In the end, you can preview your data, export the PST file, and open it in any other application like Thunderbird, Mail Spring, Mail Bird, and so on. As it will list options to reset or repair MS Office, you can click on the "Repair" option. This will open a new wizard that you can follow to perform a quick or online repairing of the installed Office applications. The issue I got caught on relates to the required steps in Outlook to switch files. It is also important to have a look at some of the common accessibility issues encountered in Outlook and avoid this problem from happening again. Lastly, if you cannot access an OST file in Outlook, then you can try to export it to any other application instead.

Step 6: Repair the Corrupted Outlook Data File (PST)

I tried to manually access the OST file location and I could read the file just fine. Before you change any settings or troubleshoot further, use these steps to check your connectivity and settings, and try restarting Outlook and your computer. When you want to replicate a copy on the cloud, manually copy the PST in the OneDrive folder. This will result in one copy in the folder in OneDrive being used for backup purposes, and another copy in your Outlook client that can be kept open by Outlook.



Our Outlook Express file repair software is designed to help you repair your files and recover your data, so you don’t lose access to anything you need. One of the major reasons for the "Outlook data file cannot be mailbox not updating on IMAP accessed" error is corruption in the Outlook data file (PST). You can repair the corrupted PST file using the built-in Inbox Repair tool (also known as SCANPST) in Outlook. That is almost definitely the problem and it's very common unfortunately. You need to configure your OneDrive to not back up the directory where your Outlook data file resides.

• When you want to replicate a copy on the cloud, manually copy the PST in the OneDrive folder.
• And though an error message might look worrying, you may be able to fix the problem.
• Though, if Outlook cannot access the OST file or if it has been corrupted, then you can encounter unwanted problems.
• On the righthand side of the window, choose the button to \"manage backup\".
• Once you have found the Outlook.exe file, right-click, and go to its properties.

Error 0x8004010F when you try to send or receive email in Outlook 2010 or Outlook 2013

How your data is synched also depends on the type of account you have. POP accounts store information directly on your computer in Outlook .pst files. On the other hand, accounts through Office 365, Exchange Server, Outlook.com, and IMAP store information offline in Outlook data files (.ost files). It never feels great to run into an error message, especially if you’re in the middle of an important task. If you’re experiencing the "Outlook data file cannot be accessed" error and can’t find the fix, SecureData has you covered.

Fixing 'Outlook Data File Cannot Be Accessed' Error on PC

If you moved your data file or its location changed somehow, Outlook might not be able to find it. I am transferring all my files from a Windows 10 PC to a new Windows 11 PC and am having issues moving my Outlook .PST files for POP accounts. Simply launch the Stellar OST to PST Converter and load the corrupt OST file on it. Afterward, you can start the conversion process that would export all the data in a PST format without any complications.

How to fix Outlook Data File cannot be accessed on Windows 11?

This could happen if, for example, OneDrive backs up your Documents folder to the cloud and includes the Outlook Files folder where the file is located. During the syncing process, OneDrive locks the file, which prevents Outlook from accessing it, resulting in the "Outlook data file cannot be opened" error. This is a good solution if you think your data file might be corrupted. Another reason for the Outlook data file cannot be accessed issue can be related to a corrupt application. In this case, you can simply run a Windows troubleshooter to fix the installed Outlook application. When you restart Outlook, all the temporary files are removed and related processes and services are automatically cleared.

Step 1 - Locate the default Outlook data file

Sadly, if the mode has been enabled, then it can cause issues with the accessibility of the saved OST file. If you can open the original Outlook Data File, you might be able to recover additional items. The Inbox Repair tool creates a backup file with the same name as the original, but with a .bak extension, and saves it in the same folder. There may be items in the backup file that you might be able to recover that the Inbox Repair tool couldn't. Therefore, if you cannot access an Outlook Not Sending or Receiving Email OST file in Outlook, then you can browse to the location of the Outlook.exe file.



Though, if Outlook cannot access the OST file or if it has been corrupted, then you can encounter unwanted problems. In this post, I will let you know what to do if the Outlook data file cannot be accessed on your system. It can recover all the mailbox items from mailbox not updating on IMAP the corrupted file and save them to a new PST file, which you can import into your Outlook profile. It can also allow saving the recovered PST data to other file formats, like MSG, EML, HTML, RTF, and PDF. It even comes with features like auto-split to split large PST files and export the PST contents directly to Microsoft 365. You can create a new Outlook Data File and drag the items in the Lost and Found folder into the new data file.



After getting the Properties window, just go to the "Compatibility" tab and make sure the "Run this program in Compatibility Mode" option is disabled. You may need to move the Outlook data file back down from OneDrive. Sometimes, rather than keeping a backup it actually takes the files off your system and moves them up to the cloud.