How to Run Scanpst.exe in Outlook 365​?

ScanPST is a tool used to fix corruption issues in Outlook data (PST) files. It comes automatically installed with Outlook installation. This tool thoroughly scans the PST file for corruption and other consistency errors, and repairs them. It is simple to run the ScanPST. In this article, we will discuss how to use ScanPST in Outlook 365 to repair PST file.

When to Use ScanPST.exe?

Here are some situations where you should consider running Inbox Repair Tool as these issues arise due to PST file corruption:

• Outlook won’t open or keeps crashing.
• Error messages related to PST file corruption.
• Emails or folders suddenly go missing.
• Outlook freezes when you click certain folders.
• You get warnings that the PST file is too big.
• When Outlook keeps prompting to run the Inbox Repair Tool.

Stepwise Process to Run ScanPST.exe in Outlook 365

Below are the detailed steps to run the ScanPST:

Close Outlook Completely

• Ensure that your Outlook application is completely closed.

Locate ScanPST.exe

Before proceeding with the usage of Inbox Repair Tool (ScanPST), it is essential to know its location first. The location of this tool may vary, depending on your version of Outlook and Windows. The default location of ScanPST in Outlook 365 is:

C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\root\Office16 or C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\root\Office16

Launch ScanPST.exe

• Once you have found the location of ScanPST, double-click to launch it.

Select Your PST File

• Click on Browse to choose your corrupted PST file.
• Click Start.

Review Scan Result

• Once the scanning process is complete, the tool will display the errors found.
• Check the box – Make backup of scanned file before repairing.

Repair the PST file

• Click on Repair to fix the errors.
• It will start repairing the PST file. The process may take some time.
• Once the process is finished, it will save the repaired PST file at the default location.

Limitations of ScanPST.exe

Even though ScanPST can repair damaged or corrupted PST files, it has several limitations that you should be aware of:

• Often fails to repair large or severely damaged PST files.
• May delete unrecoverable items, leading to data loss.
• Cannot restore permanently deleted or missing emails.
• Provides only basic logs; limited details on what was fixed or lost.
• Requires manual effort to locate and run; no automation.
• Repairs the structure but may leave the file unstable after heavy corruption.

What if ScanPST Fails to Repair PST File?

In case ScanPST fails to repair the corrupted PST file, then you can use a reliable PST repair tool, like Stellar Repair for Outlook. It is a powerful utility that is capable enough to fix severe PST file corruption with complete integrity and precision. It has a user-friendly interface and provides advanced features, such as:

• Repairs severely corrupted PST files.
• Recovers all mailbox items.
• Restores deleted emails and mailbox items.
• Supports large PST files.
• Handles password-protected or encrypted PST files.
• Maintains folder hierarchy and data integrity after repair.
• Offers preview of all recoverable items.
• Compatible with multiple Outlook versions.

Follow the steps below to use this software:

• First you have to download and install the application from the official website.
• Then, launch the application.
• Now, you will see two options: List Profile and Choose Manually.
• Select List Profiles. It will automatically fetch the PST file from the default location.
• Click on Repair.
• Once the scanning process is complete, the tool will display all your mailbox items in a preview window.
• Now click on Save Repaired File and choose the file format as PST.
• Click on Next.
• Browse the desired location where you want to save the repaired PST file.
• Click OK.

After repairing your PST file, you can import it into Outlook by using Import/Export wizard and access your mailbox items.

Conclusion

ScanPST is a tool, provided by Microsoft, for repairing corrupt PST files. In this article, we have explained the detailed process to run the ScanPST in Outlook 365. It is to be noted that this utility has certain limitations due to which it sometimes fail to repair the file. If it fails to repair the file, consider using a professional PST repair tool, like Stellar Repair for Outlook. This powerful PST repair software can even repair highly corrupted PST files and restore all the items to new file by preserving total data integrity. You can free download Stellar Repair for Outlook to scan the PST file and see the preview.