Exchange EDB File Viewer | How to Open EDB Files without Exchange Server

What is an .EDB file? An .EDB file stands for Exchange Database, a file format primarily used for storing emails, calendars, contacts, and other relevant information in Microsoft Exchange Server. These files are utilized by Exchange Server to manage and maintain enterprise email communication and collaboration data. EDB files typically consist of two main components: transaction logs and the database. The transaction logs record all changes made to the database, while the database stores the actual data. In Exchange Server, when data modifications occur, these changes are first written to the transaction logs and then synchronized with the database during idle system times to ensure data integrity and consistency. To access or recover data from an .EDB file, one might require specialized Exchange Server recovery tools or database backup programs. In certain scenarios, .EDB files can also be utilized by third-party data recovery software to restore emails and other information from a damaged or inaccessible Exchange Server.

EDB stands for Extensible Storage Engine Database, which is a database file format exclusive to the Windows platform for Microsoft Exchange Server. The Extensible Storage Engine (ESE), also known as JET Blue, is a data storage technology developed by Microsoft that enables applications like Exchange Server to store and retrieve data through indexing and sequential access. Hence, an Exchange .edb file contains all the accounts present in the current Exchange Server along with their mailboxes. Undoubtedly, all items within a mailbox (Inbox, Sent Items, Drafts, Deleted Items, Calendar, Contacts, Journal, Notes, Tasks, and unknown) are also encapsulated within the .edb file.

How to Open an EDB File with an EDB Viewer

From the above information, you should know that the most common way to open and access .edb files is through Microsoft Exchange Server. Fortunately, with an EDB file viewer, you can open and view items within an Exchange database without having Exchange Server installed.

Although the Exchange Recovery tool is not specifically designed to view EDB files, it can work as an EDB file viewer. With this software, you can open EDB files and access their data without having Microsoft Exchange Server installed.

If necessary, you can also extract the data from the EDB file and open it in Outlook.

View Exchange EDB File:

Step 1: Launch the Exchange Recovery tool, click on the three dots to select the EDB file, and then hit “Analyze.”

Step 2. Wait for the analysis to complete, and you will see everything, including accounts (i.e., mailboxes) and subfolders.

Step 3: To view specific items, such as emails in your inbox, expand the account and click on "Inbox." You will then see all of the items in your inbox, and can double-click an item to view it in detail.

Extracting data from EDB files:

If you're trying to extract items from an Exchange database file, you can export the data from the database.

Step 1. After the analysis process, select the items you want and click “Export MSG”. Then choose a folder to save your data.

Step 2. When done, click “OK.” You can now open the MSG file in Outlook to view its contents.

Click OK.

As you might know by now, Tools Exchange Recovery can function as an EDB file viewer, but it's not just an Exchange EDB viewer. It also lets you recover deleted mailboxes, restore Exchange databases to another server, and more.

FAQ: Other Popular Questions Related to EDB Files

Here are some common questions users have about EDB files in Windows:

"What is the purpose of an EDB file in Windows?"

If you've been paying attention to the previous paragraphs, you should know by now that an EDB file is a database file of Exchange Server. It contains all the data within your Exchange Server, including accounts and their respective Inboxes, Sent Items, and so on.

"Can I delete Windows EDB file?"

The EDB file stores all your accounts and data (Inbox, Sent Items, Drafts, Deleted Items, Calendar, Contacts, etc.). Therefore, do not remove it from your computer unless you no longer need this data. If you accidentally delete the EDB file, recover it as soon as possible with the help of the hard drive recovery software - Data Recovery Wizard tool.

Where is the EDB file located?

EDB files for Windows are located in %ProgramData%\Microsoft\Search\Data\Applications\Windows.

"How to convert EDB to PST?"

EDB files tend to occupy a significant amount of disk storage space. To reduce the size of an EDB file, you can convert it into multiple standalone PST files, which can be accomplished using third-party software.

Bottom line

With Exchange Recovery tool, you can view items in EDB files, open EDB files without Exchange Server, extract data from EDB files, and open items in EDB files with Outlook. It's more than just an EDB file viewer. As the name suggests, the software also lets you recover deleted items from the Exchange database, which comes in handy when items are accidentally removed from an account.