How to Change Offline OST in Office 365?

Ritu Roy | Cloud Backup email migration How to's Outlook Software Technology | 5 minutes read | Modified on: 18-12-2024
opening outlook offline ost files in office 365

There are numerous advantages to storing your Exchange mailbox data on a cloud platform such as Office 365. If you have internet access, you can access emails in Office 365 from anywhere. Because of this, a lot of Exchange users prefer to keep a copy of their Exchange mailboxes in Office 365. One can easily accomplish this by transferring their Outlook offline OST file within their Office 365 account. And there are several ways to change offline OST in Office 365 and accomplish this.

In some situations, you may need to change or recreate your OST file, for example, if the file is corrupted, you want to switch between multiple mail accounts, or you need to migrate to a new machine. Below are the steps for how to change offline OST in Office 365.

Why Users Need to Move Offline OST File to Office 365?

There are several reasons to move your OST file to a different location when using Office 365. Whether it’s for better performance, more secure data backup, managing larger mailboxes, or simplifying the migration process, relocating your OST file can help improve the efficiency of your Outlook experience. Always ensure that any move or relocation is done carefully to avoid data loss, and make sure you have a reliable backup strategy in place before making any changes to your OST file.

How to Change Offline OST File in Office 365 Cloud Account?

There are no direct ways to transfer OST emails within Office 365. OST data files can, however, be converted to PST files before being transferred to Office 365. Moreover, you can open an Outlook offline OST file straight in your Office 365 account with the aid of numerous third-party apps.

  1. Convert OST data into PST, and then import them in Office 365 cloud manually.
  2. Upload OST files in Office 365 accounts directly using an automated tool.

Manual Approach to Import Outlook Offline OST File in Office 365

To accomplish the process of opening Outlook offline OST files in Office 365, you must first convert OST files into PST format and then move them into the Microsoft 365 cloud via this indirect or manual technique.

Step 1. Convert OST Data into PST Format

To transfer an OST file in PST format, there are three different manual methods.

#1. Create a New PST File and Copy OST Items

Using this technique makes it easier to move mailbox contents to the new PST file.

  1. Launch the email program Outlook.
  2. Create a fresh PST file in Outlook.
  3. Copy and paste the data into the PST file from the relevant mailbox folder.

#2. Use the Archive Feature of Microsoft Outlook

  1. Launch Microsoft Outlook, then choose File Cleanup Tools Archive.
  2. Select a file or directory.
  3. Next, select the location where you want to save the file and click OK.
  4. An archive is made.

Note: All mailbox contents, with the exception of Outlook contacts, can be archived.

#3. Use the Export Feature of Microsoft Outlook

  1. Launch the Microsoft Outlook email program, then select Export from the File menu.
  2. After selecting the option to export to a file, click Next.
  3. Next, select Personal File Folder (PST) and press Next.
  4. Click Finish to finish the process after providing the export file’s save location.

Note: This procedure only functions if the user account is connected to Microsoft Exchange Server.

Step 2. PST File Upload to Office 365 Account

There are two ways to add OST file to Office 365 after exporting it as a PST:

#1. Network upload with Azure AzCopy

With AzCopy, you may add PST files to O365 directly.

  1. Download and set up Azure AzCopy. The SAS URL will provide the necessary authorization to transfer the PST file to Azure, so copy it now.
  2. Create a PST mapping file in CSV format.
  3. In Office 365, create an import job to import PST files.
  4. Start the PST import task after filtering the data elements.

#2. Drive Shipping PST Files to Microsoft 365 Cloud

Importing PST into Office 365 is made possible via Drive Shipping to Microsoft. All you need to do now is transfer the PST files to the hard drive and forward them to Microsoft. The Office 365 cloud will receive a copy of the disk drive’s data from Microsoft.

An Automated Tool to Directly Upload Outlook Offline OST File in Office 365

It’s not simple to convert OST files to Office 365. It’s a difficult and challenging endeavor for both technical and non-technical users. For this reason, using third-party software to convert OST files directly to Outlook Web Access is recommended. For this reason, the OST to Office 365 Migration is a highly useful tool.

The OST Converter tool offers the most straightforward solution to the issue of “how to change offline OST in Office 365 account?” You may convert your OST mailbox to Microsoft 365 cloud with this software without any problems. The conversion tool works with all macOS and Windows OS systems, including Windows 11, and is a fantastic tool for both experienced and inexperienced users. Additionally, it allows OST items to be migrated to Office 365 in batches, just like a single migration in a single process. Downloading its free demo edition, which allows you to convert the first 25 items from OST file to Office 365 without paying anything, will help you understand how it works.

Conclusion:

We offered several solutions in this blog post to help you figure out how to change offline OST in Office 365. Users are therefore free to select any appropriate solution based on their needs. However, you can use the manual way to open a few OST files into O365 cloud, or you can use the automated option to convert large amounts of OST data to an Office 365 account.

Use a perfect OST to PST Converter software that enables you to export mail items from orphaned OST files directly to Microsoft 365 or Office 365 mailboxes, eliminate the annoyance of manual conversion, and save time. Moving one or more Outlook OST files straight to Microsoft 365 while maintaining their original folder structure and integrity is the quickest and most effective method.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Moving OST Files in Office 365

Q1. Can I use an OST file with non-Office 365 accounts?

Answer: No, OST files are specifically designed for use with Exchange, Outlook.com, and Office 365 accounts. They are not compatible with POP3, IMAP, or other types of email accounts, which typically use PST files for data storage.

Q2. What happens if my OST file becomes corrupted?

Answer: If your OST file becomes corrupted, you may experience issues like Outlook not syncing, showing errors, or crashing. The solution is to repair or recreate the OST file.

Q3. Does Office 365 use OST files in the same way as Exchange?

Answer: Yes, Office 365 uses OST files similarly to traditional Exchange accounts. When you use Outlook with Office 365, it creates an OST file to store a cached copy of your mailbox. This enables you to work offline and access emails, contacts, calendars, and other data. The OST file syncs with the Office 365 cloud server whenever you’re online.