How to Fix OST Files in Outlook 2016, 2019, and 2021

This specialized software converts Offline OST files to PST format with all editions of Outlook.

This article talks about all the problems that can happen with OST files and shows you how to get back an OST file that is broken or cannot be accessed. Before we talk about how to fix Outlook OST files from 2019, 2016, 2013, and 2010, let's first learn what an OST file is and how a healthy one might become corrupted. To fix your problem with corrupted OST files, read this blog post carefully.

A Short Introduction to OST Files

OST file stands for "offline storage table." The OST file lets users work offline while the application isn't connected to the email server. The OST file does a lot of things, such as saving drafts, making new mail, reading old mail, and more. Users can quickly save their files in OST files when they are not connected to the internet.

When it connects to the internet, the OST files instantly sync with the email server. Besides this, there is a potential that the OST file could get corrupted. There are several reasons why the OST file can get corrupted. You may quickly fix a broken OST file with the help of a tool. You can also use the ToolsBaer for OST to PST Conversion tool to convert OST files into PST files.

Possible Causes of Corrupted OST FilesDelete files and folders.

Let's say you delete a folder or file from your MS Exchange profile. In that instance, your OST file can get damaged or become hard to access.

Virus or malware attack

Malware and viruses are two of the most common and reasonable causes of OST or file corruption. These viruses or malware programs that look suspicious can change system files in a number of ways, such as removing important parts of files, overwriting files, and adding useless data to them.

Ending the Outlook client in the wrong way

Stopping a program that is already operating in an unusual way can damage the program and its contents. Say you have Microsoft Outlook open on your computer and an OST file open. Every time you close your Outlook client in the wrong way, the risk of the OST file becoming corrupt goes up.

Outlook is too big. PST file

Keep in mind that MS Outlook has a set size limit for mailboxes. When the mailboxes are too full, Outlook slows down, and you can't store any more emails. If the size restriction goes over the maximum size limit, things could get worse. In that case, your OST (offline storage table) is more likely to get messed up.

Connection to the Network

Having an internet connection is very important for syncing emails. Let's say that during the OST file synchronization in the Exchange Server account, your network equipment breaks down and stops working. If that happens, you might not be able to access your OST file, or it might be broken. Your network devices could stop working for a number of reasons.

The Best 4 Ways to Fix an Outlook OST File

1. Remove and recreate the OST files to resolve the issue.
2. In Outlook 2016, fix OST files by turning on Safe Mode.
3. Use Scanost.exe to recover OST files.
4. Expert program for Outlook OST file repair

Fix the problem with the OST files by deleting them and making new ones.

If you have a fast internet connection, the best thing to do is to recreate the profile so that you can make a new OST file. The Inbox repair tool would take too long for big OST files.

You can also try to delete the.OST file without making a new profile. This will let Outlook sync the data with the server and make a new OST file. To do this, follow the steps below.

1. First, close Outlook.
2. Go to the control panel.
3. Note: You can use the path %LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft\Outlook to find the OST file. If you are using the profile called "OUTLOOK," it will work.
4. Click on the user account, then click on Mail (32-bit mail).
5. You can choose "show profile" in the "Mail setup" section of the Mail option.
6. Pick the profile you want to use from the list of all profiles. The default name is "OUTLOOK."
7. Choose the option for properties.
8. Also, you will see the "Mail setup" for the profile you chose. Select the tab for data files.
9. Pick the account and click the button that says "Open File Location."
10. Shut down the "Mail setup" and "Account settings" windows.
11. Please choose the account that is giving you trouble and click on it with the right mouse button. Choose the option to delete.

You can fix OST files in Outlook 2016 by turning on Safe Mode.

Let's say the problem is caused by an add-in that doesn't work with the program or is broken. If that's the case, you can restart and turn on MS Outlook in safe mode, then turn off all add-ons. After turning off all of Outlook's add-ons, export the OST file data to the PST file. You can then save the PST file as a backup or import it into Outlook 2019, 2016, etc.

1. Open Windows Explorer, go to the Start menu, and click on Run.
2. Type Outlook.exe/safe into the Run box.
3. To keep going, click OK. Outlook will start in safe mode.

Important: The main reason for starting Outlook in safe mode is to turn off any add-ons that may have caused problems when Outlook was restarted.

This command will not fix corrupted OST data files, but it will let you access OST files that are otherwise inaccessible.

Use Scanost.exe to fix OST files.

Scanost.exe lets users see the damaged OST files. To run scanost.exe, you need to be connected to an Exchange account. Microsoft gives you scanost.exe to find problems with the OST file. You can find Scanost.exe in the following location: \Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office version.

People trust this tool because it is reliable. It is sometimes called a "utility check tool." It looks through all the folders and fixes any problems it finds. Scanost.exe is only for Outlook 2007 and earlier versions, though. But most people don't use an old version of Outlook.

A Professional Program to Get Back OST Files

ToolsBaer for OST to PST Conversion is a safe way to get back corrupted OST files. It lets users get back all the corrupted OST files and their data, like email, calendar, contacts, and so on. If you have an older version of MS Outlook the Tool works with all versions of MS Outlook, both new and old.

Important Features: –

1. OST Repair Tool keeps the OST folders and their contents, such as emails, contacts, calendars, and more, in the right order.
2. Add more than one OST file at a time, get them back, and change them to any other file type.
3. Users can easily break up the big files that come out of the conversion into smaller files.
4. You can use any version of Microsoft Outlook without any problems. Users can use either the old or the new version of Outlook.

Concluding Remarks:

This article makes it very apparent that the Repair OST File Tool is the best program for fixing corrupted OST files. Users aren't happy with the manual ways, thus they need a more sophisticated tool. You can also get a free demo version of this program.