Default Outlook Profile.ost is Not an Outlook Data File – Issue Resolved
Microsoft Outlook is one of the most used email applications in organizations. Its wide range of features makes it a really popular email client. Despite being one of the most popular email clients, the users have to face some errors while using it.
So, in this article, we will be discussing the issue “profile.ost is not an Outlook data file”. Are you also facing the same issue as the OST file is not an Outlook data file while accessing your email messages on Microsoft Outlook? If yes, then read this article and know how to resolve the Outlook error message in simple steps and access OST data items stored in it.
Why Users Get Profile.ost is Not an Outlook Data File?
Microsoft Outlook is an easy-to-use and affordable application for users to manage their mailbox data. However, there exist some situations when the users have to face some troubles due to the error messages. When the user tries to open Outlook in the system, they encounter an error message such as Default Outlook Profile.ost is Not an Outlook Data File. If the users try to restart Outlook, they might face the issue of accessing ost files again. so, it is better to first know the reason behind it and then fix it.
The main reason behind the users getting this MS Outlook error is when it does not recognize the offline Outlook OST file. It triggers the error message that ‘OST is not the data file used by Microsoft Outlook’. As the MS Outlook application provides advanced security, thus it does not allow the users to access OST file mailbox data. Some of the most common reasons which the profile.ost is not an Outlook data file issue is triggered are mentioned below:
- Corruption in OST file
- Sudden power failure can also make it inaccessible
- Synchronization issues between Exchange Server and Outlook
- Unexpected termination of Microsoft Outlook
Fix Profile.ost is Not an Outlook Data File Error Manually
The manual procedure explained in the following segment will help users to resolve the issue completely free of cost. Although the procedure is free, it is quite lengthy and complex as far as the non-technical users are concerned. The users can follow the steps mentioned below:
- Navigate to Control Panel and choose the Mail option.
- A dialog box will appear. Here, click on the Show Profiles option and select your Outlook profile.
- Go to the Properties option. Then, click the Email button and finally the Exchange button.
- Now, click on the Change option and uncheck the “Use Cached Exchange Mode” option.
- Then, go to Settings >> Advanced >> Offline Folder File.
- Now, click on the Settings option once more and then select “Disable Offline” and hit the Yes button.
- Open the Offline Folder File settings and hit the OK button.
- Here, hit the Next button and then hit Yes.
- Navigate to Cached Exchange Mode Settings and check the checkbox “Use Cached Exchange Mode” and hit OK.
- Finally, go to Next >> Finish >> Close to complete the process.
Proficient Solution to Resolve Default Outlook Profile.ost is Not an Outlook Data File
The manual method discussed above might help you to resolve the issue but it is a difficult task for non-technical users. Moreover, the users don’t like a solution in which the users have to face some trouble or might lose their crucial data. So, they look for a reliable method i.e. SysTools OST to PST File Conversion Software. It is a perfect software for users who are unable to access their offline Outlook files by moving them into PST file format. The application is so simple and easy to use which makes the entire process efficient for the users. Once, the output PST file is created, the users can access that file in Outlook all versions.
Conclusion
There are several numbers of errors that users can encounter while using Outlook. One such issue is profile.ost is not an Outlook data file. In this article, we have explained the reasons why this error message is encountered while using the email application. Moreover, users can also get the manual method to fix the OST file issue. If they are still unable to resolve the message, then they can use the third-party solution as discussed in the above segment of the article.