can find an auto-archive wizard in the folder tab as mentioned in the screenshot
- Open the auto-archive you will find
- Do not archive items in these folders
- Archive folders using default settings
- Archive folders using these settings
- Check the option “Archive folders using default settings” which will schedule the archiving every 14 days
- By default items maturing the mentioned age will be archived every 14 days
Items | Age of the Item |
Inbox, Drafts, Calendar, Tasks, Notes and Journals | 6 months |
Sent and deleted items | 2 months |
Outbox | 3 Months |
Archived file will be saved in PST format in the following location : C:UsersusernameDocumentsOutlook Filesarchive.pst
This will remove all the clutter from your OST file an efficient way to avoid oversized OST files repeating again.