Jun 12, 2022 | Email Conversion

How to Convert OST to EML Format?

By Deepak Singh Bisht

OST and EML are very popular file formats. MS Outlook uses the OST file to save mailbox data, whereas the EML file is used by Windows Live Mail and other email programs to save user emails. But OST file is only supported by MS Outlook. On the other hand, the EML file is supported by several email programs like Mozilla Thunderbird, Outlook Express, MS Outlook, Windows Live Mail, Apple Mail, etc. OST file comes with many limitations and the user cannot access the OST file outside the system. Because of this, many users convert OST to other file formats. So that they can access data outside the system.

In this post, we will discuss why OST to EML conversion and learn the simplest way to export Outlook OST to EML format. If you are also looking for a simple solution to convert OST to EML file, then this post will be helpful for you.

Why OST to EML conversion?

OST is an important file for the Exchange server and MS Outlook. Exchange Server uses the OST file to store a copy of Exchange mailbox data on the local machine. Because of the Exchange server configuration, the user cannot access the OST file data outside the system. To access data outside, most of the users perform OST to EML conversion because the EML file is supported by many email clients and it can be easily open with email clients like Outlook, Mozilla Thunderbird, Windows Live Mail, etc.

How to convert OST to EML manually?

There is no direct method available to convert OST to EML manually. To perform the manual process, you can follow the below-mentioned steps.

Step 1: Setup Gmail in Outlook

  1. Login Gmail account and go to the settings
  2. Click on the Forwarding and POP/IMAP option
  3. Enable IMAP and click on the Save Changes button
  4. Go to https://myaccount.google.com/
  5. Click on the Security and enable Less secure app access
  6. Launch MS Outlook
  7. Go to the File and click on the Add Account button
  8. Enter Name, Email, Password, Retype Password and click on the Next button
  9. After the successful validation process, click on the Finish button

Step 2: Move Emails to Gmail

  1. Right-click on the Gmail mailbox and click on the New Folder option
  2. Provide folder a name and select emails, which you want to import
  3. Start drag and drop emails to the new folder

Step 3: Setup Gmail with Thunderbird

  1. Start Mozilla Thunderbird
  2. Go to the Tools and select Options
  3. Click on the Account Settings, select Account Action, and click on the Add Mail Account option
  4. Enter Name, Email, Password and click on the Continue button
  5. Select IMAP and click on the Done button

Step 4: Export EML from Thunderbird

  1. Click on the Gmail mailbox and select emails, which you want to export (Use CTRL+A to select all)
  2. Drag selected emails and drop emails into the machine
  3. All emails will automatically convert into the EML format

Note: If you are facing issues to execute the manual method and looking for a simple solution, then you can try the below-mentioned solutions. It will save your time and efforts.

Convert OST to EML using OST Converter

Here, we are going to use the SysCurve OST Converter tool to convert OST to EML file format. This is one of the most preferred software that easily convert and export OST to EML format.

  1. Download and install the software
  2. Launch the tool and click on the Add File option
  3. Select the OST file and click on the OK button to start the loading process.
  4. After the loading process, the software will arrange all data and create a preview mode inside the software window.
  5. Click on the Export option and select Export All folders
  6. Choose EML as an Export option and provide a destination path to save the resultant EML files
  7. Click on the Next button to start OST to EML conversion.
  8. Once the process gets complete, click on the OK button.

Other helpful features of OST to EML converter

  1. Convert OST to EML, PST, MBOX, MSG, HTML, and MHTML format.
  2. Create a preview mode inside the software dashboard.
  3. Scan and repair the corrupted or damaged OST files.
  4. Maintain the original folder structure and metadata.
  5. Search and Filter options to perform selective conversion
  6. Support all versions of MS Outlook and Windows OS.
  7. Free OST to EML conversion for the first 20 items per folder.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I access the resultant EML files in Mozilla Thunderbird?

Yes, you can access the converted EML files in Mozilla Thunderbird. With the help of this tool, you can also convert OST to MBOX format and after that, you can import MBOX to Thunderbird.

Can I import OST to Windows Live Mail with this tool?

Windows Live Mail supports EML files. To import OST to Windows Live Mail, you need to convert OST to EML format. After that, you can easily open the converted EML files with Windows Live Mail.

Is there any OST to EML freeware available?

No, there is no freeware tool available. But many OST to EML converter software comes with a free trial version. But I will recommend SysCurve OST Converter. With the help of this tool, you can convert and export the first 20 items from each folder.

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