How to Convert OST to EML Format – A Quick Solution Guide

Why do we need to Convert OST Files to EML Format?

OST (Offline Storage Table) and EML (Email Message Format) are two file formats commonly associated with emails. While Microsoft Outlook uses OST files to store emails offline, EML files are individual email messages saved in plain text. Some benefits of converting OST to EML format can be beneficial for various reasons:

Features	OST	EML
Purpose	It stores offline data for Microsoft Outlook.	BeEML stores a single email message, including attachments, headers, and metadata.
Accessibility	OST files are primarily accessible through the Outlook profile with which they were created and cannot be opened directly by most email clients.	Accessible by most email clients on various platforms.
Content	It can store emails, contacts, calendars, tasks, and notes.	It can only store email message content and attachments.
Size	It’s generally larger due to multiple data types.	It’s smaller due to the single message format.
Use cases	You can archive data for offline access.	You can share individual emails and migrate between email clients.

Now, you can learn the techniques to convert OST files to EML format using different methods.

Best Ways to Convert OST to EML File Format: A Perfect Guide

In this section, we will show you two manual and advanced techniques to save Outlook OST to EML format with step-by-step instructions. Let’s learn the methods without further delay.

• Manual Method
• Professional Method

Method 1: How to Convert OST Emails to EML Forma Manually for Free?

There is no direct method for manually converting OST to EML format. Follow these three simple steps to convert OST to EML format for free:

Step 1: Export Outlook OST to PST:

1. Open Microsoft Outlook.
2. Click on the File tab in the top left corner of the window.
3. Select Open & Export > Import/Export.
4. In the Import and Export Wizard, select Export to a file and click Next.
5. Select Outlook Data File (.pst) and click Next.
6. Select the OST file you want to convert and click Next.
7. Choose a location to save the PST file and click Finish.

Step 2: Import PST into your Thunderbird Account:

1. Open Thunderbird.
2. Click the Tools menu in the window’s top right corner.
3. Select Import > Mail.
4. In the Import Wizard, select Outlook Express and click Next.
5. Browse to the location of the PST file you want to save and click Open.
6. Select the items that you want to import and click Finish.

Step 3: Export Thunderbird to EML Format:

1. Open Thunderbird, and select the email or emails you want to export. (You can select multiple emails by holding down the “Ctrl” key while clicking on each email.)
2. Once the emails are selected, click on the File menu and select Save As.
3. In the Save As dialog box, select EML from the Save As type dropdown menu.
4. Choose a location on your computer to save the EML file and click the Save button.

The above procedures can be used to convert OST emails to EML, but you should be aware of some disadvantages before doing so.

Limitations of the Above Techniques

You can convert your OST to EML format, but some limitations are mentioned below: 

• The above method cannot convert large numbers of OST files to EML format.
• The process of converting OST data to EML format can be laborious and complex.
• There are no features that make this task easier to complete.

If you face problems with the manual technique, you can choose the automated method explained in the next section. This direct method is one of the best ways to convert multiple OST files to EML format in bulk without difficulty.

Method 2: Enterprise-level Utility to Convert OST to EML

The OST to PST Converter tool has a simple user interface, so technical and non-technical users can easily use this software. It’s a risk-free software that can convert multiple large OST files to EML format without losing or damaging data. It manages countless OST files simultaneously without difficulty, so you can easily convert all your OST files to EML format in minutes.

Furthermore, this software supports bulk conversion to convert OST to MBOX, PST, EML, DOCX, PDF, Microsoft 365, IMAP, and more. Moreover, it also provides additional features, including a Date filter, the ability to remove duplicate Mail, save attachments separately, migrate emails without attachment files, etc. Now, let’s immediately explore how to save Outlook OST files to EML format.

Steps to Export Outlook OST Files to EML Files:

1. Download and launch the OST to PST Converter Tool on your system.
   
   


2. Click the Select Files or Select Folder button to choose the OST files, then click the Open button.
   
   


3. Preview and choose the OST files from the tree-structure list, then click on Proceed.
   
   


4. Click on the drop-down list to choose the Email Message (.EML) File Format.
   
   


5. Select the additional features you need for selective data conversion.
   
   


6. Select the saving path location on the Browse button >> Start Export.
   
   


7. A pop-up window will appear where it shows “All selected data has been exported successfully”.
   
   

Conclusion

As we discussed, there are two methods to convert OST to EML format using manual and professional techniques. However, the manual method is a time-consuming and lengthy process to convert OST file to EML because this method can’t transfer OST files directly into EML, and it also has some limitations that you will face during conversion. On the other hand, the professional method is a direct and risk-free solution that allows you to convert OST files to EML format without trouble. Now, you can pick any method that suits you best.

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