4 Methods to resolve ‘Cannot open your default email folders’ error in Outlook

Amrita Choudhary

Updated On - July 4, 2023

MS Outlook is Windows and Mac users’ most popular and familiar email client for handling emails. It’s easy to operate and comes with all the essential features the users need. Everyone uses Outlook to communicate in the corporate industry. The efficient features and user-friendly interface of this Microsoft’s email service make it a top amongst businesses, professionals, and corporate offices.

Every platform has its pros and cons. And even here, Outlook users often go through various sudden issues, and the most common one is – ‘Open Your Default Email Folders.’ Once this error appears, don’t worry since it is easy to fix. This content will elaborate on the causes and discuss the simple solutions to resolve this error.

Why does the error ‘Cannot open your default email folders’ occur?

After ‘Cannot Open Your Default Email Folders’ occurs, a user obviously cannot proceed with their work and is barred from accessing the mailbox. You must first know what’s causing the problem to resolve this technical error.

• OST file may be corrupted; it needs to be repaired.
• MS Outlook runs in compatibility mode.
• Files or folders deleted from the Exchange folder.
• A severe virus attack.
• Due to an abnormal shutdown, the synchronization failed.
• Outlook crashed due to internal discrepancies.
• Bad sectors error occurs in the hard drive storing the OST file.
• Add-ins cause damage to the OST file.
• Installed plugins are affecting Outlook’s performance.

We will be discussing these simple and fruitful resolutions to Outlook errors: –

1. Turn off compatibility mode.
2. Run Outlook in Safe Mode.
3. Disable Add-ins in Outlook.
4. Fix OST file corruption.

The elaborated steps of the solutions are: –

1. Turn off compatibility mode
   Sometimes Outlook is running in compatibility mode is one of the reasons for this error. Ensure that it is disabled, and the procedure to do so is as follows: –
   • Press the Window + R to open the Run Window.
   • Type outlook.exe and click on OK.
   • Right-click on Outlook.exe and look for the compatibility mode in the properties.
   • Move to uncheck the ‘Run this program in compatibility mode’ box.
   • Finally, click on Apply.

   Now Outlook will start working appropriately, and no more ‘cannot open your default email folders’ error message. You can see your emails in your Inbox and continue your day.

2. Run Outlook in safe mode When you run Outlook in safe mode, it turns off all add-ins and lets you see your default Outlook email folder. This is a perfect way to access your default email folder in Outlook.
   
   
   The process to enable Safe Mode is as follows –
   • Open your Run app on your computer by pressing the Window key + R in the search box.
   • Type “outlook.exe/safe” and click on OK.
   • In the Choose Profiles dialog box, select the default setting of Outlook and then click on the OK option.
   • Finally, your Outlook will start in a safe mode.
3. Disable add-ins in Outlook
   • Open Microsoft Outlook
   • Open File tab > Options > Add-ins
   • Select COM Add-ins and click Go.
   • Uncheck all Add-ins
   • Then select the Add-ins one at a time and restart Outlook each time you choose any Add-in. It can help narrow down to the one causing trouble.
4. Fix OST file corruption The Outlook Offline Data File (OST) has become corrupt due to any problem, and you should replace or repair it.
   • Open the Control Panel and select the Mail option icon.
   • Now click on Show Profiles.
   • Choose the redundant profile and remove it. Then, click OK.
   • Now you can create a new profile again, which will create a new OST file, eliminating all the issues associated with the old OST file.

Final note

You can try fixing the ‘Cannot Open Your Default Email Folders’ in Outlook efficiently by following the troubleshooting methods mentioned in this article. It is pretty common that not all users are tech-savvy and possess the deep technical knowledge to overcome issues like this, especially when handling your business email with Outlook. And that’s why the manual methods could get complex. Then we suggest using a professional Recoveryfix for OST to PST Converter tool.

It is the most productive way to fix OST file data and prevent things from worsening. After fixing the data file, there will be a new one consisting of all the mailboxes and their folders. This software is best for converting OST to PST when OST becomes inaccessible.