Extract Attachments, Contacts, Calendars, Emails from OST

Updated On - October 25, 2024 by Nasir Khan | Reading Time: 4 minutes

In this blog, we will discuss the free manual method and third-party tool that can help you to extract emails, attachments, contacts, calendars, etc., from OST files, even when the file is orphaned or corrupt. However, it also works when Outlook is not connected to the Exchange server.

As we all know, an OST file is a data storage file that stores offline data in an Outlook profile on users’ local devices. It is also known as the Offline Storage Table, which contains complete Outlook data such as email, contacts, calendar, logs, tasks, and more. Sometimes, it generally happens with Exchange users that they need to extract data or export it from OST files via Microsoft Outlook. It can be done with MS Outlook Import/Export feature, but Outlook should be connected to the Exchange server and accessible.

Common reasons why OST files become inaccessible:

• Synchronization errors: If there are synchronization errors between the Exchange server and your local computer, your OST file may become inaccessible.
• File corruption: OST files can become corrupted due to a variety of reasons, including power outages, hardware failures, and malware infections.
• Exchange Server crashes: If the Exchange server crashes or experiences a hardware failure, your OST file may become inaccessible.
• Software conflicts: Sometimes, software conflicts can prevent Outlook from accessing your OST file.

Why is it important to extract email from OST files?

OST files contain a wealth of valuable data, including email messages, contacts, calendars, and more. You may lose access to this data if your OST file becomes inaccessible. Extracting email from OST files is important because it allows you to recover important messages that may be crucial to your business or personal life. By extracting your email, you can ensure that you don’t lose any important information.

Extract Email Addresses, Contacts, Calendars, and Attachments of OST files

Download one of the simplest and fast solutions named Regain OST Recovery Tool, a quality-tested solution that efficiently extracts emails from OST files without any Outlook and Exchange Server connectivity. Because of its easy interface, data extraction from OST files becomes very easy for any user. Let us see which items the software extract and in which formats.

1. Extract OST contacts to VCF/MSG → This program loads single OST or multiple OST files simultaneously to extract all contacts with details such as name, email address, pictures, mobile number, etc.
2. Extract OST calendars to ICS/MSG → Calendar migration from OST file to PST, EML, MSG, MBOX, HTML, ICS, and vCard format using this application, including all calendar details such as – scheduled assignments, appointments, meetings, etc.
3. Extract OST Attachments → Attachments can be easily obtained via OST files. Users can easily select OST folders and extract attachments of the desired files according to their requirements.
4. Extract OST email addresses → This Software allows users to extract email addresses from an OST file. Users can seamlessly extract email addresses, such as From, Subject, To, Bcc, etc., without problems.

Related Post: Extract Attachments from MAC OLM files in Windows

Steps to Extract OST email items – attachments, contacts, calendars, & email addresses

• Install the Regain OST Recovery Software on your Windows System
• Browse and choose a single or multiple OST Data files
• Select the items to extract – email address, attachments, contacts, etc. for scanning
• After Scanning the Software, generate a Preview of selected OST Emails items.
• Now Select the File Format in which you wish to save your extracted OST email items.
• Select the Destination location to Save extracted OST file
• Now Software starts Saving

How to extract emails from OST files using a manual method?

If you choose a manual trick to extract your calendars, contacts, email addresses, and attachments from the Outlook OST file, you must install MS Outlook and connect it to your Exchange Server.

The process to Extract Calendars from the OST file.

• First of all, you need to Open MS Outlook.
• Click on File menu → Open & Export → Import/Export.
• Now choose the Outlook data file & then select Calendars from the OST file.
• Now enter the destination path as per your choice to save the files.
• Finally, hit the Finish button.

Process to Export OST email addresses data

• Open MS Outlook; go to file, and then select options.
• Select the Advanced option and then click on the Export option
• Now select the Export to a file option.
• Now, you need to choose the Outlook data file.
• Select the email folder; here, you can include subfolders as well.
• Use the browse button to choose the path where you want to save the email addresses.

The process to extract OST contacts to VCF

• Open MS Outlook and move to the “File” menu.
• Now, you need to select the desired contacts.
• After that, go to the “File” menu again and click the “Save As” option.
• Now you need to “name the file” and choose VCF under “Save as Type.”

The process of extracting attachments from OST files

Users can open Outlook and extract attachments from OST emails individually. Besides that, no method is available to extract attachments of OST email messages.

Shortcomings with Manual Solutions

There are a few more shortcomings that users may face with manual solutions-

• Contacts from the OST file to VCF can be exported easily. But no other manual method is available to quickly convert your multiple contacts from OST file to vCard format.
• Manual solution is very time-consuming and has a lengthy procedure to extract attachments from every OST email.
• Data safety is not surety in a manual solution when you extract emails from OST files.

Use Professional tool to Extract attachments contacts calendars emails from OST file

That’s why most users want to opt for a professional tool that only takes a few steps to extract your valuable calendars, contacts, attachments, and emails from OST files. You can check the functionality of OST Repair software by using its trial version, which comes free of cost. This Software is 100% safe and secures in providing accurate results.

Free Download100% Secure Buy NowPrice: $39

Conclusion

Extracting email from OST files can be a challenging task, but it is essential if you need to recover important messages. While using Microsoft Outlook to extract email is the easiest method, it may not always be possible or effective. In these cases, using a third-party tool may be necessary. When choosing a third-party tool, do your research and choose a reputable, reliable tool that meets your needs. Finally, regularly backing up your email data is essential to avoid data loss and prevent OST file corruption.