How to Export Emails, Calendars and Contacts from an OST File

Outlook stores emails, calendars, contacts, and other mailbox items in an OST (Offline Storage Table) file, enabling uninterrupted access even when you're offline and automatic sync once reconnected to the Exchange server. Although this offline functionality is helpful, certain situations require converting or exporting the data into a PST (Personal Storage Table) file for better accessibility and management.

Exporting data is commonly needed when migrating to a new system, creating mailbox information through backups, or transferring data between user accounts. Difficulties occur when OST files become inaccessible due to corruption, Exchange server disruptions, or orphaned profiles, which can prevent Outlook from performing a direct export.

This is where the EdbMails OST to PST Converter becomes useful. It lets you extract and export Outlook data, including emails, calendar entries, contacts, tasks, and more, without relying on the original server or Outlook profile. Whether you're dealing with a healthy OST or a damaged one, EdbMails scans the file and exports the items it can read into a usable PST file.

The guide below walks you through each step to help you export your mailbox items, offering a reliable approach for data migration, recovery, or backup.

What item types can be exported from an OST file?

The table below shows which item types each method can recover, and when each method applies.

1. Method 1: Export calendars and contacts from Outlook

   You can export emails, calendars, and contacts from classic Outlook (Outlook 2007 through 2021/365 desktop) with the steps below. See how to download Outlook emails to the hard drive for the general import/export walkthrough.

   New Outlook: The new Outlook app also supports PST export, but its feature coverage differs from classic Outlook and continues to evolve. Follow Microsoft's maintained export guide for the current new-Outlook steps rather than mixing them with the classic steps below.

   • Step 1: Open the Import/Export Wizard
     • Open Outlook and go to the 'File' tab, then click ‘Open & Export’ > ‘Import and Export’.

       

   • Step 2: Select Export to a file and choose Outlook data file
     • In the Import and Export Wizard, select 'Export to a File'
     • Select 'Outlook Data File (.pst)' and click 'Next'

       

   • Step 3a: Export Calendar
     • Select 'Calendar' from the list of mail items and folders, and select the option to include subfolders.
     • Click 'Browse' and select the location to export the PST file. You can password-protect the output file before continuing with the export.

       

     • Click 'Finish' to start the export of the calendar items to PST.
   • Step 3b: Export Contacts
     • Repeat the same wizard, but select 'Contacts' from the list of mail items and folders instead of Calendar, and select the option to include subfolders.
     • Choose a separate destination file (or the same PST file, in a later pass) and click 'Finish' to export the contacts.
   • Step 4: Import the exported PST file back into Outlook
     • Launch Outlook and open the Import/Export wizard again.
     • Select 'Import from another program or file', choose the PST file you just exported, and follow the prompts to bring the calendar or contact items back into Outlook.

   Limitation: Manual Outlook export can fail if the OST file itself is corrupted, orphaned, or inaccessible through its original profile. A temporarily unavailable Exchange server does not always block export by itself — if the required items are already in Outlook's local cache and the profile still opens, manual export may still work. EdbMails becomes necessary when the OST cannot be opened through its original profile at all, or when the OST needs to be parsed independently of Outlook.

Cached Exchange Mode limitation

1. Method 2: Export Offline OST Data with EdbMails OST to PST Converter

   Use EdbMails when the OST is orphaned, corrupted, or no longer accessible through its original Outlook profile. The purpose of this section is to select and validate the required item types; the complete generic OST-to-PST setup and export workflow is maintained separately in the OST to PST conversion guide.

   1. Scan and preview the OST: Open the preserved OST in EdbMails and confirm that the required mailbox folders and items are readable.
   2. Select only the required item types: Choose Calendar, Contacts, email folders, or other supported folders instead of exporting the entire mailbox when it is unnecessary.
   3. Export the selected data: Continue with PST export using the supported workflow. Outlook with a configured profile is required for PST export; direct migration to Microsoft 365 or Exchange does not require Outlook.
   4. Validate the result: Open the exported PST and spot-check representative calendar entries, contacts, emails, attachments, folder hierarchy, and the export log.

   For item-specific filtering after the scan, see Selective OST Export and Export OST with Date Filter.

Selecting item types and validating the export

If you only need Calendar or Contacts rather than the whole mailbox, select just those folders/item types in Step 3 of Method 2 above. For combined criteria such as sender, subject, or folder, see Selective OST export. If the requirement is specifically time-based, follow the OST date filter export guide.

1. Preview representative emails and attachments before finishing the export.
2. Check calendar date, time, and recurrence samples in the exported PST.
3. Check contacts and custom fields, where supported.
4. Verify the folder hierarchy matches what you expected.
5. Review the export/target log report for item counts and any errors.

Alternative Destination: Direct Migration

If you're exporting contacts or calendars for another mailbox, you may not need PST staging at all when the target is Exchange or Microsoft 365. EdbMails can migrate recovered OST data directly to a Microsoft 365 or Exchange mailbox — see Migrate OST to Office 365 for that workflow.

Export limitations and validation considerations

1. Export OST to PST without Exchange: EdbMails lets you export OST to PST even when the Exchange server is unavailable or the Outlook profile is inaccessible. This makes it useful for orphaned, inaccessible, or offline OST files where Outlook's native export fails.
2. Export multiple mailbox item types: EdbMails extracts calendars, contacts, emails, tasks, and notes in a single export operation, into one PST file.
3. Recover corrupted OST files: EdbMails scans and restores calendar and contact data from corrupted or encrypted OST files that Outlook can't open.
4. Maintains folder structure: During OST to PST export, EdbMails retains the original folder structure, subfolders, timestamps, and item properties.
5. Preview before export: Preview representative calendar entries, contacts, emails, and attachments to confirm they are readable before choosing what to include.
6. Selective export: EdbMails lets you selectively export OST to PST by choosing specific folders such as calendars or contacts, which reduces file size and supports targeted backups.
7. Read-only export: The export process is read-only, so your original OST file is never modified.
8. Portable export: PST can support transfer or archive workflows, but the file alone does not establish a complete backup, retention policy, or compliance process.

Export different Outlook item types safely

Before relying on the exported PST, validate representative items from each folder type you selected. This helps confirm that the readable data present in the OST has been carried into the output as expected.

If attachments or message properties are important to the recovery, review the OST metadata and attachment recovery guidance before finalizing the export.

Use a representative sample before finalizing the export

Validate a small but varied sample before considering the PST export complete. Include older and recent emails, messages with different attachment types, recurring and single calendar appointments, and contacts with available details. After the export, compare item counts and review any skipped or failed entries in the OST export log report.

Frequently asked questions

• Can I export Calendar and Contacts from OST without the original mailbox?

  Yes. If the original mailbox or Exchange profile is no longer accessible, EdbMails OST to PST Converter can scan the offline OST file directly and export the Calendar and Contacts items it finds, without needing the original mailbox connection.

• Does Outlook PST export include attachments?

  Yes, classic Outlook's PST export includes email attachments along with email, contacts, calendar, and tasks. It does not export some metadata or configuration, such as folder views, folder permissions, rules, and blocked-sender lists.

• Can I export only Contacts?

  Yes. In classic Outlook, select 'Contacts' instead of Calendar in the Import/Export wizard's item selection step. In EdbMails, select just the Contacts folder in Step 3 of Method 2.

• Can I export only Calendar items?

  Yes. In classic Outlook, select 'Calendar' in the Import/Export wizard's item selection step. In EdbMails, select just the Calendar folder in Step 3 of Method 2.

• Does the OST contain Online Archive?

  Not automatically. The primary mailbox OST should not be assumed to contain a separate Online Archive. For Online Archive recovery or migration, see the dedicated Online Archive mailbox guide linked above.

• Do I need Outlook for EdbMails PST export?

  Yes. Microsoft Outlook with a configured profile is required to export recovered OST data to a PST file. EdbMails can scan, recover, and preview an OST file without Outlook or the original Exchange profile, but Outlook is required for the OST-to-PST export process and to open or access the resulting PST file in Outlook. Outlook is not required for direct OST migration to Microsoft 365 or Exchange.

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Additional resources

• EdbMails OST to PST Converter
• Free OST file viewer
• Granular recovery of OST file
• Recover orphaned OST
• Recover deleted mailbox items from OST
• Export mailbox data for a specific date range