How to Encounter ‘Cannot open your default email folders’ Error in Outlook?

MS Outlook from Microsoft is one of the foremost used email clients serving not only Windows users but also Mac users (as Outlook for Mac) providing ease with email handling. With lots of perks on one side, there are some drawbacks to the other. From many Outlook users, many undergo sudden issues popping on the sort of nowhere. Microsoft launched numerous service & product specific forums on which the users can post their queries. If you’ll have a sight on Office forums, it is easy to notice the wave of issues with which users are struggling and the ways in which they are affecting the productivity.

• Understand why OST file corrupts!

OST files are Offline Storage Tables, which holds a replica of the first mailbox available on the Exchange Server. This copy synchronizes at specific intervals. Thus it enables the account owner to possess access to the mailbox all the time even without the server connectivity.

There are several reasons why Outlook’s OST emails become inaccessible:

1. Deletion of file(s) or folder(s) from Exchange folder
2. Malware or virus attack.
3. Synchronization failure due to abnormal shutdown failure.
4. The outlook is crashing because of internal discrepancies.
5. Bad sector error within the disk drive where the OST file is stored.
6. Changes in the internal structure of the Outlook OST file.
7. Add-ins are causing damage to the OST file.

• Fix OST file corruption issue

1. Remove silent (not in use) Outlook OST profiles: Open Outlook and navigate to File tab > Account Settings > Manage Profiles; click Show Profiles. From there you'll select all the silent Outlook profiles and take away them.
2. Make another copy of Outlook OST file; this may eliminate all the problems related to the old OST file.
3. In case if the error isn’t sorted even after browsing the above steps then, create a replacement profile.

• Error due to running in Compatibility Mode

Generally, Compatibility Mode isn’t required for Outlook (any version) on Windows Vista, 7, 8, 8.1, and 10. So, it’s not suggested using compatibility mode for any application that’s designed for Windows.

Below are the most common errors which you might have encountered because of running Outlook in Compatibility Mode:

1. “Cannot open your default email folders. The information store could not be opened.”
2. “Cannot start Microsoft Outlook. Cannot open the Outlook Windows. The server is not available. Contact your administrator if this condition persists.”
3. “Cannot display the folder. File access is denied. You don’t have the permission required to access the file: C:\Users\XYZ\localsettings\application\data\microsoft\outlook\outlook.ost”

Compatibility mode creates conflicts if enabled for Outlook. Therefore, you must think of disabling it if you face any issues.

• Steps to Disable Compatibility Mode on 64-bit Windows OS

1. Navigate to the address: C:\Program Files(x86)\Microsoft Office\Office XX\Outlook.exe.
2. Right-click on the application (exe), click on Properties, and select the Compatibility tab.
3. Remove the checkbox named Run this program in compatibility mode, click Apply; click Ok.

If still, the Compatibility tab is missing, then execute the steps below:

1. Click Start > search for Program Compatibility Troubleshooter.
2. Start the utility; click Next;
3. Select Outlook XX from the list of programs.
4. Follow the steps for disabling Compatibility Mode.

• Use a professional tool

Using a professional OST to PST Converter tool is that the best thanks to repairing and recover OST file data and avoid any chances of things going bad. It is quite common that not all the users are techy and possess enough technical knowledge to return over issues like this, especially once you are handling your business email with Outlook.

With this tool, you can re-create and recover damaged OST files without even worrying about fixing the issue in the first place. The tool offers a fragile GUI for simple access & offers standard user-friendliness. You can even import multiple corrupt or damaged Outlook OST files directly and repair all of them during a single go.

Conclusion:

It is often difficult to seek out out an appropriate solution for the error you're facing with Microsoft Outlook, as there are many errors that will occur and reflect badly on user’s productivity. We’ve listed the most appropriate methods which can come handy in such a situation. Overall, it's recommended to use a knowledgeable tool initially to avoid data loss.