How to Resolve “Large PST File Crashes Outlook” Error?
If you’re also facing this large PST file crashes Outlook issue & want to fix this error. Then, no problem, in this well-explained article, we’ll discuss how to solve the problem of Outlook crashes when opening large PST file with a troubleshooting guide.
All of the MS Outlook users know about PST files, which are a file format used by Outlook for storing all mailbox data, such as emails, contacts, calendars, attachments, etc, in tabular form. However, the file starts increasing in size when we use it over time for saving all the data. When it crosses its limit, it causes many problems like crashing, not opening, or lagging.
So, before diving into solutions, let’s walk through the errors caused by an oversized PST file and what are its reasons.
Common Reasons for “Large PST File Crashes Outlook” Error
There are many reasons for Outlook crashes when opening large PST files, as it has several older versions which have file size restrictions, such as Outlook 2002 and older than, which have a 2 GB size maximum, Outlook 2003 to 2010 include up to 20 GB capacity, and Outlook 2013 & later have up to 50 GB storage capacity. However, if they’ve passed out this limit, then Outlook becomes inaccessible or might not respond or crash during the working process.
Check out more reasons mentioned in the following section:
- Corrupted File: If your Outlook data file has reached maximum size, then it’ll damage the data & make the file corrupt, then there’s a high possibility that Outlook crashes when opening PST file.
- Large Attachments: Receiving several emails with huge attachments in a day, then the system becomes oversized quickly and resulting in crashing.
- Redundant Items: Duplicated data, like emails, contacts, and attachments, is also one of the reasons of PST file keeps crashing Outlook.
Note: If you’re not able to handle your data file further, then we recommend using the SysTools Outlook Duplicate Remover tool, which automatically scans and deletes duplicate items from Outlook mailbox. It maintains the data structure of the file after the removal of unwanted items.
Errors Caused Due to Large PST Files
Here are some of the issues given below that users faced because of oversized PST files:
- Suddenly, your Outlook becomes unresponsive or slows down during your work, as a result it will impact your Outlook performance.
- Your emails or other receivable items get delayed in your management work.
- Unable to access the mail folder, send or search emails.
- Also, you will be getting errors like Outlook not responding or Outlook mailbox full.
Knowing the causes is necessary for resolving the issue. Now, let’s dive into the solutions.
Effective Method to Solve “Outlook Crashes When Opening Large PST file” Error
If your PST file keeps crashing Outlook, then in the following section, we’ve mentioned seamless methods to resolve the problem with its explanation one by one.
- Using Compact Now Feature
- Try Archive Old Emails
- Use Inbox Repair Tool
- Turn Off Add-ins
- Using an Automated Solution
Now, let’s understand the solutions in detail.
Method 1: Solve “Large PST File Crashes Outlook” Issue by Compact Now
Outlook has a built-in feature to compact & shrink pst file.
Steps:
- Open MS Outlook.
- Navigate to File > Account settings > Account Settings.
- Choose your large PST file under the Data Files tab.
- Press Settings > Compact Now.
- After the completion process, click Ok button.
Note: If this manual method fails to compact your file, then you can use the SysTools PST Compress Tool. This will automate your compression process, which saves both time and effort.
Method 2: Fix “Outlook Crashes When Opening PST File” by Archive Old Emails
Archiving unwanted or old emails helps to reduce the size of data file without losing or deleting any data.
Steps:
- Go to File > Info >Tools > Clean up Old items.
- Select Archive this Folder & All Subfolders option.
- Then, choose any Data Range to move your old emails into a new file.
- Save your new Archived PST file to the selected location.
- Click Ok Button.
Method 3: Try Inbox Repair Tool to Solve “Large PST File Crashes Outlook“ Error
Microsoft offers a ScanPST.exe, which is inbox repair tool to recover the corrupted files in Outlook.
Steps:
- Quit your Outlook fully.
- Search for ScanPST.exe, which is usually found in the Office Installation Folder.
- Launch the Tool and Upload your data file.
- Click Start button to scan and fix the PST file.
Method 4: Disable Unwanted Add-ins to Prevent PST file keeps Crashing Outlook Issue
Remove all faulty or outdated add-ins to avoid worse Outlook performance.
Steps:
- Launch your Outlook in Safe Mode by writing (Outlook.exe / safe) in Run.
- Go to File > Options > Add-ins.
- Turn off unnecessary add-ins, especially third-party.
- Now, run your Outlook again.
These methods are very time-consuming, and sometimes they might not be compatible with a huge PST file. So, if you want a reliable solution and a quick result, then we recommend using an automated method. Take a look at the utility given below.
Instant Solution to Fix “Large PST File Crashes Outlook” Error With Professional Tool
If the above-mentioned methods fail, as your file is completely inaccessible due to corruption. Then, we suggest using the SysTools PST Repair Tool. This Advanced software is very powerful, trusted and reliable, especially made to recover the damaged PST data file without losing data. It maintains data integrity while repairing the corruption.
Know more features:
- It can transfer your data from a PST file in many supported formats.
- This software can restore deleted items from the Outlook data file.
- It provides a preview option for checking attachments in all categories.
- Offers a dual option to search & fix multiple Outlook files.
- Also, able to recover data from password-encrypted files.
Let’s understand its working.
Steps to Fix Outlook Crashes When Opening Large PST File Error
- Download & run the aforementioned software on your operating system.
- Click on Add file to import the large file.
- Select the Data file and press the Open button.
- Choose the Advanced Scan tab to fix corruption.
- Press on Export button to store the items in PST file.
- Finally, click on Ok option for successfully repairing.
Conclusion
In this article, we’ve discovered the best solution for fixing the “large PST file crashes Outlook” error without losing any data. While using the manual methods like compacting now, archiving old emails, and many more, it will help you out till the end. But if you want to more effective result, then automated tools are also mentioned above, they will surely help you out in solving Outlook crashes when opening large PST file.