Learn How to Get Contacts from OST Files

Published By Jamie Kaler

Approved By Rollins Duke

Published On March 13th, 2024

Reading Time 5 Minutes Reading

This blog post explores the 2 excellent solutions to get contacts from OST files besides the reasons for extracting them. Sometimes this process becomes unavoidable because users want to reuse exported contacts with various applications and devices.

An OST (Offline Storage Table) file (with extension .ost) is a Microsoft Outlook data storage file that stores an Outlook user’s emails, contacts, calendars, and other data offline. Creating this file requires integration with the Exchange Server or IMAP configuration. Outlook users with an OST profile can read and write emails without internet connectivity.

Reasons to Extract Contacts from OST Files

We will discuss some reasons to get contacts from OST file in the following points:

• Data Backup: The first reason for extracting contacts from OST files is to make a backup in case your data file encounters corruption, or the Outlook app has backend problems.
• File Conversion: Another reason to export contacts from OST files relates to data file conversion. Many Outlook OST profile users wish to convert their data to other formats like MSG, CSV, and vCard. Hence, contact extraction from OST files becomes essential to store them in standard formats.
• Offline Access: The third reason to get contacts from OST file is offline accessibility without Outlook dependence. It becomes more crucial when you wish to access your contacts on devices without Outlook installation.
• Reuse Contacts: The last reason to extract OST file contacts is to reuse OST contacts somewhere else outside of MS Outlook. Extracting your contact list helps you store contacts in generic formats (vCard and CSV) supported by several applications and devices.

These reasons describe the urgency to get contacts from OST data file. The following sections explore the solutions, so keep reading the blog!

How to Get Contacts from OST Files Manually?

1. Open the Outlook app on your computer and go to File.
2. Now select Open & Export and click the Import/Export.
   
3. Click on Export to a file and the Next button, respectively.
   
4. Select Comma Separated Values and click the Next button.
   
5. Choose Contacts from the folder list and tap Next.
   
6. Click the Browse button to select the destination.
   
7. Map Custom Fields if required to export OST contacts.
   
8. Click the Finish button to extract contacts from OST file.
   

This method to extract OST file contacts has many drawbacks, and we will discuss them in the next section.

Limitations of the Manual Solution

• The first drawback of this method to get contacts from OST files is it’s time-consuming since extracting OST file contacts takes a few minutes to even a few hours, depending on the size of your contact list.
• This process to extract contacts from OST data file is lengthy due to the steps involved in it.
• This manual method is not suitable for extracting contacts from orphan OST files.
• MS Outlook should be in proper working condition to get contacts from OST files.
• The manual method permits exporting contacts from a single OST file which should be configured and connected to Outlook.

These reasons limit the usage of the manual method for extracting OST file contacts. The next section will explore the best solution for OST contacts export.

Read Similar: Tips to Extract Email Addresses from OST File

Automated Way to Export Contacts from OST Files

Now that the manual solution to export OST contacts is out of bounds because of the limitations, we will explore the best method for OST contact extraction – automated software. Turgs OST File Converter Software is here to help you get contacts from OST files in multiple formats for Windows and Mac OS computers. This software exports contacts from OST in document formats like MSG, PST, CSV, and vCard. Moreover, this automated utility can extract contacts from OST files without file size restrictions.

How to Extract Contacts from OST Files?

1. Install and start the automated software on your Windows or Mac OS computer.
   
2. Select the desired option from “Convert configured Outlook mailbox data” or “Let me select my Outlook mailbox data.”
3. Next, click the “Select Files” or “Select Folders” button if you have selected the second option.
   
4. Then, select the “Contacts” folder from the preview panel and click the “Next” button.
   
5. Select the desired saving medium [MSG, PST, CSV, and vCard] according to choice for the resultant file.
   
6. Next, select the “Destination Path” to store exported contacts.
   
7. Finally, click the “Next” button to get contacts from OST file.
   
8. OST contacts exported successfully, get them from the selected destination.
   

OST Contacts Export Tool Main Benefits

• Extract contacts from OST files configured with Outlook 2021, 2019, 2016, 2013, 2010, 2007, and all.
• OST Contacts Export Tool allows you to get contacts from orphaned OST files that are not connected to Outlook or Exchange.
• It is suitable to export contacts from multiple OST files at once so you can save your time and effort.
• Our respective clients can get contacts from OST files in various standard formats.

Conclusion

We discussed the reasons and solutions to get contacts from OST file in this blog. The reasons mentioned here necessitate urgent action to extract contact from OST files. The manual solution explained in this post involves using the Outlook app to get contacts. However, this process has many limitations that restrict its usage. Hence, the automated software mentioned in this blog becomes an excellent solution to export contacts from OST file to your desired format.