How to Convert OST to EML Format Without Outlook

Let’s move further and start the blog; let’s elaborate on the key difference between both OST and EML file formats.

Differences between the OST and EML File Formats

OST File Format	EML File Format
Microsoft Outlook uses the Offline Storage Table, also known as OST, as a file format to store user data in an offline repository. Emails, tasks, contacts, notes, and calendar data are stored as OST files, allowing continuous access to this data even when internet connectivity is not available.	An EML file is an electronic message that contains a single email along with crucial details like the message’s content, date, subject, sender and recipient details, and any attachments. It supports numerous email clients, including but not limited to MS Outlook, Thunderbird, Zoho Mail, Windows Live Mail, and Apple Mail.

Let’s proceed further and discuss the prime reasons behind users saving their data from OST to EML format.

Understanding the Advantages of OST to EML File Conversion

Some of the prime reasons behind this conversion are as follows:

• System crashes: Viruses hitting the MS Exchange servers can cause system crashes and lead to a number of errors in Outlook. Such cases can quickly escalate and result in numerous disruptions and issues.
• Need for Backup: If system failure occurs or accidental deletion happens, users can opt for the backup of OST files in an EML format. Backing up the data is more appropriate here.
• Sharing of EML Data: Although sharing OST data is quite tough, EML data files are accessible to different software. Therefore, conversion gives the user flexibility to share the data easily.
• Moving from one platform to another: As you know, OST files are primarily designed for the Outlook platform. In comparison, the EML format is compatible with multiple other platforms, which permits users to transfer the data files easily from one platform to another.

However, there are many other advantages available behind this conversion. Let’s proceed further and discuss the automated method available to convert OST to EML, as no manual method is available for converting OST files to EML without Outlook. However, a manual procedure to save OST to EML format with Outlook can be done when the Outlook OST file is connected to the Exchange Server. Let’s discuss this procedure in further detail.

Manually converting OST to EML file format with Outlook

But before starting the conversion process, some significant prerequisites must be fulfilled. Such as:

1. The user is required to have an IMAP Gmail account that is configured in MS Outlook.
2. Require an Installed email client on your system which supports EML format like Mozilla Thunderbird, Windows Live Mail, Zoho Mail, etc.

Manual procedure to convert OST file to EML

As we have mentioned above, there is no direct manual solution available, so it is divided into three broad steps:

• Copy OST Data to Configured Gmail

To start the conversion procedure, a user can utilize the drag-and-drop procedure to copy or move the desired OST file data to the configured Gmail account.

• Configure the above Gmail Account in Mozilla Thunderbird

After the first step, users must configure the Gmail account in Mozilla Thunderbird. Once the configuration process is complete, Gmail data is automatically entered into the Thunderbird account. It ultimately means Outlook OST file data is in Thunderbird as well.

• Move the EML File from Thunderbird

After the configuration is done in Thunderbird, it’s time to extract EML files from it. Users must open an OST file in Thunderbird and drag and drop it to any required location on their local device. Hence, automatically, the EML file is created at the destination location.

Note: Overall, these are the complete procedures in the case of manual procedures. However, this manual procedure is not a completely reliable solution because it is not helpful in the case of a disconnected OST file. Additionally, it possesses multiple limitations. The manual method will become lengthy if the OST file contains a large amount of data. Finally, this drag-and-drop method cannot be used to convert OST to EML format. So, let’s move forward and discuss the alternate solution that users mostly look for.

Professional Solution to Convert Outlook OST to EML

The best solution, such as using OST to PST Converter software, is the most reliable and efficient tool to convert MS Outlook OST files to an EML format. This tool not only converts to EML format but also converts OST to PST, PDF, and to multiple other file formats and web-based email clients, such as However, this utility is compatible with all Windows versions, including Windows 11. Let’s move further and discuss the step-by-step procedure for this utility in more detail.

Step-by-Step Guide to Converting OST Files to EML

Stepwise instructions are as follows:

1. Launch and run the OST to PST Converter as an administrator.
2. Now choose the Single File/Multiple Files option to pick the OST file(s) and click Next.
3. Choose Select File, browse the OST file, click the Open button to add the selected OST file, and hit Next.
4. Further, a tree structure of the selected OST files will be displayed. Pick the folder you need to convert, and you can double-click and preview the emails as well. Further, hit the Next button.
5. Select the saving format as EML from the drop-down menu. Opt for the additional features as per your needs, choose the Path to Save button to set a location to save the output file, and click on Convert.

Features of OST to PST Converter Tool for Converting OST to EML

The best OST to PST converter software offers multiple advantages to its users. Some of the major benefits of converting OST files to EML are as follows:

1. This software allows users to convert OST files to MSG, EML, and many other file formats and supports multiple Web-Based email clients.
2. It allows the conversion of data along with attachments, contacts, calendars, etc.
3. This tool preserves data and maintains the email hierarchy of mailbox folders.
4. Basic technical knowledge to perform the conversion is not necessary.
5. It is compatible with all the widely used Windows versions, including the latest Windows 11, 10, 8, 8.1, and other versions.

Conclusion

In this article, we discussed multiple issues with a user regarding how to convert OST to EML emails. However, it enables users to convert an Outlook OST to an EML file format by using the OST to PST Converter software. However, this utility also provides a free demo version online. You can download and check the efficiency of this tool.

Frequently Asked Questions