What To Do If Outlook Data File Cannot Be Accessed Somehow

Microsoft Outlook is one of the most widely used email clients in Windows 10. Sometimes, when you try to send an email through Outlook, you may encounter certain errors. Error 0x8004010F is one of them. 

This error message states: ‘Sending reported error (0x8004010F): Outlook data file cannot be accessed’.

So, if you are seeing this Outlook error, it can be quite a frustrating situation. However, you can easily resolve this error with some simple hacks. 

Reasons why Outlook Data File Cannot be Accessed

There are various reasons that are responsible for this issue on your Outlook application. Some of these include:

• Your current Outlook profile is corrupted after you upgraded it.
• The Outlook data files have been moved to some other location.
• You haven’t installed or tested your Outlook profile properly.

Now, let’s proceed with some troubleshooting hacks that can eliminate this Outlook error 0x8004010F.

How to Fix when Outlook Data File Cannot be Accessed?

Outlook email services are very crucial for our day-to-day work. Any issue with the data file can hamper your task. Thankfully, you can resolve the Outlook error in question with the help of some simple solutions. So, follow them to fix your issue without any professional help:

Transfer Data File to Default Location

Some users tried to resolve the issue by moving the Outlook data file to a different location. Unfortunately, this couldn’t solve the issue for the majority of them. However, when they moved the data file to its default location, the data file could be accessed on Outlook.

Therefore, all you need to do is to shift the data file to its default location and restart the device. 

In case this solution doesn’t work, move on to the next one.

Set the Inbox Folder

You might face this issue if you haven’t specified the Inbox folder. Follow these steps to set the Inbox folder:

1. At first, launch the Outlook application and go to the ‘File’ option. From there, click on ‘Account Settings’ options.
2. Now, locate the ‘Change Folder’ option and click on it. Thereafter, find the ‘+’ sign beside the folder name and tap on it. This will prompt the folder to expand.
3. Tap on ‘Inbox’ and then click on the ‘OK’ button. Finally, close and exit the ‘Account Settings’ window. Thereafter, click on the ‘Send and Receive’ button. 

If including the Inbox folder doesn’t resolve the issue, you can follow the next solutions.

Make Use of Repair Option

Another way to resolve the issue when the Outlook data file cannot be accessed is to use the ‘Repair’ option. Here’s what you need to do in order to execute this solution:

1. Begin by clicking on the ‘Control Panel’ option. From there, select ‘Mail’.
2. Now, choose the ‘Repair’ option. Thereafter, wait for some time to let the repair option rectify the issues existing in your Outlook application. 

If this method also fails to give you proper access Outlook data file, proceed with the remaining fixes.

Set a New ‘.pst’ File

Creating a fresh ‘.pst’ file for your Outlook application can potentially eliminate the issue in question. However, you can use a copy of the old ‘.pst’ file in case you want to keep the previous data. 

Simply, click the ‘Email’ tab and go to the ‘Change Folder’ option. Now, remove the old file and add a ‘new’ .pst file. Thereafter, restart the Outlook application to check if the issue is resolved. In case the error still persists, you might have to create an entirely fresh ‘.pst’ file. Follow these steps to create a new one:

Step 1

At first, click on the ‘File’ option. Thereafter, tap on ‘Account Settings’. Now choose an account of your choice.  After you click on the desired account option, choose the ‘Change Folder’ option. 

Step 2

After this, go to the ‘Create new Outlook data file’ option. Now, insert a desired name for the new file. Thereafter, locate the ‘+’ icon and click on it. Click on ‘Inbox’. You’ll find a new path has been added just below the ‘Change Folder’ option.

Repair Outlook Data Files

At times, repairing the Outlook data file can be a great way to eliminate this issue. However, if you have a Microsoft Exchange account, you can just remove the data file. Don’t worry as it will be recreated automatically. 

But, if you do not have an account on Microsoft Exchange then don’t worry. You can follow these steps to perform a repair of the Outlook data files:

1. At first, navigate to the Outlook installation directory on your device. After this, run the ‘scanpst.exe’ file. 
2. Thereafter, when the program begins to run, find ‘Enter the name of the file you want to scan’ field. Type the name of the ‘.pst’ file. Alternately, you can also click on ‘Browse’ and find the file manually on your device. 
3. Tap on the ‘Start’ button to initiate the scanning process. If you detect any issue click on ‘Repair’ to rectify the problem. 

If you can’t repair the Outlook files, check whether there is an authentication issue leading to the error. 

Acquire Ownership of the Data File

According to some users, the Outlook data file cannot be accessed when you lack ownership of the data file. So to successfully eliminate this issue, you must have ownership over the data file. Here’s how you can do it:

Step 1

At first, find and locate your Outlook data file and then right-click on it. Thereafter, choose the ‘ Properties’ option. After this, click on the ‘Security’ option and select the ‘Advanced’ button.

Step 2

Now you need to locate the ‘Owner’ list. In case you find an unknown username in the Owner section, you must change it immediately. To switch the owner, click on the ‘Change’ option. 

Step 3

Type your username in the ‘Enter the object name to select’ field. Tap on ‘Check Names’. If you find that the username is appropriate, then click on the ‘OK’ option. Thus, the ownership of the file will now change accordingly. 

However, make sure to set ‘Full Control’ to your profile. Finally, click on ‘Apply’ and then ‘OK’ to save the necessary changes. 

Turn Off Cached Exchange Mode

At times, the Cached Exchange Mode can potentially interfere with the Outlook application and its function. To efficiently get rid of this issue, you can turn off the Cached Exchange Mode. Here’s how to apply this fix:

1. Begin the process by clicking on the ‘Control Panel’. Now, go to ‘Mail’ and click on ‘Email Accounts’. From there, go to the ‘Email’ tab.
2. Choose your email account. Now, uncheck the box beside the ‘Use Cached Exchange Mode’ option. 
3. After you uncheck it, tap on ‘Next’ and ‘Finish’ options. Finally, restart your device and check if the issue still exists. 

In case the error still exists, you can follow the next solution to remove all Outlook processes.

Eliminate All Processes Related to Outlook

Sometimes, various processes can interfere with your Outlook email service. Due to this, you can face a variety of issues including the one in question. So, you can try ending all the associated Outlook processes to get rid of this error. Now, follow these instructions to stop all Outlook related tasks and processes:

1. Press Ctrl+Shift+Esc tabs together. This will enable the Task Manager window. 
2. When you are inside the Task Manager, locate and identify all the files and processes linked to Outlook. Delete them accordingly. Restart the device and verify whether the issue has been solved.

So, if you’re wondering how to fix when the Outlook data file cannot be accessed in 2016, follow the above solutions carefully. We hope the same set of instructions will be helpful to you.