How to Relocate Outlook OST File?
Occasionally, MS Outlook also shows irregularities that can be harmful to any stored essential emails. The main aim behind changing the location of the OST email files is to prevent sudden data loss and to avoid uninterrupted access to email.
However, changing the location of the OST files is a risky task due to the fear of files corruption, malfunctioning of the browse button of Outlook or freezing of the application.
Methods to change the location of Outlook OST files
There are two manual methods to change the default location of Outlook OST files:
Method 1. Using Outlook email client in the Control Panel
The priority for this method is that the user must be aware of the default location of the OST files.
The default location for OST files:
- In Windows 10, Windows 8/8.1, Windows 7, and Windows Vista:
- In Windows XP
C Drive: \Users\%username%\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Outlook (For MS Outlook 2010 or Above)
C Drive: \Documents and Settings\%username%\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook
Follow the given steps to change the location of the OST file from Outlook:
Close the MS Outlook email client.
Go to the Control Panel and select the Mail icon.
Select the Email Accounts tab.
In the Data Files section, select Exchange account and tap on Settings.
Click on the Advanced tab, disable the Use Cached Exchange Mode checkbox and tap on OK.
Again, go to Settings and click on the Advanced tab.
Click the Offline Folder File Settings option.
Now, select the Disable Offline Use option and select Yes.
Again, you need to click the Offline Folder File Settings Option, click on the Browse button, and then set the location of the OST files. Click OK.
Now, in the Advanced tab, check the Use Cached Exchange Mode and click OK > Next > Finish.
Close all the opened dialog boxes and start Outlook.
Outlook will now use the OST files from the new location, and you also have the option to delete the old OST files manually.
Method 2. Using Registry Trick
It is comparatively simple and doesn’t require any specific version for changing the location. The steps required to alter the default location of the OST files are as follows:
Press the Windows + R key to open the Run box, type regedit and click OK.
The Registry Editor box is launched, circumnavigate through KEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\version number\Outlook.
On the right side of the Registry Editor box, right-click on the space and tap on New>Expandable String Value.
In the Edit String dialog box, select ForceOSTPath and then enter the new default location to save the OST file.
Click OK and exit the Registry Editor.
Once all the procedural steps are completed, a new Exchange account is set up, and the default location of the OST file is changed to the new location.
Though the above two methods are free of cost and do not require any special arrangement, they involve considerable risk of data loss if any step is missed unintentionally. Also, the native method is time-consuming, along with the threat of complete data failure and corruption of the files.
For a safer solution, it is recommended to use a third-party tool for OST recovery to avoid such losses. Recoveryfix for OST to PST Converter is one such tool to deal with all the above problems. It quickly converts all the OST data to various formats in no time. It also guarantees data integrity regarding recovering all the corrupt and deleted OST files.
Conclusion
Depending on the version of Outlook and the operating system, offline folders (.ost) in Outlook can be stored in different locations. We have mentioned different methods to locate the OST file in this article. Additionally, if you want to transfer your files without any integrity or damage issues, consider using Recoveryfix OST to PST Converter.