Microsoft Outlook is a popular email client among individuals and businesses worldwide. However, like any other program, it is prone to errors that can sometimes disrupt your work and cause frustration. One such error is the "Cannot open folder group" error in Outlook, which prevents you from Using Outlook on your Windows 10 or Windows 11 PC Until you fix it.
Several factors, ranging from malfunctioning add-ins to a corrupted Outlook profile, can cause this Outlook error. To help, we've listed some helpful tips that should resolve the issue in no time.
1. Reset the navigation panel
The navigation pane is the left-hand section of the Outlook window that displays your mail folders, calendars, contacts, and other items. Sometimes, Outlook may fail to load the navigation pane completely and display an error message that reads, "Cannot start Microsoft Outlook." The Outlook window cannot be opened. A group of folders cannot be opened.
You can reset the Outlook navigation pane to see if that resolves the issue. To do this, press the keyboard shortcut Windows + R To open the dialog box "employment". Type the following command and press Enter.
outlook.exe / resetnavpane
2. Open Outlook in safe mode.
Like other Office applications, you can run Outlook in Safe Mode to load the application with minimal features and no add-ons. This can help you determine if the "Cannot open the folder group" error in Outlook is caused by a faulty add-in.
Press and hold the key CTRL On the keyboard, double-click the shortcut. Outlook. Locate yes When the confirmation message appears.
If you don't encounter any errors while using Outlook in safe mode, one of your add-ins is causing the problem. To identify the problematic add-in, you'll need to disable all add-ins and re-enable them one by one. Here's how.
Step 1: Open Outlook app Click on the menu "a file" above.
Step 2: Locate Options in the right pane.
Step 3: in window Outlook Options, switch to tab extra jobsUse the drop-down menu next to Manage and select COM add-ons.Then click the button "transmission".
Step 4: Qom By unchecking the boxes To disable your add-ons, click OK.
Restart Outlook and re-enable add-ins one by one until the error reappears. Once you find the problematic add-in, consider removing it.
3. Remove XML files from Outlook directory
Outlook uses XML files to store information about user profiles, preferences, and other essential data. If these files become corrupted in some way, Outlook can cause various errors. To fix them, you'll need to remove the problematic XML files from your Outlook directory.
Step 1: Press the keyboard shortcut Windows + R To open the dialog box "employment". Type the following path in the box and press Enter.
%appdata%\Microsoft\Outlook
Step 2: Locate XML file location Select it, then click the icon. Trash above.
4. Run the Inbox Repair Tool
Another reason why you might encounter this error is corruption. Outlook data files (PST or OST). Outlook offers a tool that can automatically find and repair problematic files. You can try running it to see if it fixes the "The set of folders cannot be opened" error in Outlook.
Step 1: Press the keyboard shortcut Windows + E To open File Explorer And move to the next folder.
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\root\Office16
Step 2: Double-click a file SCANPST.EXE.
Step 3: Click START YOUR To start the scan.
Step 4: If the tool finds any problems, click on repair.
Reopen the Outlook application on your computer and check if the error persists.
5. Create a new profile in Outlook
Corrupted or inaccessible Outlook profiles can also cause such errors. Many users reported on the Microsoft forum. To fix the "Cannot open the folder group" error in Outlook, try removing and re-creating the old profiles. You can also try this.
Since the following process involves editing registry files, do the following: Backup all registry files Before proceeding.
Step 1: Click on the icon Search On the taskbar, type Registry Editor, Then select Run as administrator.
Step 2: Locate yes When the control prompt appears, User Account (UAC).
Step 3: in Registry Editor windowPaste the following path into the address bar at the top and press Enter.
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Office\16.0\Outlook\Profiles
Step 4: Right-click on any subkey within the Profiles key and select delete.
Step 5: Locate yes To confirm. Similarly, delete all keys in the Profiles subkey and close. Registry Editor window.
Step 6: tap on search icon On the taskbar, type in Control Panel, then press Enter.
Step 7: Change the display type to big icons and click Mail (Microsoft Outlook).
Step 8: Click the button Show profiles.
Step 9: Click the button "addition", Enter a new profile name, then click "OK".
Step 10: in window Add an accountEnter your account details and click on next one.
Step 11: Select your new profile under “When you start Microsoft Outlook” Click on “Apply”.
After completing the steps above, you should be able to use Outlook as before.
6. Run the Office Repair Tool.
Running the Office Repair Tool can help you: Troubleshoot problems in all Office applications, including Outlook. So, if none of the above tips work, try running the Office Repair Tool using the steps below.
Step 1: press the . key Windows + R To open the dialog box "employment". Type appwiz.cpl in the box and press Enter.
Step 2: in window programs and features, Locate Microsoft Office product In the menu, click the button. "A change" above.
Step 3: Select an option Quick fix And click repair.
If the error persists even after performing the quick fix, you should repeat the above steps and select the online repair option to perform a comprehensive repair.
Restore access to your Outlook
Microsoft Outlook may be a popular email client, but it's not always error-free. The "Cannot open folder group" error message is just one of the many Outlook errors you may encounter on your Windows 10 or 11 computer. We hope one of our solutions helps, and you can use Outlook again.
