The error ‘cannot start Microsoft Outlook the set of folders cannot be opened’ is one of the most common Outlook errors many users face today. This error prevents you from accessing your mailbox, and you cannot start Microsoft Outlook. But you don’t need to worry. Throughout this article, we will discuss possible fixes to this error.

Microsoft Outlook is an email client that provides many useful features. It stores all your emails, tasks, events, etc. It also provides exchange connectivity for email communication. But, sometimes, the users face some errors related to Outlook that hamper their work. As a result, you will not be able to open the application.  The error ‘Outlook set of folders cannot be opened’ can have multiple causes, including having multiple email accounts in the Windows Mail App.

Now, let us look at how to fix the error ‘cannot start Microsoft outlook the set of folders cannot be opened’ easily.

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Causes Behind This Error

The main issue that you face when this error occurs is that you cannot open the Outlook app. After you attempt to open Outlook, you will see the cursor loading for a while. Then, the error message will pop up on the screen.

microsoft outlook error

Though, we don’t know the exact cause of this error. However, according to Microsoft, this error occurs due to a file corruption in your Outlook profile .xml file with your name. Another cause may occur if you try to open Outlook in Compatibility mode or use a damaged file from an older version of Outlook. So, you need to know how to troubleshoot the error ‘cannot start Microsoft Outlook the set of folders cannot be opened.’

Ways to Fix ‘Cannot Start Microsoft Outlook The Set of Folders Cannot Be Opened’ Error

Here are a few fixes to resolve the error ‘cannot start Microsoft Outlook the set of folders cannot be opened.’

Open Outlook In Safe Mode And Disable Add-ins

Sometimes, add-ins may cause the error ‘cannot start Microsoft Outlook the set of folders is not opening. If you start Outlook in Safe Mode, it starts without any add-ins and thus can tell you if add-ins cause this error. Read this article if you’ve got your Outlook 2010 opening only in safe mode. Follow the steps below to do so:

  1. Press the Windows+R keys together to open the Run dialogue box.
  2. Type Outlook /safe in the box and select OK. outlook safe run dialog
  3. A Choose Profile dialog box will appear. Accept the default settings of Outlook and select OK.choose profile name

If Outlook starts in safe mode, then there must be a problem with add-ins.

If Outlook works fine in Safe Mode, you need to disable add-ins. You can disable add-ins by following the steps below:

  1. Select the File tab present in the upper left corner. Then select Options. Then, click on Add-ins.
  2. After that, select COM Add-ins present in the Manage box at the bottom of the Outlook Options window. Then, click on Go. outlook options
  3. A list of add-ins will appear. Uncheck all the Add-ins that you want to disable and select OK.com add ins

Now, restart Outlook and check if the error persists.

Remove XML Files

Corrupted XML files are also one of the reasons for which Outlook cannot open a set of folders. You can remove these files to fix the problem by following the steps below:

  1. Press the Windows + R keys together to open the Run dialog box.
  2. Type appdata in the box and select OK.remove xml
  3. In the AppData window, go to Local, then select Microsoft and then click on Outlook. localappdata
  4. Open the Outlook folder as per your Outlook version, then from the folder, remove the XML files and restart Outlook. open outlook

This method is also one of how you can resolve the ‘cannot start Microsoft Outlook the set of folders cannot be opened’ error.

Reset The Navigation Pane

Outlook lets you customize the navigation pane, which is present in the left-most corner of the Outlook window. Sometimes, due to these customizations, ‘the set of folders is not opening’ error occurs in Outlook. Thus, we can fix the error by resetting the navigation pane.

  1. Close all the applications that are related to Outlook.
  2. Press the Windows+R keys together to open the Run dialog box.
  3. Type outlook.exe /resetnavpane in the box and select OK.reset navigation pane
  4. Open your Outlook after this and check whether it is opening normally. 

Thus, you may fix the error easily by resetting the navigation pane.

Repair Your Outlook Files

Outlook stores all your messages, emails, events, tasks, and contacts in data files. These files sometimes get corrupted due to malware infection, abrupt shutdown of your system, etc. Thus, this can be one of the reasons for causing the error ‘cannot start Microsoft Outlook the set of folders cannot be opened’. To scan the Outlook files, you can repair this error by running the Inbox Repair Tool (scanpst.exe).

  1. Open the Windows File Explorer and go to C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\(Your Office version)
  2. In this window, right-click on SCANPST.EXE file. Then, click on Open.scanpst
  3. Select the Browse icon and select the file that you want to repair.start repair
  4. Click on the Start to start scanning the file. 
  5. After the scanning process, select the Repair option to repair the file.

See Also: How Do I Open OST Files In MS Outlook?

Create a New Outlook Profile

You mustclick repair create a new Outlook profile if you cannot open the Outlook window properly due to damaged and corrupted files. This may fix the issue of ‘cannot start Microsoft Outlook, the set of folders cannot be opened.’ Follow the steps below to create a new profile:

  1. In the Windows Search bar, type Control Panel.
  2. Then, click on Mail. Select Show Profiles from the window that appears.  outlook profile
  3. Click on Add. In the Profile Name window that appears, type the profile name you want.new profile name
  4. On the Auto Account Setup page, fill in Your Name, E-mail Address, and Password, and then select Next.auto account setup
  5. Click on Finish, and in the Mail dialog box, the new profile name will get appear on the General tab.
  6. When starting the Microsoft Outlook section, use this profile, and then select OK. 

Thus, you can easily fix this error by creating a new profile.

FAQs

What are the main causes behind the error?

The error can occur due to some some corrupt files, damage files you create from the older version of outlook, or you try opening outlook in compatible mode.

How can I resolve the error?

There are various methods you can follow to resolve the error like opening outlook in safe mode, disabling add-ins, removing xml files, resetting navigation panel and many more.

What issues I will face if this error occurs?

You will be unable to access your outlook application if the error occurs. A message about the error will appear on the screen after few seconds of loading.

Can I resolve the error by myself?

Yes, you can fix the error by yourself without any external guidance. Just follow all the methods step by step and you will be able to fix the error without much time consumption and difficulty.

Conclusion

We hope that by applying one of these methods, you can fix the error ‘cannot start Microsoft Outlook the set of folders cannot be opened’ easily. This error is very common among Outlook users. Just follow these methods, and you can fix this error.

See Also: {Solved} Fix Error 0x8004010F: Outlook Data File Cannot Be Accessed