Configuring a POP3 account in Microsft Outlook creates a local .pst file for all its core functionality like storing email messages, calendars, contacts, and more. However, PST files can be prone to several issues compromising your outlook functionality, data, and security concerns.
Read the upcoming section as it addresses all the common Outlook PST file issues, causes, and the DIY solutions to fix them.
Common Outlook PST Issues and Their Solutions
- PST File Corruption or Damage
- PST File cannot be Found
- Unable to Copy Outlook PST File
- PST Sync Issues
- Cannot Open PST File
- Large PST Files
- Remove Password from PST file
- Outlook.pst is Not Compatible
- Deleted PST Files
1: PST File Corruption or Damage
PST corruption is one of the common issues in Outlook that prevents you from accessing the data within the PST file or causes Outlook crashes. It can be caused by sudden shutdowns, virus or malware attacks, or hard disk failures.
Fix 1: Inbox Repair Tool
You can locate the built-in PST repair tool, Microsoft Outlook ScanPST, to fix corrupt or damaged PST files or use third-party PST repair tools that can repair PST files.
Fix 2: Restore From Backup
If you have a recent PST file backup, restore it to bring back your PST data.
Fix 3: Verify the Disk health
If bad sectors in your hard drive are causing the PST file corruption, then run the chkdsk command to fix errors in your drive, here is how you do it:
- Open Command prompt as Administrator.
- Type chkdsk X /f /r (Replace X with your drive letter) and press Enter
Wait till the scan is completed, restart your device, and try accessing the PST files.
2: PST File cannot be Found
You could run into an “Outlook data file cannot be found” error if the PST file is moved, renamed from the default PST file location, or corrupted. In these cases, you won’t be able to access your messages, events, and contacts directly through Outlook.
Fix 1: Manual Search
Manually locate the PST file using the Outlook application. Here is how you do it.
- Launch Outlook, Go to File > Account Settings > Account Settings.
- Select the data files tab to see the location of your PST file.
Fix 2: Repair PST File
Use the inbox repair tool by Microsoft to repair the damaged .pst files, locate the ScanPST tool, and run the tool to get rid of the “Outlook.pst cannot be found” error.
3: Unable to Copy Outlook PST File
There are a few reasons why the Outlook PST file won’t copy, it can be due to Outlook file lock, permission issues, or a large PST file that is preventing you from copying the Outlook PST files.
Fix 1: Check File Permissions
Check the file permission of the PSt file that you are trying to copy, and ensure that you have the permissions to copy and write on both source and destination folders.
Simply right-click the PST file and folders, choose Properties, go to Security, and check the permissions.
Fix 2: Check Outlook and Related programs
Opening the Outlook application prevents from PST files being copied from one location to another so make sure that you have closed Outlook and the related applications while copying the PST file.
Fix 3: Verify the File size
If you are trying to copy a large, consider splitting the PST file into smaller chunks and try copying them.
4: PST Sync Issues
When the Outlook PST file doesn’t sync and reflects improper data, it could be due to an Outlook file lock, an outdated Outlook application, or conflicting add-ins.
Fix 1: Close Outlook and Restart
Ensure the network connection on your device and close and relaunch the Outlook application to remove temporary glitches causing the sync issue.
Fix 2: Disable Add-ins
Temporarily disable the add-ins, relaunch the Outlook, and verify if the add-ins are causing Outlook .pst sync issues.
Fix 3: Update Outlook application
Ensure you use an updated Outlook version, as updates often include bug fixes and performance improvements that can prevent PST syncing issues.
5: Cannot Open PST File
When you cannot open the PST file you will run into “Outlook . PST cannot be Opened” caused when your PST file backup running in the background, any other software conflicting with Outlook, etc
Fix 1: Close All Processes and Programs
Ensure no Outlook instances are running in the background. Use Task Manager to terminate any Outlook-related processes.
Fix 2: Disable Outlook Compatibility Mode
Disable compatibility mode on Outlook to ensure that Outlook runs on the latest system resources and settings to increase the performance and ability to access the PST files. Here is how you do it:
Right-click the Outlook shortcut, select Properties, and uncheck Run this program in compatibility mode.
Fix 3: Fix the PST file
If your PST file has minor corruption issues, then you can repair the PST files using inbox repair too For severe corruption issues try using a professional Outlook repair tool to fix the corrupt PST files.
6: Large PST Files
If you have emails with large attachments, junk mail, or any calendar data can result in a large PST file. Here is how to fix it.
Fix 1: Use the Cleanup Tool
You can use Outlook’s built-in cleanup tool to remove unnecessary emails and duplicates, reducing clutter and lowering the PST file size.
- Click on File >Tools > Expand drop-down next to Mailbox settings.
Choose options and delete the following from your Outlook
- Clean Up Conversation: Removes redundant messages within a conversation.
- Clean Up Folder: Erases unnecessary messages based on certain criteria.
- Clean Up Folder & Subfolders: Applies the cleanup to the selected folder and its subfolders.
Fix 2: Archive old Mails
You can archive all your old emails to a separate PST file to free up space in the primary inbox and manage large PST files effectively.
- File > Tools > Set Archive folder and choose the folders to archive.
- Choose a location for the archived items (either a new PST file or an existing one.) and click on to initiate the archiving process.
7: Remove Password from PST File
Most users encrypt the PST file to prevent unauthorized access and sharing and tend to forget the password which prevents them from accessing the Outlook data. Try the solutions listed below to remove the .pst file password
Fix 1: Remove Password via Data File Settings (if you remember the password)
- Go to File and Account Settings click on Account Settings open the Data Files tab.
- Choose the PST file you want to remove the password from and click on Settings.
- Choose Change Password and enter the current password.
- Leave the New password and Verify password fields empty and click on OK to remove the password.
Fix 2: Use Password Recovery Tools (if you don’t remember the password)
If you have forgotten the password then you will have to use a third-party password recovery tool to remove the password from your PST files. Ensure that you choose the tools with caution, as there is a risk of corruption or data loss.
8: Outlook.pst is Not Compatible
If the PST file is of a different version of Outlook or from a different OS it can cause the “Outlook.pst Is Not Compatible” which prevents accessing their data. It can PST files can be corrupted or unsupported file format.
Fix 1: Repair Outlook Installation
You can repair the using the built-in repair tool, here is how you do it:
Control Panel > Programs and Features > Right-click on the Office suite > Change and choose Quick Repair.
Fix 2: Create a New PST File
You can create a PST file that is compatible with the Outlook version that you currently use, and manually transfer all the necessary data from the old PST file.
9: Deleted PST Files
When you have deleted or lost PST files from Outlook, you will have to choose the proper recovery solutions to bring back the PST files depending on how you lost it
Fix 1: Check Recycle Bin
Verify if the deleted or lost PST file is present in the Recycle Bin. If yes, then simply restore the PST file from the Recycle Bin.
Fix 2: Check for Backup
If you have enabled File History or have any recent backup of the PST file, you can restore the PST file from there.
Fix 3: Choose a Data Recovery Software
If you can’t recover the deleted PST file from any of the above solutions, use specialized data recovery software to attempt PST recovery. Make sure you choose a reliable tool that lets you download and scan for free.
Preventative Measures to avoid Outlook PST issues
Here are some key preventative measures you can take to avoid PST file issues in Outlook
- Backup Outlook PST file: Create regular backups of the PST Files in an external drive or cloud storage to ensure that you have a PST file that is safe even if the original file is corrupted or lost.
- Delete Unnecessary Emails: Delete unwanted emails from the inbox to reduce clutter and PST file size.
- Verify the add-ins: Review the third-party add-ins in your Outlook application, and disable them if you are not using them as few add-ins might store data in the PST file.
- Compact PST File (Periodically): Use the Compact Now function to remove unnecessary data helping in reducing the PST file size.
Conclusion
We hope the solutions listed in this help address all the common PST issues that stop you from accessing Outlook data and functionality.
Additionally implementing the above preventative measures can significantly reduce the risk of PST file issues and ensure optimal performance for your Outlook.
