How to Rebuild OST File in Microsoft Outlook (All Versions)

An OST file lets Outlook save your emails, calendar, and other info on your computer so you can use them offline. Sometimes, these files can get messed up or not match what’s on the server, so you must fix them. This guide will show you how to rebuild OST file so Outlook works better. The following blog will discuss various solutions. First, we will describe some reasons.

Reasons to Recreate OST File in Outlook

An OST file in Outlook saves a local copy of your emails, contacts, calendar, notes, and attachments. It’s made when you set up Outlook with an Exchange, Office 365, or IMAP account. Moreover, it lets you access your mail even offline. When you reconnect to the internet, any changes you make are synced with the mail server.

Sometimes, issues like system crashes can damage OST files, making them unusable. This causes problems with syncing and can show error messages. While you can create a new OST file to fix this, you might lose data or miss emails that need to be synced with the server.

If your OST file is corrupt, you can’t access your mailbox data in Outlook. Although you can check your emails using a web browser and the Outlook Web App (OWA), you need to fix or rebuild the OST file to get back to using your local mailbox data offline.

Why OST Files Get Corrupted?

Ever feel like Outlook is acting weird? Maybe you can’t open your emails or things move slower than a sloth on vacation. It could be because of a hidden file called an OST file getting a little messed up. We all know that OST files are mini-copies of your email on your computer so you can access them even offline. But, just like any other file, they can get damaged for a few reasons:

• Mailbox overload: If you have tons of emails with giant attachments, your OST file can get overloaded and crash.
• Virus Infection: Harmful viruses or malware can sneak in and mess with your OST file. As a result, it makes it hard to use.
• Hard drive hiccups: Sometimes, the part of your computer that stores information (the hard drive) can get glitches. These glitches can damage the OST file.

There are ways to reset OST File in Outlook and get your emails back on track.

Free Ways to Reset/Rebuild OST File in Outlook

Is your Outlook acting strange? Can’t access your emails or feels slower than ever? It might be due to an OST file. Here, we will define two ways for different Outlook versions. Follow the below steps accordingly.

#1. Recreate Outlook OST File For Outlook 2021, 2019, 2016, 2013, and 2010:

• First, open the Outlook application on your screen.
• After that, click on File and then Info.
• Then, find Account Settings and click on it twice.
• Next, click on Email and choose Microsoft Exchange.
• Subsequently, press More Settings.
• Go to the Advanced tab and click Offline Folder File Setting (or Offline Data File Setting for Outlook 2013).
• Further, pick a location on your computer to save a new file. By default, it’s called Outlook.ost.
• If the location doesn’t exist, click OK to create it, then Finish.

Here, we’ve explained to you the steps to rebuild OST file of the latest version of Outlook. Now, we will tell you about an older version.

#2. Reset OST File in Outlook For Outlook 2007:

• First, open the MS Outlook application.
• After that, go to Tools and then Account Settings.
• Then, click on Email and choose Microsoft Exchange.
• Subsequently, press More Settings.
• Here, go to the Advanced tab and click Offline Folder File Setting.
• Here, pick a location on your computer to save a new file. By default, it’s Outlook.ost.
• If the location doesn’t exist, click OK to create it, then Finish.

Finally, you’ve recreated your OST file. Now, Outlook should start syncing your emails again and everything should be back to normal. After rebuilding your OST file, if you still face any challenges, opt for the Cigati OST Recovery Tool. This software will effortlessly recover corruption in your OST files without hampering the data. Moreover, if you want to convert your OST files to different formats, such as PST, opt for the Cigati OST to PST Converter.

Conclusion

Sometimes, an OST file can get messed up, making it look like your emails vanished. But don’t worry! We’ve laid out some simple steps to rebuild OST file depending on your Outlook version. Just follow them, and you’ll have a fresh OST file up and running in no time. With a new file, Outlook will automatically grab your emails again, getting your inbox back to normal in a little time.

You May Also Read: Change Location of Outlook OST File

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