How to fix “The Archive PST cannot be found in Outlook 365”

In Outlook 365 and earlier versions, PST (.pst) files are used to store emails and other information. Sometimes, while accessing a PST file, you may encounter the error ‘The archive PST cannot be found.’

The error usually occurs when Outlook fails to locate the PST file. In this article, we will discuss how to fix the error, but before that, let’s see what causes the issue.

Reasons for ‘The Archive PST cannot be found’ error

• Outlook.exe is running in the background, preventing file access.
• The PST file is already in use in the background.
• The file is located in OneDrive, which has sync issues.
• The Archive PST file is damaged or corrupted.
• Corrupt Outlook Profile.
• The hard drive storing the archive PST has bad sectors.
• The PST file is too large.

Methods to resolve “The Archive PST cannot be Found” error in Outlook 365

Sometimes, outdated Outlook versions can cause bugs or issues in Outlook. Ensure that your Outlook application is updated to the latest version. For this, go to File > Office Account > Update Options > Update Now, and install any available updates.

You can also verify that the PST file you’re trying to open is the right one, and has a .pst extension. If these basic troubleshooting steps do not work, then run through the following:

Method 1: Move the PST file from OneDrive to local storage

You may encounter the error while accessing the PST file if it’s stored on OneDrive. This usually happens due to file locking issues or network conflicts. In such a case, you can try moving your PST file from OneDrive to a local folder on the system. Then, try opening the file from that location. Follow the steps below:

• Close your Outlook application and wait for a few minutes for OneDrive sync to complete.
• Locate the OneDrive folder containing the PST file and then copy the PST file to a new location on your local storage.
• Rename the PST file with .pst extension.
• Now, open Outlook and navigate to File > Account Settings > Account Settings > Email.
• In this window, select your account name and click Change Folder.

• Choose your account and click the New Outlook Data Files option. Go to the new location of the PST file, select it, and click OK.
• In the Data Files tab, select the Outlook data file in OneDrive and click Remove. This will disconnect the file from Outlook.

• Close Outlook and delete the file from OneDrive, if required.

Method 2: Create new profile

The archive PST file cannot be found error can also occur due to corruption in the Outlook profile. If that’s the issue, you can create a new profile. The steps are as follows:

• Close Outlook and open the Control Panel.
• Navigate to User Accounts > Mail and click on the Show Profiles button.
• Then, click Add.

• Type any name for the new profile and click OK.

• You will see a sign-in wizard. Enter your email account credentials, like username (email) and password.
• Once the sign-in is successful, restart Outlook.
• You will see a dropdown from where you need to choose your profile. Choose the new profile and click OK.

Method 3: Check and grant file permissions

You can get “The archive PST cannot be found” error if you don’t have sufficient permissions to open or modify the PST file. You can check and provide the required permissions to fix the issue, by:

• Go to the folder where the PST file is stored. Usually, it is located at: C:\Users\\Documents\Outlook Files.
• Right-click on the PST file and choose Properties.
• Under the General section, make sure Read-Only is not checked. If checked, uncheck it and click OK.
• Next, click Security and check the file permissions.
• Make sure the full control option is enabled. If not, then grant the permission. Click Apply and then OK.

Method 4: Repair your PST file

The ‘archive PST cannot be found’ error may occur if the .pst file is corrupted or damaged. You can repair it with Outlook’s built-in utility, ScanPST.exe, located in Outlook’s installation directory:

• Locate ScanPST and double-click it.
• In the Microsoft Outlook Inbox Repair Tool window, click Browse to select the archive PST file you want to repair.

• Once the file is selected, click Start to initiate the scanning process.
• If any errors are found, click Repair to fix.

The repair process may take a while to complete. Sometimes, the ScanPST.exe freezes or fails to repair the PST file. This indicates the selected PST file is either large or too severely damaged.

In this case, you can use an advanced PST repair tool, like Stellar Repair for Outlook. It can repair severely corrupted, large-sized PST files to recover emails and other items quickly. It also lets you preview the recovered data before saving, and supports Outlook 2021, 2019, 2016, 2013, and earlier.

Conclusion

The ‘archive PST cannot be found’ error in Outlook 365 can prevent you from restoring old mail items from an archive file. You can follow the methods discussed above to resolve the error. If corruption in PST file has triggered this error, you can repair it using a professional PST repair tool, like Stellar Repair for Outlook, which can quickly and safely repair the file without risk of data loss.

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