How to Compact OST File in Outlook: Easy Guide

Even after emptying the Deleted Items folder, the OST file size does not immediately shrink. The user needs to compact OST file to free up disk space and improve Outlook performance. In this article, we’ll explain different methods to compact an OST file to reduce its size. In addition to this, we’ll learn about a professional tool, Cigati PST Compact Tool. This tool compresses single or multiple PST files quickly. Compacting also lowers the risk of potential Outlook issues.

Major Benefits of Compact OST File Size

There are several benefits why users choose to compact Outlook OST file. Some of the most common ones are listed below:

• Save Valuable Disk Space: Remove unnecessary data and reclaim disk space.
• Faster Outlook operations: With a smaller OST file, Outlook performs better while searching, navigating, etc.
• Better Synchronization: It makes the mailbox synchronization smooth and avoids delays.
• Prevent OST Corruption: Large OST files are more prone to corruption. It is necessary to compact them.
• Speed Up Backups: While working with a smaller file, users can easily perform system migrations.
• Reduce Outlook Errors: Avoid common Outlook data file errors and crashes.

What are the Ways to Compact Outlook OST File?

In the following section, we have highlighted different methods to compact the OST file. Have a look and decide which one to choose as per your need.

Method 01: By Using Outlook’s “Compact Now” Feature

The “Compact Now” feature is a built-in feature in Outlook. It compress OST file by removing the unused space after deleting unnecessary data. 

These are the manual steps to start compacting the OST file:

1. First, open Outlook on your computer.
2. After that, go to the File menu option and press Account Settings.
3. Next, choose Account Settings and then go to the Data Files tab.
4. Now, select the OST file you wish to compact and click on its Settings.
5. Head to the Advanced tab and click on Outlook Data File Settings.
6. Lastly, hit the Compact Now button.

Method 02: Archive Older Emails to Shrink OST File

By archiving emails, users reduce the size of the OST file by moving older emails to a separate PST file. This manual method improves the overall Outlook performance. 

Perform the steps below to start archiving the emails:

1. Start by opening MS Outlook on your system.
2. After that, navigate to File > Tools > Clean Up Old Items/Archive.
3. Now, choose the folders that you want to archive and select Include Subfolders.
4. Then, set the date range and the archived location for saving the new file.
5. Next, click Ok to archive and then head to File.
6. Select Account Settings > Data Files > Compact Now.

Method 03: Using Outlook’s Mailbox Cleanup Tool

The Mailbox Cleanup Tool helps users manage their mailbox size and OST files. It provides the folder size details and helps in removing the unnecessary data. 

Follow the manual steps to begin cleaning up the unwanted data:

1. Open the Outlook application on your desktop.
2. After that, head to File > Tools > Mailbox Cleanup.
3. Now, press View Mailbox Size to find out which folders are consuming the most space.
4. Next, choose Find items Larger than, Empty Deleted Items Folder, or Delete Junk Email Folders.
5. After cleaning up the data, head to File > Account Settings > Data Files > Compact Now. 

Issues with the Manual Methods 

• These manual methods are time-intensive when working with large mailboxes.
• The methods have no or a limited impact on the active data.
• Users need to manually identify what data is to be removed or deleted.
• After archiving or cleaning up the unwanted data, the Compact Now operation needs to be performed.

Method 04: Easily Compact OST File Without Opening Outlook

The Cigati PST/OST Compress Tool is an efficient tool that helps users optimize the Outlook mailbox. It easily reduces the OST file size in a fast manner. Also, the tool supports compressing single or multiple OST files in a single operation. This tool also provides a preview of mailbox content to select specific data for compression. Besides this, it offers options to compress attachments or save them separately in another folder. With a simple interface, batch processing, and full support for all Windows versions, this tool is most reliable.

Simple steps to compact Outlook OST file:

1. Download and set up the tool on your computer and run it.
2. From the File Type options, choose Microsoft Outlook (.ost).
3. Then, choose the Single File option to load the OST file. Click Next to proceed.
4. After that, tick and preview the folders you want to compress. Again, click Next.
5. Now, configure the additional filters to customize the process.
6. Next, use the Path to Save option to select the preferred destination.
7. Finally, click on Start Compression to begin.

Conclusion

To reduce the OST file size, compacting or compressing it is essential to permanently remove the unused space. Above, we have covered how to compact OST file through manual steps and a professional utility. Because manual steps can be complicated, the professional tool, Cigati PST/OST Compress Tool, is a safer alternative. The utility efficiently reduces the file size and prevents potential data corruption, making it ideal for businesses. Users can choose the method as per their requirement.

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