Summary: Are you looking to attach an OST file to a new profile? You can achieve this if you meet some conditions. The article unveils the ways to attach an OST file to a new profile.
OST is the file format of MS Outlook. It saves emails, notes, messages, journals and many other components. An OST file is device specific. It is also compatible with the Outlook profile you have created. In other words, OST files are sensitive. Here we achieve data transfer of an OST file from an old profile to a new one.
Is It Possible to Attach an OST Data File to a New Profile?
What do you know about OST? Have you ever compared between OST and PST?
OST or Offline Storage Table stores Exchange Mail or OWA data offline. In other words, it is a copy of the Exchange data offline. When you configure Outlook with an IMAP, Exchange, Microsoft 365, or Outlook.com account in Cached Exchange Mode (default mode), Outlook saves data in the OST format.
When you work with OST, it allows you to work offline. It synchronization feature saves the changes of OST to online automatically. The file is encrypted with a MAPIEntryID GUID key by default. Hence, you cannot open OST data in PST and any other file formats. The feature offers robust data security. OST files are device specific. If you change your system, you cannot transfer OST data to a new system. It requires conversion of OST file to Outlook pst. Similarly, you cannot change your Outlook profile. The OST file of that Outlook profile can be inaccessible.
For orphaned OST files, you can use WholeClear OST Converter. It is a helpful way to extract and save OST data. The utility preserves quality.
Process to Attach Outlook OST file to New Profile
OST files can become inaccessible if you change your Outlook profile. In this article, we learn the solutions to attach an OST file to a new profile.
Step 1: Preparing Your System
The foremost step is to prepare your system to transfer OST data to a new profile. For this, it is essential to turn off all the running apps because it prevents any conflicts or data loss during the OST attachment process. Don’t forget to backup OST data. Your OST file holds important emails, contacts, notes, journals and events. Therefore, backup of the old data is essential.
The default location of OST files can vary. It depends on the Outlook and Windows versions you are using. Here is the link of genera location. You can put this link in the search tab to locate the target OST file.
C:/Users/Your_Username/AppData/Local/Microsoft/Outlook
As you locate the OST file, copy it to another folder or a drive of your choice.
Step 2: Creating a New Profile in Outlook
In the next step, you will create a new profile in Outlook.
Here are the steps you can follow-
- Turn off your Outlook application and navigate the Control Panel.
- In the Control Panel, locate the User Accounts > Mail (32-bit).
- Now, press the Show Profiles in the Mail Setup window.
- Select Add and enter the unique name of your profile and press OK.
- A new window will open, press the Cancel button here and the press the OK tab. It will create a new account but without an email address. In the next steps, attach the OST file to this new profile.
- Then, return to the Mail Setup window. In this section, you can remove the old account by clicking on Remove.
- Press the Yes button to agree Outlook for the required changes.
As you remove an old profile, you have removed its associated OST file.
Step 3: Connect the OST File to the New Profile
You cannot open an old OST file to a new profile because it is encrypted. However, the twist is that you can open the OST file if the new profile has the same email account that the old profile has. It allows you to recreate an OST file and restore items on a new PC or Outlook version. Here are the steps you can follow:
- Access your MS Outlook application. Outlook will display a message to sign in using your email account.
- Provide your old email address and its password to open in the new profile you’ve created.
- Microsoft Outlook will automatically create a new OST file and save the Exchange Mail data to a new OST file.
- After creating and attaching the OST file to the new profile, the process will finish.
Step 4: Verify Data of the New OST File at the New Profile
Don’t forget to cross check data for accuracy. Here are the steps you can follow.
- Open Outlook and access the new profile you have created recently.
- Now, cross check all items that the new profile holds.
- If you notice Outlook has extracted all items to a new profile, it indicates the OST file also has the Exchange data.
However, the above process will not apply if an OST file size is large or you have orphaned OST files. In this situation, you can use a third-party application such as WholeClear Exchange OST to PST Converter. It is one of the best applications to export OST data file to Outlook PST. A PST file is not device specific. You can open a PST file to a new profile also.
Conclusion
You like to attach Outlook OST file to New Profile when the existing profile has corruption or want to upgrade Outlook. Whatever the reasons to attach an OST file to a new profile, you can follow the above solutions. If you have orphaned and damaged OST files, you can convert OST data files. A third-party application can be the best solution. Carefully choose a third party program.