How to Find OST File Location in Outlook 2019, 2016, 2013 on Windows

Summary:- The Outlook OST file is used for many reasons. It often happens that we are unable to find something when we need it the most. Similarly, the process to find the OST file location in Outlook on Windows can be quite challenging. Therefore, we have written this article to help locate the OST file on Windows.

What are the Reasons to Locate OST File Location?

There are various reasons why a Microsoft Outlook user might need to locate the OST file. Some common scenarios include:

• Firstly when MS Outlook becomes inaccessible.
• Additionally, Outlook displays the error “xxx.ost is not an Outlook data file”.
• Converting the OST file to an Outlook importable PST format when your Exchange or Microsoft 365 profile is deleted or disabled from the server.
• Moreover, when Outlook encounters common errors.
• Changing the default location of the OST file due to insufficient storage space.
• Export OST to PST when the Outlook Import/Export wizard encounters errors.

Moreover, the location of OST files is necessary to backup OST files.

How to Find the Location of the OST File in Outlook?

Microsoft Outlook by default saves the OST files in the AppData folder in your system. Furthermore, the location of the OST file varies on the MS Outlook and Windows versions. Some methods to locate OST files are listed down below.

Default Location of the OST file

Refer to the table mentioned below to find the default location of OST files according to the versions of MS Outlook and Windows.

MS Outlook Version	Windows OS Version	Path Location of the OST file
Outlook 2000 Outlook 2003 Outlook 2007	Windows XP	C:\Documents and Settings\User Name\ Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft Outlook
Outlook 2007	Windows Vista Windows 7 Windows 8 Windows 10	C:\Users\ User Name\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Outlook
Outlook 2010	Windows XP	My Documents\Outlook Files
Outlook 2010	Windows Vista Windows 7 Windows 8 Windows 10	Documents\Outlook File\
Outlook 2013 Outlook 2016 Outlook 2019	Windows Vista Windows 7 Windows 8 Windows 10	C:\Users\admin\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Outlook

Utilize Outlook to Locate OST File Location

If you fail to find the Location of the Outlook OST file using the above approach then you can manually browse the location. This section will explore the steps to manually locate the Outlook OST file location on your system.

For Outlook 2013, 2016, 2019, or 2021

1. Firstly, launch the Microsoft Outlook application.
2. Furthermore, navigate to File > Info > Account Settings > Account Settings…
3. Navigate to the Data Files tab and select the OST file associated with your account (the one you want to find).
4. Next, click on the Open File Location… button.
5. This action will open the File Explorer window, revealing the location of the OST file on your Windows PC.

For MS Outlook 2010

Many users tend to locate the Outlook OST file to copy Outlook OST file to a New Computer. The steps to find OST file location in Outlook 2010 are as follows:

1. Navigate to File > Info > Account Settings > Account Settings…
2. Select Microsoft Exchange Server from the list and click on Change.
3. Click on More Settings.
4. In the Advanced tab, locate and click on Offline Folder File Settings.
5. This will reveal the path to the OST file location.

Copy the folder path and paste it into File Explorer to access the location of the OST file.

Directly Open the OST File from Outlook

This method applies to all versions of Outlook. To locate the OST file and view it directly in File Explorer, follow these steps:

1. Firstly, launch Outlook then right-click on your email profile name or email ID in the left pane.
2. Select Open File Location….
3. A new File Explorer window will open, revealing the OST file location.

Now, you can proceed with any necessary actions on the OST file. However, always ensure to create a backup of the original OST file before making any edits, moves, or deletions to prevent OST File corruption.

Unable to Find the OST File Location in Outlook?

It is quite common for users to encounter issues when locating the OST file location. The most common reason is OST file corruption. This error needs to be addressed quickly, and the user needs to repair the corrupt OST file. OST files can be recovered using the professional tool Aryson OST Recovery. Additionally, this tool repairs all OST file items. Furthermore, the OST Repair tool backs up the OST file in different file formats. The steps to recover corrupt OST files are as follows:

1. Install and run the OST Recovery Tool as an administrator.
2. Click on the Open button to browse the OST files from your system.
3. Choose the Recovery Mode and view the OST files.
4. Finally, select the OST files you want to repair and click Save.

Conclusion

It is time to wrap up this comprehensive article on how to find the OST file location in Outlook. Moreover, we discussed the reasons for locating OST files. The article also highlighted the default location of OST files depending on the version of Outlook and Windows OS. In conclusion, we explored Aryson OST Recovery tool, which comes in handy when your OST files are corrupted.

Related Post