Both OST and MBOX files are associated with popular email clients – Windows Outlook and Apple Mail respectively. MBOX is not even a standard data file used by other clients like Thunderbird. But despite that, you may find yourself struggling to get a proper solution when it comes to convert these files. Converting OST to MBOX file frequently turns into a daunting task for many.
Convert OST to MBOX (*.mbox, *.vcf & *.icf)
Here is everything essential you need to know before converting your files, so you can make a better decision that doesn’t leave you with broken files with integrity errors:
What is OST
It is an acronym for “Offline Storage Table,” a type of a data file employed by Windows Outlook to store emails and other items like contacts and calendar. It’s a slight modification of more generic and personal file called PST.
What is MBOX
MBOX serves the similar purpose with minor variation. It is also used by Apple Mail, Thunderbird, and other clients to store emails, contacts, and contacts. Although, it is not a native file and is only generated manually by users when archiving data. There are other software/services too (like Google) where MBOX file is associated too.
Why convert OST to MBOX
The simple answer is to move or import the data in OST files to clients that do not support OST format, which is almost every client including Outlook itself. OST cannot be used in any manual operations because it is an internal file for Outlook. When you need to import the data from OST to clients like Apple Mail, Thunderbird, or others, OST to MBOX file conversion is a necessity.
How to convert OST to MBOX
You can only convert OST to MBOX Files using a third-party converter built specifically for this purpose. Many users try to simply rename the file extension from *.ost to *.mbox manually, which doesn’t work. A converter does not rename the files but processes the contents from OST to MBOX from inside-out, which requires sophisticated algorithms for restructuring every information.
Is there a manual way
OST to MBOX conversion cannot be done manually without the aid of a software converter. All email files conversion like this need a converter. If you want to convert PST to MBOX, you can achieve the same outcome of data migration through some complex manual methods, but is not recommended. For OST, even those manual methods cannot work because OST cannot be used even within Outlook for data import.
Best tool for converting OST to MBOX file
There are very few tools that even allow OST to MBOX conversion. There are OST to PST converters but not OST to MBOX. “OST Extractor Pro” is one of those few software tools that will make this easier for you. It allows OST conversion to many other formats, including OST file in Mac Mail, PST, EML, Postbox, and Thunderbird. “OST Extractor Pro” is very simple to use and produces accurate results without any integrity errors. You can try the free demo version to know more.
Exporting OST to MBOX file is a task that doesn’t need to be complicated, but with a lot of information on web, it can sometimes turn out to be daunting. Hopefully, with the above information and recommended tool “OST Extractor Pro,” you can quickly convert the files without falling into any traps.
