Fix Outlook OST is in Use and Cannot Be Accessed Error [ Pro Tips ]

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  • Published on April 15th, 2020

  • Updated on April 23, 2022

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If you are looking for a reliable solution to find relevant solutions to resolve the Outlook error i.e. Outlook OST is in Use and Cannot Be Accessed. In this technical post, we will help you to resolve your queries regarding the error. Also, we have introduced a professional approach that provides a smooth working experience to its users.

Microsoft and Exchange Servers are widely used popular and top-ranked applications. MS Outlook stores its mailbox items like email, contacts, calendars, etc., in the OST file format that is also known as Offline Storage Table. But at some point, Outlook users face an “OST is in use and cannot be accessed” error. If you are one of them, follow this content from top to end to fix your issue without any extra effort. Now, before moving ahead, let’s move ahead toward the possible causes behind the error.

Causes Behind Outlook.ost is in Use and Cannot Be Accessed

Generally, this error occurs when a user tries to send and save Office application functions such as MS Word and Power point. So, when this error displays in Outlook, it creates a file opening issue due to this, the file username .ost is in use and cannot be accessed. Also, the error may be displayed due to several other reasons like:

Outlook OST is in Use and Cannot Be Accessed

  • If there is unauthorized access to the OST file.
  • When multiple users try to access the same OST file at the same time.
  • Due to unreliable network connectivity or slow internet connection.
  • Communication and synchronization problem between the OST and Associate Exchange Servers.
  • Downloaded the application in the wrong way and hence caused conflicts.
  • Other processes like the Office Communicator, LYNC, and UCMAPI run in the background.

How to Resolve MS Outlook Errors in Different versions?

In this section, we have explained the solutions to fix Outlook OST is in Use and Cannot Be Accessed Error in detail. You need to follow each method in a stepwise manner.

Method 1: Quit MS Outlook and Related Processes

  • Firstly, Close the Outlook application and open the Task Manager.
  • Now, click on the More options and open the Processes tab.
  • A wizard will appear on the screen, click on Processes, and look for applications like “Outlook,” “Lync,” “Communicator,” or “UCMAPI”.
  • Then, click on such processes and hit the End Task button one by one.

Method 2: Disable Exchange Cached Mode

  • First, Close the Outlook application and Launch the Control Panel.
  • Now, search and click on the Mail tab and tap on the Email Account button.
  • After that, choose your email-id and tap on the Change button.
  • Here Uncheck the Use Cached Exchange Mode option.
  • At last, press the Next button and then hit the Finish button.

Method 3: Find and Disable Problematic Outlook Add-ins

  • Close the Outlook application and press the Windows + R button.
  • Now, type Outlook/Safe and press the Enter button.
  • Then, use Outlook normally and check if the error is resolved or not.

Method 4: Repair OST file with Inbox Repair Tool

  • First, you have to move to the given path to find and open the SCANPST.EXE:
    C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\root\OfficeXX\
  • Now, click on the Browse button and choose the OST file.
  • Then, click on the Start button and if there is an error, press the Repair button to fix the problem with the OST file.
  • After the repair, restart the Outlook application and click on the Send/Receive to check if the Outlook is still working or not.

Method 5: Convert OST to PST

  • Launch the Outlook application and Navigate to the File tab.
  • In the Open & Export tab, click on the Import-Export box.
  • Now, in the Import & Export Wizard choose the export to a file option and press the Next button.
  • After that select the Outlook Data File (.pst) option and tap on the Next button.
  • Click on the Browse button to pick a destination to save the converted file and then click on the Finish button.

As the Outlook OST is in use and cannot be accessed, the Outlook Import/Export wizard may not work. In that case, use the OST to PST converter tool.

Automated Solution to Convert OST to PST File

Cigati OST to PST Converter is a proficient utility that converts the OST files into the PST file format hassle-free. The utility is fully loaded with highly advanced features by considering the requirements of the high-tech users. Also, the software has an easy-to-use interface that requires no prior technical knowledge for its usage. Apart from that, it converts the OST files into the Outlook PST format in bulk.

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Take Away

The above guide will surely help you to resolve your queries. We have discussed different and manual solutions to resolve the Outlook OST is in use and cannot be accessed error. Sometimes, there are chances that due to several reasons users cannot access their OST files and want to convert it into the PST format. Hence, we recommend users to opt for the best OST to PST converter that converts the OST file into the PST format without any efforts.

About The Author:

Rohan Wiese works as Technical Content Writer at Cigati Solutions. He writes technical blogs, articles, newsgroups, etc. on Database Recovery, Email Backup & Migration for Cloud and Webmail Email Clients. He has almost two years of writing experience and has written about many Technologies such as Cloud Computing, Intelligence, IoT, and Email Management.

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