Understanding OST and PST Files: Key Differences and Functions Explained

If you would wish to email someone else, applications can make advantage of SMTP, POP, and IMAP. These in Outlook email program help us to send and receive emails. Still, two different files OST and PST show here. This article will thus assist us to define OST and PST files. When it is generated and how different OST from PST is?

Before we go ahead, we will quickly review Outlook for a better knowledge.

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What is the use of Outlook?

Designed for use both privately and professionally, Microsoft Corporation developed Outlook as a desktop email client. Under it users can easily manage several email accounts with calendars, contacts, tasks, and notes. This cross-platform email client is compatible for accessing Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android running systems.

How can Outlook be Equipped with an Email Account?

Outlook's email address setup will provide three options even

• If appropriate service or Microsoft Exchange Server
• Exchange ActiveSync compliant service
• POP, also known as IMAP

Users of any above choice will have easy Outlook account building.

OST files are What?

An OST is a synchronized copy of an Exchange, IMAP, and Outlook 365 account that was established in a file system folder. The OST file—also known as an offline storage table—helps you retrieve all the previously synchronized email data whether you were working offline or when the connection to the mail server was cut off.

I thus hope you know what ost is and what the media of its source is.

PST Files are What?

Outlook also keeps emails, contacts, calendars, and other Outlook objects in PST files—yet another file type. It follows from an Outlook user choosing POP account type to download all email messages from the mail server to save in the local folder following email account addition.

It is also occasionally called a Personal Storage Table, and any Outlook system can open with ease.

Where Produced PST and OST files?

According to the Office version, OST and PST files have different storage locations inside the local machine's distinctive local folder.

Finding the location of OST or PST is easiest done this way:

File tab >> Account configuration >> Under the Data Files tab >> You can see the location together with Outlook account.

OST and PST: Differences Between the files

Understanding why every file varies from the others now depends on knowing what OST or PST is. Under these criteria, we can investigate the differences between OST and PST files.

OST over PST

1. OST files cannot be passed from one machine to another; PST is thus relatively flexible.
2. OST files are synchronized copies already available on the mail server. On the other hand, PST acts as a backup file from which users can view all emails anytime they so want.
3. Although pst has no impact on the mail server, the ost file becomes inaccessible should usage lead the mail server to overflow. PST stored received mail server emails.

Since OST and PST are different, the user must convert OST to PST.

Methods of OST to PST Conversion

Several tools and methods at hand allow export OST to PST file to be done. Still, if you want a perfect and consistent solution, a professional one is the best. One benefit of applying outside tools is that the hand technique does not support a corrupted mailbox.

We never say the hand approach is totally useless even if it has various looping features that will show in the conclusion.

Manual Approach: Import and Export

• Launch Outlook then click the File tab.
• Choose Open and Export; import or export; export to a file; click Next.
• Choose Outlook Data File (.pst); then select OST mailbox; next.
• Search the region from which you want to save PST formatted Outlook emails.
• After selecting the appropriate radio button, press on Finish button.

Professional Strategy to Convert OST to PST

You know that the hand approaches differ from OST and PST files. When OST gets corrupted or unavailable, what then should we do? Here a professional solution lets you easily access your Outlook mailbox.

Data from OST is exported to PST using the DailySoft OST to PST Converter application. This program understands which the ost file is and how to apply it for the conversion. Together with advanced features, the application professionally converts OST to PST form. OST Converter supports all around Outlook 2019, 2016, 2013, 2010, Etc. versions Windows 10, 8, 7, XP, and older versions can execute it.

Key Qualities of Basic OST to PST Conversion

1. Scan the OST mailbox automatically starting from the local drive of the PC.
2. Migration just finds certain email messages and linked files.
3. Exporting items into PST, MSG, EML, MBOX, and more formats is possible for users of OST email.
4. Import OST to Office 365 and Live Exchange Server using original email properties; depending on size, huge OST files can divide into small PST files.

Conclusion

Reading this entire post will help you to know what OST and PST files are., as well as how to get PST file from OST data file? OST and PST or ost vs pst differs. Also helpful is recovering corrupted Outlook OST files containing complete contents. This is thus a complete reference on Outlook, OST, PST, and conversion files. Use the free solution as well and export the first ten items from every mailbox.