Have you ever tried to delete Outlook data file? And got this error, “You cannot delete this Outlook data file.” This blog is focusing on this error- its reasons and solutions.
What are the reasons behind this error?
There are many situations where you can get this error such as –
- Running multiple processes of Outlook
- PST file is opened and is in use by Outlook
- Corruption in Outlook data file
- Outlook.exe is running and in use by another application
Solutions to resolve this error of Outlook
Let us move to the solutions to fix “You cannot delete Outlook data file” error.
Solution 1. Close Outlook and End Processes
If you are unable to delete your Outlook data file, then chances are there that Outlook is open. So, try to close all running instances of Outlook and Outlook. After that, try deleting Outlook data file. You can easily end up all processes by opening Task manager on your system. You can open Task Manager by simple press CTRL+SHIFT+ESC together. Now, go to the Processes tab and end task by click on the running tasks.
Solution 2. Close PST file from MS Outlook
Users face this error in Outlook 2013 or 2010 is when they try to import Outlook file from older versions like 2003. The only solution in that case is go to Outlook and close the file. After opening Outlook, right-click on PST file and click on Close ‘Outlook data file’ option.
After that, try again to delete Outlook file and check if it works.
Solution 3. Remove Outlook profile
If the above mentioned solutions don’t work for you then try removing whole Outlook profile related to PST file. For this, go to Control Panel and click on Mail. Select Show Profile and select Outlook profile. Click on remove button.
Solution 4. Fix PST file corruption
If your PST file is corrupt then you can get this error. To fix corruption in Outlook file, you can go for automated solutions like Outlook PST Recovery. This tool repair and recover all kinds of PST files in a few clicks. Having simple steps, beginners can easily operate it. The software fix PST corruption issues and save PST file data into other file formats. It can even recover deleted emails in PST file and save the repaired file at any location of your choice.
Concluding Lines
I hope with this blog, you have found the solution to resolve “You cannot delete this Outlook data file” error. We have explained many solutions with the reasons behind this error. You can use these solutions and get rid of this error.
