29 July 2025, 07:23 PM
Method 1: Drag and Drop
Limitations of Drag and Drop:
- This is the simplest method for converting individual emails to MSG.
- Open Microsoft Outlook: Launch Outlook and ensure the profile associated with the OST file is open and synchronized.
- Navigate to the Email: Go to the folder within your OST file that contains the emails you want to convert (e.g., Inbox, Sent Items).
- Select Email(s):
- To convert a single email, click on it to select it.
- To convert multiple emails, hold down the Ctrl key and click on each email you want to select. For contiguous emails, click the first, hold Shift, and click the last.
- Drag and Drop:
- Once selected, click and drag the selected email(s) directly from the Outlook window to a folder on your desktop or any other location in your File Explorer.
- Result: Each email you drag and drop will be saved as an individual .msg file in the destination folder, typically named after the email's subject line.
Limitations of Drag and Drop:
- One by One (Mostly): While you can select multiple, it essentially processes them as individual drag operations. For large quantities, it's very tedious.
- No Folder Structure: This method does not preserve the original folder hierarchy from your OST file. All converted MSG files will be dumped into the single destination folder you choose.
- Limited Metadata: While core email properties are preserved, some extended properties or complex formatting might not carry over perfectly.
