Easy Ways to Import OST into Windows Live Mail In 7 Steps

Summary: The user’s Office 365 subscription has expired, leading to inaccessibility to MS Outlook. It is either deactivated or unable to open their Outlook profile. However, an OST file is still available for backup purposes. Since Windows Live Mail is free, the user decides to import OST into Windows Live Mail to access the data. But, how does the import process take place? This blog will answer all your questions. You will explore various manual methods and a professional OST to PST Converter Tool to address this situation. Go through the complete blog to find out why and how to import the OST Files into WLM.

An OST (Offline Storage Table) is a copy of your email account mailbox data. The user can access the email data in an offline setting. Also, it syncs changes when the internet connection is restored. 

Windows Live Mail is a free email client for desktops that supports basic email communication. It is used to manage emails, contacts, and calendars. 

To access the archived OST File from Outlook, the file must first be imported into Windows Live Mail. 

Benefits of Importing OST Files into Windows Live Mail

The ability to import OST File to Windows Live Mail helps users to retrieve old Outlook email data. Given below are some of the benefits of making this import process:

• When Outlook becomes inaccessible due to a system failure or crash, the application will not open. In this case, to recover the data, importing the OST File into WLM is essential.
• Companies that shift from Outlook to Windows Live Mail need access to their previous Outlook emails. Therefore, to make the data readable, they import OST File into WLM.
• OST Files are exclusive to Microsoft Outlook. Whereas WLM uses the EML format which are compatible across various platforms.

Top Ways to Import OST into Windows Live Mail

OST to WLM conversion can be done using two main approaches: the manual approach and the automated one. Although both methods are functional and effective, the automated solution is faster, more precise, and less prone to errors. First, let’s look at the manual methods.

Manually Import OST to Windows Live Mail Using Outlook

Windows Live Mail does not directly support OST Files. Therefore, to access the data, we need to first convert the OST File into the PST File format. And then, import the PST File into Windows Live Mail. This approach is ideal when you only need to transfer a small number of emails. 

Follow these steps to transfer an OST file into WLM:

Step 1: Convert OST File into a PST File Format

1. Launch MS Outlook.
2. Head to File, then Import/Export, and select Export to a file. Click on Next to continue.
3. Now, select Outlook Data File (.pst) and again click Next.
4. Pick the folder you want to import and click Next to proceed further.
5. Define the destination to save the PST File and press Finish.

Step 2: Move PST into Windows Live Mail

1. Start Windows Live Mail.
2. Navigate to the File menu, then choose Import messages, and select MS Outlook.
3. Locate and select the PST File. Then, hit Next.
4. Lastly, click Finish.

Limitations: Some of the data will not get transferred correctly, such as contacts and calendar entries. Also, it might not preserve the original structure and formatting.

Manually Import Outlook OST File to Windows Live Mail Using IMAP

This approach maintains email formatting, attachments, and folder organization. One of the effective features is its ability to process orphaned OST Files without any issues. 

Use the step-by-step instructions to begin the import process:

Step 1: Configure Gmail in Outlook Using IMAP

1. First, log in to your Gmail account and go to Settings.
2. Head to See all settings > Forwarding and POP/IMAP > and enable IMAP Access.
3. Then, click on Save Changes.
4. Now, open the Outlook application and go to File > Account Settings > Add account.
5. Enter the IMAP server details:

Incoming Mail Server	Server: imap.gmail.com
	Port: 993
	Encryption: SSL
Outgoing Mail Server	Server: smtp.gmail.com
	Port: 587
	Encryption: TLS

6. Now, sign in with your Gmail account credentials.

Step 2: Import OST Emails to Windows Live Mail

1. Open Outlook.
2. Drag and drop your OST emails into your Gmail folder in Outlook.
3. Then, open Windows Live Mail. 
4. Click on Accounts > Add Email Account and add your Gmail account login credentials.
5. Repeat the IMAP server settings as listed above in step 1.

Limitations: This method will take a lot of time importing large mailboxes. Moreover, the contacts and calendars won’t get transferred. 

A Professional Way to Import OST Files into Windows Live Mail

The OST to PST Converter Tool is a reliable and dependable solution that accurately converts your OST file. It precisely extracts the emails, attachments, and contacts without risking data loss. The users can preview the mailbox content before saving it, filter out duplicate emails, and select specific folders for conversion. This tool handles large OST files without affecting the performance. 

Quick step-by-step procedure to import OST File to Windows Live Mail:

1. Download and install the converter tool.
2. Now, select between Single File/ Multiple File or Select Folder and click Next.
3. Find the OST File that you want to import and open it to upload it.
4. Expand the tree hierarchical structure. Select the folders, preview them, and click on Next to proceed further.
5. Now, under the Saves/Backup/Migrate As section, choose EML as the File Format. 
6. Choose the optional features if required and select the path to save your file.
7. At last, click on the Convert button to begin the process.

Conclusion

Importing OST files to Windows Live Mail is necessary for users migrating to Windows Live Mail. Manual import methods like IMAP and using Outlook are effective, but involve complicated technical steps. In contrast, the OST to PST Converter Tool provides an automated, reliable, and error-free method. This tool is often recommended by experts and business professionals to import OST Files into Windows Live Mail. Choose the most suitable method as per your needs. 

Related Post: Import Outlook OST to Apple Mail.

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