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Problems like system crashes, sudden shutdowns, or profile issues can corrupt the OST file, causing Outlook to display sync errors or lose access to your data. Although Outlook lets you recreate the file, doing so may result in the loss of any unsynced changes. You can usually repair a damaged .pst file using file repair software, but you might even be able to fix it using MS Outlook’s built-in capabilities. Like any type of data file, it’s possible for a .pst file to get corrupted. This might happen with a large .pst file that exceeds the size limit due to third-party add-ins or apps.
Repair your .pst file quickly with our proven tool
The folders might just be empty and redundant, or they might contain recovered data that Outlook couldn’t place in its original locations. The Inbox Repair Tool is an in-built utility from Microsoft to overcome the Outlook PST file corruption issues. Users can Office 365 Sync Errors Fix fix Outlook PST files using this utility, but firstly you need to locate the Inbox Repair Tool (ScanPST.exe) in their system. We are going to share a table below with the default location of this utility for different Outlook versions, like Outlook 2010, 2013, or 2019. In addition, it turns into leading Outlook errors, which might affect overall productivity and efficiency and can increase downtime. Therefore, users should put some effective solutions into action to deal with inaccessible or damaged PST files as soon as they encounter Outlook issues.
Step 1 - Exit Outlook and start the Inbox Repair tool

Use the Browse button to choose the Outlook Data File (.pst) you need to scan — find the file based on solve Office 365 mailbox sync delays the locations in step 2 above. This utility is not the professionals’ recommendation, as it comes with a lot of drawbacks. Before implementing this method to fix Outlook PST files, read its limitations for more insight.
Situations When You Need to Repair Outlook Data File Without SCANPST
It also offers a filter option; users can filter items using different criteria when they want to have only the desired items to process. So, learn how to fix corrupted Outlook data files (PST) without the ScanPST.exe tool. The best solution to avoid manual disable faulty add-ins in Outlook challenges and complete this task effectively is the Shoviv Outlook PST Repair Tool.
Locating the Outlook Data Files
- Problems like system crashes, sudden shutdowns, or profile issues can corrupt the OST file, causing Outlook to display sync errors or lose access to your data.
- Navigate to the location of the PST file, then cut and paste it into a different folder.
- The tool not only recovers the damaged PST Files but also ensures data integrity and data reliability.
- In contrast, the Cigati Outlook PST Repair Tool provides a comprehensive fix for recovering damaged or corrupted PST files.
- We are going to share a table below with the default location of this utility for different Outlook versions, like Outlook 2010, 2013, or 2019.
- This post explains how to repair Outlook .pst files using Microsoft’s Inbox Repair tool (SCANPST.EXE), as well as other solutions you can try.
- Depending on your Office installation type (Click-to-run or MSI-based), you'll see the following options to proceed with the repair.
- Use the Browse button to choose the Outlook Data File (.pst) you need to scan — find the file based on the locations in step 2 above.
We have shared everything on the manual and professional ways to fix Outlook data files or Personal Storage Table (PST) in this blog. Also, we go over the stepwise working procedure of both solutions and the reasons behind PST file corruption issues. The Inbox Repair tool or ScanPST.exe is not a convenient way because of multiple restrictions. Moreover, this tool can quickly recover email messages, calendars, tasks and other data from corrupted PST files.
Shortcomings of the Inbox Repair Tool

After you’ve located the ScanPST.exe tool, proceed with the following instructions to fix your Outlook data file (PST). If you want to fix PST files using this tool, make sure to have a proper backup of the Outlook PST before processing. Navigate to the location of the PST file, then cut and paste it into a different folder.