ScanPST.exe is a free, ready-to-use tool pre-installed on your computer with Microsoft Outlook, making it an obvious choice for fixing issues accessing .pst files or errors opening Outlook. All you need to do is locate the Inbox Repair Tool, find the PST file, and scan it to fix the corrupted PST files.
Locating ScanPST.exe
Scanpst location varies depending on your version of Outlook and also depends on whether you are using MSI installation and 32-bit or 64-bit Windows, here are a few of them:
| Outlook version | ScanPST Location |
| Outlook 2021 | 32-bit Version: C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\root\Office21\SCANPST.EXE 64-bit Version: C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\root\Office21\SCANPST.EXE |
| Outlook 2019 | 32-bit Version: C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\root\Office19 64-bit Version: C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\root\Office19 |
| Outlook 2016 | 32-bit Windows: C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\Office16\ 64-bit Windows: C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office16\ |
| Outlook 2013 | 32-bit Windows: C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\Office15\ 64-bit Windows: C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office15\ |
If you know the location of the corrupt PST file, simply simply select the file and begin the repair process. If you don’t then manually locate the .pst file and start the scanning process
How do I Run Scanpst.exe to Repair Corrupt PST Files?
Once after located the corrupt PST file, close the Outlook application and follow the instructions below:
- Launch the Scanpst.exe
- Click on Browse to select the .pst file you wish to scan.
- After selection, click on Start to analyze the PST file.
- After analyzing the file, the tool will present the scanning report containing all the errors in the selected PST file.
- Make sure you check the option Make backup of the scanned file before repairing option.
- Click on Repair to begin the PST repair process. (The repair time depends on the size of the PST file and device speed).
When the PST repair process is successful, you’ll see the “Repair complete” dialog, press OK close ScanPST, and start Outlook and access emails, calendars, and other Outlook items.
If the repair is unsuccessful or if the scanpst doesn’t respond or work, try running the tool again. In case of a large PST file or when scanpst.exe couldn’t fix it. Try using a third-party PST Outlook repair tool.
Limitations of ScanPST.exe
Apart from not responding or failing to recognize your PST file, here are other limitations of the inbox repair tool:
Limited Repair Scope: ScanPST.exe can only fix minor corruption issues and structural damage. It may not repair heavily corrupted or damaged PST files.
File Size Limitation: The tool can struggle with very large PST files, (typically around 2 GB for older Outlook versions).
While Scanpst may not be a guaranteed fix for all Outlook problems, it can effectively resolve several common issues, We have listed some of them in the upcoming sections:
Common Problems Scanpst.exe Can be a Fix:
While there is no guarantee that the ScanPST tool can resolve Outlook issues, it is worth a try in repairing minor corruptions in Outlook’s PST files
- Error messages when starting Outlook: Scanpst can repair errors that prevent Outlook from starting.
- Cannot send or receive emails: If email issues are related to PST file corruption, scanpst might help.
- Missing or corrupted emails, contacts, or calendar items: Scanpst can recover lost or damaged data in a few cases.
- Outlook Synchronizing issues: ScanPST can resolve Outlook sync issues linked to PST files.
- Outlook Closing Unexpectedly: Running ScanPST can prevent unexpected shutdowns related to PST corruption.
- Outlook hangs or freezes: Minor PST corruptions can cause performance issues.
Conclusion
To conclude, we hope this guide answers your question on “how to run ScanPST?” to fix Outlook issues and PST error messages. To prevent data loss and protect your Outlook data in case of corruption or deletion, we suggest regularly backing up your Outlook data files.
