Instant Solutions to Convert OST to MBOX on Mac & Windows

What are MBOX and OST Files?

MBOX: You can use the MBOX is a file format used for storing email messages. It is in plain text format, meaning the messages are stored as a sequence of lines of text. Each line of text represents an email message’s header or body part.

MBOX is an old email format supported by many email clients, such as Apple Mail and Thunderbird. It stores messages in a single file with senders, dates, and message content. It’s simple, portable, and still in use today.

OST: OST stands for Outlook Offline Storage Table. It is a file format used by Microsoft Outlook to store a copy of your mailbox data from an Exchange server or an Outlook.com account locally on your computer. OST files allow you to work with your email, calendar, and other mailbox items even when you are not connected to the internet.

Now, let’s explore how you can open an MBOX file.

How do I open an MBOX file?

Here are some of the ways to open an MBOX file:

• You can use a text editor like Notepad or TextEdit to open an MBOX file. However, this will only show you the text of the messages, not the headers or attachments.
• You can use an email client that supports the MBOX format, such as Apple Mail, Thunderbird, or Mutt.
• You can use a third-party tool to open and view an MBOX file.
• If you need to open an MBOX file in Microsoft Outlook, you will need to convert it to a different format, such as PST.

Now, discover the top solutions for exporting an OST file into MBOX format with attachments.

Two Techniques to Convert OST to MBOX on Mac & Windows

Here are the two best ways to export emails from Outlook OST to MBOX with attachments.

1. Convert OST files to MBOX format manually
2. Convert OST Files to MBOX Format professionally

Technique 1: How to Transfer OST Files to MBOX on Windows Manually

There’s no direct way to move OST files to MBOX, so we’ll break this process into two steps. First, we’ll convert OST to PST format one by one, and then we’ll import those PST files into Thunderbird.

Step 1: Convert the OST File to PST Format

1. Open Microsoft Outlook.
2. Click on File in the top-left corner.
3. Select Open & Export > Import/Export.
4. Select Export to a file, then press Next.
5. Click Next after selecting Outlook Data File (.pst).
6. Choose the OST file you want to export.
7. Select a location to save the exported PST file.

Step 2: Import the PST File to Thunderbird

1. Open Mozilla Thunderbird.
2. Click on Tools > ImportExportTools > Import.
3. In the Import Wizard, select Mail and click Next.
4. Select Outlook from the list and click Next.
5. Click Open after navigating to the PST file you want to import.
6. Select the folders that you want to import and click Next.
7. Choose the location where you want to save the MBOX files and click Finish.

Using the method described above, you can convert OST to MBOX with attachments. However, there are some things you should be aware of about these limitations.

What are the Drawbacks of the Manual Approach?

The manual approach to transferring OST files to MBOX format has a few drawbacks:

• It is time-consuming, especially if you have a large OST file.
• This method is prone to errors, as you have to manually export the OST file to PST format and then import PST files to Mozilla Thunderbird.
• It is not a supported method by Microsoft, so there is no guarantee that it will work for all OST files.
• You could lose your email data if something goes wrong during the process.

If you want a safer and easier way to convert your OST files to MBOX format, you can use a special tool. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to use it.

Technique 2: How to Professionally Convert OST Files to MBOX on Mac and Windows

The Microsoft OST to PST Converter is safe and reliable software that can convert OST to MBOX with attachments. It handles everything, like emails, contacts, calendars, notes, and more, with great accuracy. Moreover, it comes with helpful features to simplify your task. You can convert a large amount of data simultaneously, saving time and effort. Let’s dive into the steps without delay.

Step-by-Step Instructions to Convert OST Files to MBOX Format

1. Download and run the tool on your system.
2. Browse Files/Folder using the Select Files/Select Folder button, then click Next.
3. Preview the files from the tree-structure list, then click Next.
4. Choose the MBOX format and features that you want.
5. Finally, click on the Convert button.

Conclusion

This blog covered two ways to convert OST to MBOX on Mac and Windows. We discussed both manual and professional approaches. However, it’s important to note that the manual method is not a straightforward way to transfer OST files to MBOX and comes with certain limitations. In contrast, the professional approach is the best option when simultaneously exporting multiple OST files to MBOX format. It also uses to convert OST to EML, PDF, PST, and many more.You can select the method that suits you best.

Frequently Asked Questions