How to Repair an Outlook PST File with ScanPST

Applies to: Classic Outlook for Microsoft 365 / Outlook 2024 / 2021 / 2019 / 2016 / 2013 / 2010 / 2007 / 2003

The Microsoft Outlook Inbox Repair Tool, SCANPST.EXE, checks Outlook data files for structural errors and can repair many problems in damaged .pst files.

The original version of this article was written for Outlook 2010. ScanPST is still included with current classic Outlook releases, although its installation path can vary by Outlook version and Office installation type.

In This Article

• 1. Before You Start
• 2. Find SCANPST.EXE
• 3. Scan and Repair the PST File
• 4. Review Recovered Items
• 5. PST Versus OST Files
• 6. Key Takeaways

1. Before You Start

• Close Outlook before running ScanPST.
• Back up the Outlook data file before attempting a repair.
• Make sure you know the location of the .pst file that you want to repair.

ScanPST repairs the internal structure of the data file. If part of the file is damaged beyond recovery, some items can be removed during the repair process.

2. Find SCANPST.EXE

For current Microsoft 365 and Office-based classic Outlook installations, a common location is:

C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\root\Office16\SCANPST.EXE

On 64-bit Windows with 32-bit Office, check the equivalent Program Files (x86) path.

Older releases use version-specific Office folders. For example, Outlook 2010 commonly uses:

C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office14\SCANPST.EXE

3. Scan and Repair the PST File

1. Start SCANPST.EXE.
2. Select Browse and choose the Outlook data file.
3. Select Start to scan the file.
4. If errors are found, select Repair.
5. Keep the option to create a backup file unless you have a specific reason not to.

You may need to run ScanPST more than once. Microsoft notes that several passes can be required before all repairable errors are resolved.

4. Review Recovered Items

After the repair, start Outlook with the profile that uses the repaired data file. Outlook can display folders such as Recovered Personal Folders or Lost and Found.

If recovered items appear there, create a new PST file and move the recovered items into it when appropriate. This avoids continuing to depend on a data file that was previously damaged.

5. PST Versus OST Files

ScanPST can also check Outlook data files used by classic Outlook, but the recovery approach is different for an Exchange or Microsoft 365 .ost file. Because the mailbox data is stored on the server, Microsoft generally recommends recreating the offline OST file rather than treating it like the primary copy of the mailbox.

For a standalone PST file, the PST itself can contain the only copy of the data, so back it up before repair and review the recovered content carefully afterward.

6. Key Takeaways

• ScanPST remains the Microsoft Inbox Repair Tool for classic Outlook data files.
• Close Outlook and back up the PST before starting a repair.
• Run the tool again if errors remain after the first pass.
• Review Recovered Personal Folders and Lost and Found after repair.
• For Exchange or Microsoft 365 OST files, recreating the local cache is often the better recovery path.

References

• Microsoft Support – Repair Outlook Data Files (.pst and .ost)
• Microsoft Learn – Repair an Outlook personal folder file (.pst)