Outlook has some fantastic features that will make your emailing experience much easier and faster. Many users, however, have several problems while using Outlook. One of these issues is Outlook not being able to access your personal data file is one of these situations.
The precise error message should be something like this:
0x8004010F: Outlook data file cannot be accessed.
You can’t send or receive emails when this problem occurs, and Outlook keeps displaying the above error on your screen. The most common cause of this problem is a damaged Outlook profile. There are several options for resolving this problem and getting Outlook to identify the data files.
How to fix Outlook data file cannot be accessed error
Method 1. Create & Use a New Outlook Profile
You should create a new profile and use it and use it as the primary profile in Outlook to fix the “Outlook data file cannot be found” problem. This will remove any problems with the former profile’s configuration and allow you to start over.
Step 1. Find The Data File Location
To begin, you must first locate your Outlook data file.
1. On your Windows computer, open Control Panel.
2. Make sure the Large icons option is selected in the View by menu in the top-right corner.
3. To check your email settings, locate and click the Mail option.
4. To see your Outlook profiles, click the Show Profiles option.
5. Select your existing profile from the drop-down menu and then click Properties.
6. To discover where your data file is saved, select the Data Files option.
7. A file entry with a checkmark icon will appear on the next screen. Make a note of where this Outlook data file is located.
Step 2. Create a New Outlook Profile
You can now build a new Outlook profile to replace the corrupted one you previously had. You’ll need your email logins to set up your email account, so keep them handy.
1. Open Control Panel and select Mail from the drop-down menu.
2. To see your profiles, click the Show Profiles button.
3. To create a new profile, go to the next screen and click Add.
4. In the Profile Name area, give your new profile a name and then click OK to preserve it.
5. The wizard for setting up email will now appear. To begin setting up your email account with Outlook, select Manual setup or additional server types and click Next.
6. At the bottom of the page, select your email account type and click Next. Select that option if your email account has POP3 or IMAP details, and then manually adjust the account settings.
7. On the next screen, fill in the email account information. When you’re finished, go to the Deliver new messages to section and select Existing Outlook Data File, then click the Browse button.
8. Go to the path you mentioned before for the Outlook data file and select it.
9. Complete the process for creating an email account.
10. Return to the Mail box and click OK after selecting your newly created profile from the Always use this profile menu. This will set your new profile as Outlook’s default email profile.
Method 2. Change The Mail Delivery Location
Another option is to create a new data file and configure Outlook to store your emails in it. This will produce a new data file for Outlook, which will usually resolve the error “Outlook data file cannot be opened.”
1. Launch Outlook from the Start Menu.
2. At the top of your screen, select the File tab.
3. From the options on the left sidebar, choose Info. Then, on the right-hand side pane, click Account Settings and pick Account Settings once more.
4. You’ll be in the Email tab by default. To add a new data file, go to the Data Files tab and click the Add button.
5. Outlook will prompt you for a location to save the file. To save the file, select a location, give it a name, and then click OK.
6. Outlook will continue to save your messages in the old data file. Set your new data file as the default data file to change this. In the list, find your newly generated file and click Set as Default at the top.
Method 3. Gain Ownership Of Your Outlook Data File
On Windows workstations, incorrect file permissions are common on Windows. Your Outlook problem could be caused by an erroneous data file ownership permission setting in this scenario.
This permissions issue can be resolved by reverting the ownership permission to your user account.
1. Open File Explorer and navigate to the location of your Outlook data file. Find out where Outlook keeps data files in the first portion of this article.
2. Select Properties from the context menu of your Outlook data file by right-clicking it.
3. Then select Advanced from the Security menu.
4. To change the owner of your selected file, click Change next to where it says Owner.
5. Enter your computer login in the Enter the object name to choose box, then click Check Names. Then press OK.
6. Make sure that your login is listed in the Access column as having Full control. Then press OK.
Method 4. Repair Outlook Using The Repair Tool
If the error that Outlook can’t access the data file persists, your last option is to run the Microsoft repair tool. This application comes preinstalled with your Office installation and may be utilized to fix issues with all your Office apps, including Outlook.
1. Open the Settings app on your phone.
2. On the next page, choose Apps.
3. Find Microsoft 365 or Microsoft Office by scrolling down the apps list.
4. Select Modify from the Office entry.
5. If Windows prompts you for permissions, select Yes.
The repair tool will ask you how you want Outlook and other Office apps to be repaired. Select Quick Repair to see if it resolves the issue. If it doesn’t, choose the Online Repair option to get your apps thoroughly repaired.
Check this video for more help:
Outlook relies on data files to send and receive emails. If these files are faulty or unavailable, Outlook may display a variety of problems. The techniques listed above will resolve the data file access error. There are ways to fix a slow-running Outlook and fix autocomplet`e issues in Outlook.
