How to Open and Read OST File without Outlook: Step-by-Step

Opening an OST File without Outlook is a great way to recover important data when Outlook is unavailable or corrupted. Therefore, OST files contain offline copies of your Exchange mailbox data, and accessing this data directly can be crucial if Outlook isn’t working. As a result, users want to open OST files without Outlook. We will start discussing the process of opening an OST file in Outlook and explore the manual method using Outlook and the OST File Viewer tool that enables you to view its contents. We will discuss these methods in detail so that you don’t get confused anywhere.

Why do Users Want to Read OST File Without Outlook?

There can be multiple reasons to read the OST files without the outlook. Here are some of them.

• Access data when Outlook isn’t installed or functioning.
• Read offline data without connecting to the Exchange server.
• Check or extract data from backups without needing Outlook.
• Access and export data for migration to a different email system.
• View or archive old emails and data stored in the OST file.

These are some reasons. Now, let us move forward and start discussing the method to accomplish this process.

Top 2 Ways to Open OST File without Outlook

In this section, we will describe the steps to complete the process. Firstly we will discuss how we can open the OST files using Outlook. After that, we will explore automated procedures to open files without Outlook. We will discuss both in detail starting with the manual process.

#1: Open OST File in Outlook Manually

You need Microsoft Outlook with an active IMAP, Exchange, Office 365, or Outlook.com profile to use this method.

Steps to Open OST File to PST via Outlook

1. Open Outlook and navigate to File > Open & Export > Import/Export.
2. Now, launch the Import/Export Wizard.
3. Next, choose Export to a file and click Next.
4. Choose Outlook Data File (.pst) from the options and click Next.
5. Now, select the mail account or individual mailboxes you wish to export.
6. Check the Include subfolders box and click Next.
7. Click Browse to choose a save location on your PC or external media.
8. After that, click Finish.
9. Optionally, enter a password to protect the exported PST file. If you do not wish to add a password, click OK.

These are the steps to open the open the ost file into the outlook. Now, let us move with the blog and start discussing how to open an Old OST file without Outlook. 

#2: Professional Method to Open OST File without Outlook

The OST File Viewer can easily accomplish the process. Moreover, it can help you access important data such as emails, contacts, and calendar entries which ensures, you don’t lose valuable information. Moreover, it allows you to preview OST files in detail, including their attachments. Additionally, these tools enable you to view or save OST files in various formats, even without MS Outlook. Furthermore, it can also help you download OST files while avoiding duplicate email items and converting them into multiple file formats. 

Steps to Open the OST File Without Outlook

1. Download and install the OST File Viewer software on your computer.
2. Select either Single File, Multiple Files, or Folder to add an OST file.
3. Click Select Files to choose the OST file, then click Open to add them.
4. Preview and choose the email folder from the folder tree.

These are the steps for Opening .ost Files without Outlook. Furthermore, if you want to convert the OST file to another format follow the below steps.

5. Select the PST file format from the dropdown list.
6. Use additional options to simplify the conversion process.
7. Click Path to Save to set the location for saving the new file.
8. Finally, click the Convert button to begin the conversion.

Conclusion 

Open OST File without Outlook is essential for recovering important data when Outlook is unavailable or corrupted. Using a tool like OST File Viewer, you can easily view, recover or convert OST files to various formats. Whether you need to handle corrupted files, access data offline or migrate to a new email client. These methods provide a reliable solution. With the right tools, managing and accessing your OST file data becomes simple and efficient.

Also Read : Convert OST to PDF & Import Outlook OST to Apple Mail.