How to Open OST File in Outlook? | Offline Outlook File

On your Linux computer, an offline Outlook file, also known as an OST, is used to save and sync a synched copy of the inbox data, like email messages and attachments, contacts and notes, journals, and so on. The OST file will only be viewed by accounts that have been granted permission to use Exchange or IMAP. As a result, to open things from an offline ost file, you must have accessibility to the IMAP Outlook that has been synced with the OST format.

A breakdown of the Exchange server, as well as the deletion or deactivation of an Exchange-based mailbox, results in inaccessibility of the OST file in this case. The OST file can then be accessed, and the things contained within it can be opened or imported using the OST to PST conversion application from a third-party provider.

How to Open OST File in Outlook?

It is possible to open an unencrypted OST file with Microsoft Outlook in one of two ways. Using the manual system, you can open an OST file in Outlook using a drag and drop method or a migrating method, both of which are provided by Microsoft. Outlook should be closed down.

• Go to the Control Panel, and then find Mail and double-click on it.
• Choose the Exchange account from the E-mail menu, and afterward hit Change to save your changes. 
• Remove the checkmark from the Enable Cached Exchange Mode tick box. 
• Click on the More Settings option.
• Under the Advanced tab, hit on the Offline File Options.
• Select Disable Offline Using from the drop-down menu, and then select Yes from the dropdown menu that displays. 
• Again, select Offline Folder File Properties from the drop-down menu. 
• To proceed, click on the OK. 
• A popup menu will appear, there you have to click on Yes.
• Choose the Use Cached Exchange Mode tick box below the Cached Exchange Mode Settings tab of the page. 
• Hit OK, then The next, and thereafter Finish to complete the process. 
• Then click the Close button from the Account Settings as well as Mail Setup dialog windows.

Third-Party Tool to Open OST File in Outlook 

OST files can be successfully opened in all versions of Microsoft Outlook thanks to several third-party applications that are accessible online that can be used to fix offline OST files. Users can install the OST Recovery program, which allows them to retrieve an offline OST item with an offline Exchange Server and then view all of the mailboxes contained within the OST file using Outlook to PST files, containing all of the email objects contained within.

• Choose OST File 
• Access from the drop-down menu with email and item details, an offline OST file can be created. 
• Open the OST file in Outlook like it’s a PST file.

Open files from Offline Outlook Data File (OST)

You can use any of the methods listed below for opening files first from Offline Open files.

1) Export the Outlook Mailbox messages to PST

Exporting email messages to an Outlook browseable Pst files through the Import/Export Wizard allows users to open things from an offline External file and OST into some other Outlook profile. The following are the measures to be taken.

In Outlook 2007,

• You have to go to File on your computer. Then, search for Import and Export.

In Outlook 2010, 

• In 2010, go to the File. Then, click on the Open & Import.
• Next, you have to search for the Import/Export and click on it.
• Once, you are there, click on the Export to a file as shown below and then, hit the Next below.

• Select the ‘Outlook Data File (.pst)’ and click on the ‘Next.’ 
• If you try to access or import certain emails, choose the necessary emails as well as email folders then pick all For Subfolders items (if needed). Now click on the Next button.
• That will save the file, hit the Browse option, and then the Next option to proceed to the next step.
• You will need to enter the password here. That will save the information from an offline External database to a Pst file without inputting a password, you can simply click on OK.

You also can view or load the data saved inside the PST file with any Outlook account that you have created.

2) Drag and Drop Email on your Desktop

If you want to open just one particular email into your Outlook, you can simply drag & drop any email from its original location to the Computer or any other folder. When you do this, your email is saved as an an.EML or email file, where you can access the Outlook account you have.

When you’re about to open any large number of emails, using this procedure is recommended. You have to do the following:

1. First, you have to open your Outlook.
2. Then, you have to choose that particular email which one you have to open.
3. Next, you have to click on it and hold it until you drag the email to your home screen. You can also choose a different folder to place the email.
4. After that, you have released your mouse for dropping the email in the selected place. Then, simply save the file in xxx.eml file format.

For accessing the.eml file in Outlook, you may now transfer it to another Computer with a double on this for opening this in Outlook.

These are times when these methods are unsuccessful.

• The Outlook profile cannot be accessed. 
• The OST, or Offline Outlook file system, is unavailable, orphaned, or inactive, for a variety of reasons.

In addition, the stored or imported mailboxes or messages from unencrypted Outlook database objects via the following techniques are only retrieved using Microsoft Outlook. 

There are OST Reader tools and OST to PST converter programs, like Stellar Converter for OST that may be used to open things from asynchronous Outlook file systems using numerous apps, including such internet browser, word reader or PDF player.

The tool opens OST emails and converts these to PST as well as numerous other forms such as HTML, MSG, and EML as well as PDF and RTF.

You could also use an accessible OST reader application to read your OST files. All of these approaches are addressed in greater detail below.

3) Use XST Reader 

XST Viewer is a free and open-source program for viewing Outlook data files on a computer’s hard drive. You may access every OST file with the XST viewer and access all of the emails included within it. You may also save emails in the HTML and RTF versions. The following are the measures to take:

• To install the XstReader.exe file, go to the release section and download it. The.exe file is contained within a compressed.zip folder. It will be saved to your computer. 
• Double-click the XstReader.exe file to run it. 
• Select the OST file from the drop-down menu by clicking the ‘Open…’ button.

• A three-pane screen will appear when the OST file is opened, displaying all of the messages including email folders inside it. Any message can be opened and viewed by simply clicking on it.

• You can even save messages as HTML as well as rich text format (RTF) documents by selecting them with the right-click menu.

4) Using OST to PST Converter Tool

Whenever manual methods of opening or importing items through an offline External database or OST fail, OST to PST converter applications, like Stellar Converter for OST, helps a lot. Additionally, the program can transform any OST file, even unavailable, deactivated, encrypted, or abandoned OST files, to PST as well as a variety of other types, especially MSG, EML, RTF, PDF, and HTML with no restriction on file size.

You can also turn several Files directly to PSTs at the same time by using the Batch Converting feature (accessible in the Professional version of the program). Additionally, you can immediately load the emails as well as objects from an OST file into Office or even the actual Exchange server, rather than using the PST format.

Conclusion:

You will not be able to access any OST (Offline Outlook Email file) in almost any edition of Outlook. It is important to transform it into a PST format. The PST file will then be opened or imported into Outlook 2019 or previous versions to allow you to view the email messages. You have to follow the methods to open the ost file in outlook.