Why and How to Backup Outlook OST Files: Easy Methods Explained

Author : Tristan Williamson | Published On : 14 Mar 2026

Summary: Making copies of OST files can be useful in many ways, such as making it easier to get to them when things go wrong. Our expert tutorial will show you numerous ways to back up your Outlook OST files, which is something you should think about. Also, we'll talk about why using more advanced software that provides a better way to produce results that are organized and devoid of errors.

Have you been using Outlook for a long time without taking steps to back up your data? As technology gets better, dangers also get worse with time, making data security a big worry. If you want to protect and get to the same data in the future, you need to take action.

Make copies of your OST files to protect your data from big, strange attacks. Users should do it on a regular basis. The page offers all the necessary information to help people understand its value and practical ways to use it.

Why Should Back up OST files?

For security reasons, it's important to know why you should back up your Outlook OST files. Here are some of them:

Keeps data safe from difficult scenarios.
Makes it easier to move data to a different system.
If something strange happens to it, it helps with recovery.
When you back up an OST file, you may easily access it even when you're not connected to the internet.

The Best Ways to Back up OST files Manually

This part will talk about the best native solutions for backing up Outlook OST files.

Option 1: Use the Outlook Import/Export tool

Users can utilize Outlook's Import/Export tool to back up their OST files. Do the following:

Open Outlook and click on the File button.
Select the Import/Export option after clicking on Open & Export.
Choose the option to "Export to a file" in the Import and Export Wizard. Click on the Next button.
Pick the type of backup you want to make. Select the Next option.
Choose the folders you want to export from and then use the right Filter. Click on the Next button.
Choose the location where you want to save the backup file and then click Options. Lastly, click the Finish button. With this method, you can save Outlook OST files to a specific place.

Option 2: Archive Outlook's OST file

It is another way to back up OST files that are not connected to the internet. With Outlook's Archive feature, users may save data in the format they want and at the path they choose. Follow these steps:

Open Outlook and click on the File menu.
Choose the Clean Up Old Items option from the Tools section in the next box.
In the Archive wizard, choose the root folder of the OST file and tap on Archive this folder and all subfolders. Fill in the date range you need, check the items you need to, and then click "Browse" to choose where you want to save the archived file. Next, choose the OK option.
It will begin the process of archiving the OST file, and after a set amount of time, you will receive the file you need at the specified location.

Professional Solution to Back up OST files

If you wish to back up a small amount of data with healthy OST files, doing it by hand may be better. They might not be helpful if you want to back up a lot of files and have full control over the procedure. They also can't fix corrupted OST files in a way that works. In certain cases, using the automated OST converter might be better because it handles these problems more easily.

GainTools OST Converter is one of those tools that many pros prefer above others after using its great features. It lets users fix and change OST files that can't be accessed into different formats at the right place. The application takes care of all the problems with manual techniques and gives you organized data when you need it.

In conclusion

We hope you got all the information you need to back up your OST files, including the reasons and the best ways to do it. You can use any of the options to back up your data as needed.