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How to Recover Deleted Emails from an OST file

If you’re reading this, chances are you’ve accidentally deleted important emails from your Outlook mailbox, and now you’re in a panic. Don’t worry, you’re not alone! It happens to the best of us. But the good news is that all hope is not lost.

With the right techniques and tools, you can still recover those precious emails from your OST file and get back to business as usual. In this blog, we will walk you step-by-step through how to recover deleted emails from an OST file. Keep reading!

Things you need to Recover lost emails from an OST file

To successfully recover deleted emails from an OST (offline storage table) file, you will need a few essential tools in your toolkit. Here are the key items you’ll need:

  • A Reliable OST Recovery Tool: You’ll need a trustworthy and powerful Regain OST recovery tool that can scan your OST file and retrieve deleted emails. For a hassle-free recovery, we recommend using third-party tools.
  • Backup of the OST File: It’s crucial to have a backup of your OST file before attempting any recovery process. This ensures that you have a safe copy of your original OST file in case anything goes wrong during the recovery process.
  • Access to the OST File Location: You’ll need access to the location of your OST file on your computer. Typically, OST files are stored in a hidden folder on your local system, so make sure you know the exact file path to locate your OST file.
  • Administrator Privileges: To recover emails from an OST file, you may need administrative privileges on your computer. This is because some recovery tools may require elevated permissions to access and scan the OST file.
  • Patience and Caution: Recovering deleted emails from an OST file may take time, depending on the size of your file and the complexity of the recovery process. It’s important to be patient and cautious throughout the process to avoid any further data loss or damage to your OST file.
  • Knowledge of Recovery Techniques: Familiarize yourself with the recovery techniques and options provided by the recovery tool you’re using. Different tools may have different methods, such as Quick Scan, Deep Scan, or Advanced Recovery, so understanding how they work will help you make the right choices during the recovery process.

How do I Recover deleted emails from an OST file?

Recover from the “Deleted Items” folder

  • Open Microsoft Outlook on your computer and navigate to the “Deleted Items” folder in your mailbox.
  • Look for the deleted email(s) that you want to recover. If you find the emails in the “Deleted Items” folder, right-click on the emails. Then select the “Move” or “Move to Folder” option.
  • Choose the appropriate folder where you want to move the deleted email(s) and click “OK” to restore the email(s) to the selected folder.

Recover from the “Recoverable Items” folder

  • Open Microsoft Outlook on your computer and go to the “File” tab in the ribbon.
  • Click on “Options” and then select “Advanced” in the left-hand pane.
  • Under the “Outlook start and exit” section, click on the “AutoArchive Settings” button.
  • In the “AutoArchive” window, click on the “Folder” tab and then click on the “Recover Deleted Items” button.
  • In the “Recover Deleted Items” window, you will see a list of all the deleted items, including emails, in your mailbox, including the OST file. Select the email(s) that you want to recover and click on the “Recover Selected Items” button.
  • Choose the folder where you want to restore the email(s) and click “OK” to complete the recovery process.

Recover from the Server or Exchange

  • Contact your Exchange server administrator or IT support team and request that they restore the deleted email(s) from the server-side backup.
  • Provide the necessary details, such as the date of deletion, the email(s) to be recovered, and the desired destination folder.
  • Once the server-side backup is restored, the deleted email(s) will be available in your mailbox and will be automatically synchronized to your OST file.

Note: The availability and success of server-side backups may vary depending on your organization’s email policies and retention settings.

FAQs

Q1: Can I recover deleted emails from an OST file without using any third-party software?

Answer: Yes, you can recover deleted emails from an OST file without using any third-party software by utilizing the built-in features of Microsoft Outlook, such as the “Deleted Items” folder and the “Recover Deleted Items” option.

Q2: What if I cannot find the deleted emails in the “Deleted Items” folder or the “Recover Deleted Items” option in Outlook?

Answer: If you cannot find the deleted emails in the “Deleted Items” folder or the “Recover Deleted Emails” option in Outlook, you can try contacting your Exchange server administrator or IT support team to restore the deleted emails from a server-side backup.

Q3: Can I recover permanently deleted emails from an OST file?

Answer: No, if the emails have been permanently deleted from the “Deleted Items” folder and the “Recover Deleted Items” option in Outlook, it is not possible to recover them from the OST file, as they are permanently removed from the mailbox.

Q4: How can I prevent the accidental deletion of emails from an OST file in the future?

Answer: To prevent accidental deletion of emails from an OST file in the future, you can follow best practices such as regularly backing up your emails, being cautious when deleting emails, double-checking before permanently deleting emails, and implementing proper email retention policies within your organization.

Conclusion

Prevention is always better than cure. It’s essential to follow best practices, such as regularly backing up emails and being cautious when deleting emails.

Remember, the success of email recovery methods may vary depending on the version of Outlook. It’s always advisable to consult with your IT support team or refer to Microsoft’s official documentation for accurate email recovery processes.

Written By

I am Armaan, Being a technical expert I help professionals to tackle with their IT issues. We at Regain Software world-class solutions like PST Splitter, Office 365 Email Backup Tool, Convert OST to PST, and Zoho Mail Backup Tool.

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