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Outlook crashing is a common issue across Outlook versions, and it can be extremely frustrating—especially when your important emails, contacts, and attachments are locked inside the file.
A PST file stores all your mailbox data locally. When it becomes corrupted, oversized, or incompatible, it may freeze, crash, or in extreme cases, Outlook fail to open entirely.
The good news? This problem is fixable.
Why Does Outlook Crashes When Opening PST File?
Before you try to fix the issue, you must be aware of the root cause of the error. Here are the reasons for the crashing of the Outlook application when open PST file.
- A PST file may be damaged due to a sudden shutdown, crash, or malware.
- A large PST file (over 20–50GB) is also a cause of Outlook slowdown or crashes.
- The add-ins may not work properly, and delay your Outlook experience.
- Sometimes, Outlook compatibility with the PST file can cause Outlook to crash.
- A broken profile can stop Outlook from opening PST files.
- Low RAM, disk errors, or system problems can also cause crashes.
Now that we understand the causes, let’s move ahead and fix the issue so you can use Outlook without any hassle. Before you try out the advanced solution, a simple, quick fix can solve the issue. Here are a few tricks; try them out first.
- Firstly, restart your system and open the PST file in Outlook.
- Open Outlook in Safe Mode.
- Check whether your windows are updated or not.
- Ensure the PST file is not corrupted or damaged.
How to Fix the “Outlook Crashes When Opening PST File” Issue?
Here, we will discuss some troubleshooting ideas that can solve the Outlook crashing issue when trying to open a PST file.
1. Use Inbox Repair Tool (ScanPST.exe)
Sometimes, when you open a corrupted PST file, Outlook freezes or crashes. So the first step is to repair corrupted PST file and then open it. Outlook has its own repair tool that can fix the simple corruption error. Here are the steps to run the inbox repair tool to fix PST file,
- Locate ScanPST.exe on your system
- Launch the tool
- Browse and select your PST file
- Click “Start” to scan
- Repair the file
2. Check the PST File Size
If your PST file size is 50 GB or exceeds, then Outlook may become unstable and crash. In that case, it is best to;
- Archive old emails and reduce the size of your PST file.
- Delete unnecessary items so that it doesn’t take the space.
- Split PST file into smaller parts for better access.
3. Disable Incompatible Add-ins
Sometimes the PST file is not an issue, but an add-in you install in your Outlook causes the crash. To fix the “Outlook Crashes When Opening PST file” issue, remove those faulty add-ins. Here are the steps;
- Press Win + R, type outlook /safe, and hit Enter.
- Try opening the PST file in Safe Mode.
- If it works, go to File > Options > Add-ins.
- Select COM Add-ins > Go, and uncheck all items. Enable them one by one to find the culprit.
4. Create New Outlook Profile
A corrupted Outlook profile can prevent opening the PST file. Thus, you can delete the old profile and create a new one. Here are the steps for creating the new one.
- Open Control Panel > Mail > Show Profiles.
- Click Add to create a new profile.
- Set up your email account and then try to open the PST file within this fresh profile.
5. Use BLR PST Repair Tool
If none of the solutions works, then you can use the professional PST repair tool to fix the PST file. BLR PST Repair Tool will smoothly fix corrupted PST file and create a new and healthy data file. It will repair the severely corrupted PST file and also split a large PST file into smaller-sized .pst files. Try out the demo version of the tool to analyze how it works.
Conclusion
When Outlook crashes, it hampers your work, and there is a chance of data loss. In that situation, the important task is to find the best solution to fix the issue. If the problem isn’t too bad, you might be able to fix it with simple troubleshooting ideas. But if you are still facing Outlook crashes when opening PST file, then you need an expert solution.
