What is an OBI file?
OBI file is Outlook RSS Subscription File that allows users to subscribe to an RSS feed in Microsoft Outlook. RSS stands for Really Simple Syndication which is a web feed format used to publish frequently updated content such as blog posts, news headlines, or podcasts.
To subscribe to RSS feed in Outlook, users can click on the link to RSS feed on a website or copy the URL of RSS feed and paste it into “Add New RSS Feed” dialog box in Outlook. Outlook will then periodically check the RSS feed for new content and display it in user’s RSS Feed folder.
Outlook RSS Subscription Files have the file extension “.rss”. These files contain the URL of the RSS feed and can be used to share RSS feed subscriptions with others or to back up and restore RSS feed subscriptions.
OBI File Format - More Information
OBI files are known as OPML (Outline Processor Markup Language) file and contains list of RSS feed URLs that have been subscribed to in Microsoft Outlook.
When user exports their RSS feeds to OBI file, it contains list of all the RSS feeds they have subscribed to, including the title of each feed, the URL of feed and any other relevant information. This allows users to easily transfer their RSS feed subscriptions to another RSS reader or to back up their subscriptions for safekeeping.
OBI files can also be used to import RSS feed subscriptions into Microsoft Outlook or another RSS reader. To import OBI file into Outlook, users can click on “File” > “Open & Export” > “Import/Export” > “Import from another program or file” > “Next” > “Import RSS Feeds from an OPML file” and then browse to location of OBI file on their computer.
What is the format of OBI file?
The Outlook RSS Subscription File also known as OBI file uses XML (eXtensible Markup Language) to define the structure and content of the file.
OBI files are made up of series of nested elements each with its own set of attributes and values. The main element in OBI file is the “outline” element which contains information about RSS feed including the title of the feed, the URL of the feed and any other relevant information.
Each “outline” element can also contain child elements which represent sub-folders or sub-categories within RSS feed list. The structure of OBI file allows for easy organization and management of RSS feed subscriptions and it can be used to transfer subscriptions between different RSS readers or to back up and restore subscriptions.