How to troubleshoot “unable to expand folder” error from an OST file?

Manisha Giri

Updated On - April 1, 2024

Offline Storage Table, or OST, is a file format to store Exchange mailbox information when MS Outlook fails to establish a connection with Exchange Server. However, the presence of several factors in MS Exchange environment halts the OST synchronization process.

Occasionally, an OST file fails due to an unexpected error, “unable to expand the folder”, which becomes more frustrating for the users. This type of error message can damage an OST file. Next, we will discuss the reasons behind the issue, the symptoms, and the manual methods to fix it.

Symptoms of “unable to expand folder of an OST file” error

There are several conditions that increase the risk of these errors or file corruption. Some common symptoms are listed below:

• Exchange Server crash
• Internet disruption for long time
• Abnormal OST file size
• Computer hardware malfunctioning
• Corrupt or missing Windows system file
• Several Outlook profiles on client Server

Before understanding the straightforward solution to the error occurring in OST file “Unable to expand the folder,” it is important to know the main reasons for fixing the issue. There are multiple reasons of this error display in your Microsoft Outlook account. Some common reasons are shown below:

• The error appears to be due to the corruption of an OST file.
• Any interruption in the network is a common reason.
• If the size of an OST file is exceeded, then it becomes unstable.
• The name of the Email profile is incorrect.
• Incorrect Outlook Email account settings.

To troubleshoot the issue, here are some quick solutions available. Follow the methods discussed below:

There are multiple Outlook profiles for a single account; delete all profiles from your system. Then you can create a new Outlook profile using the following steps:

1. Click Windows start menu
2. Go to Control Panel>Mail
3. Hit “Show profiles” in the new Windows
4. Press “Remove” button to delete old Outlook profiles
5. Click “Add” to create a new Outlook profile and press “Ok” button
6. Click “Manually configure Server Settings or additional Server types” in the new Windows and press” Next”
7. Browse Exchange account address and press “Next”
8. Click “Finish” to complete creation of Outlook profile
9. Restart MS Outlook to synchronize with Exchange Server

When your profile corrupts or shows the error “Unable to expand folder”, then you use another alternative method by repairing your Outlook application. Just follow below steps to perform this repair:

1. Open the Control Panel and select the Program and Features tab.
2. Navigate to the Microsoft Office program and right-click on it. Then select the change option from the drop-down list.
   
3. Next click yes to continue the process.
4. Now select the quick repair option and agree on repair.

The above methods are helpful, but there is a high chance of data loss. To fix OST error” Unable to expand folder” safely, we suggest you use a professional tool, Recoveryfix for OST to PST converter. It is compatible with all versions of Windows and capable of converting large OST files into PST without losing its integrity.

This software is an ideal solution to all OST corruption issues. The OST repair tool can also restore deleted Exchange accounts of a Server. It successfully recovers mailbox data even from password protected, compressed and highly encrypted OST files.

Conclusion

Through this article, we share with you the multiple methods to fix the error “unable to expand folder from an OST file. Users can opt for any of the methods listed above to fix the issue. But in any situation where these solutions do not work, you must try the professional tool Recoveryfix for OST to PST Converter to resolve the error with ease. The innovative software helps you configure your data quickly and keep backups of all inaccessible data. We highly suggest you use the automated professional tool.