Outlook will not launch

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Outlook will not launch

KB 0

Yesterday my system crashed. I ended up performing a system restore for Windows 11. Then I reinstalled all my Microsoft 365 apps. I also reinstalled Outlook Classic which I was running previously before the system crash. Once Outlook was running it began to sync my email back, which it appeared to complete without any issues. However, the Calendar data did not return. I have been attempting to figure out how to get the Calendar working again without success. Now there seems to be a new problem, in that when I attempt to launch Outlook it wants an "Outlook Data File Password" which I do not have, and I do not believe I ever assigned this password when everything was originally installed on my PC. Now it will not launch and I cannot even see the email message that I could see a few hours ago. Any ideas what is happening? By the way, I am not a computer geek, so I am in the dark on what I actually need to do to fix this issue. Thank you.

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Answer 1

Victor1-V 9,380 Microsoft External Staff Moderator

Hi KB,

I understand that Outlook is now asking for an “Outlook Data File Password” after the Windows restore and Microsoft 365 reinstall. The Q&A Assist answer provides valid troubleshooting steps for classic Outlook startup issues, so please try those first if you have not had a chance to do so yet. I would just like to add one important clarification.

This password prompt is usually different from your Microsoft account password. In classic Outlook, an “Outlook Data File Password” normally refers to a local Outlook Data File, such as a .pst file. Microsoft’s support article explains that if a password was set on a .pst file and then forgotten, Microsoft cannot retrieve that password. It also notes that Offline Outlook Data Files .ost do not use this type of password. Reference: My Outlook Data File (.pst) password doesn’t work - Microsoft Support

Because of that, if the missing calendar data was stored only in an old local .pst file, Outlook may continue asking for that data file password before it can open that file. If the calendar was stored on the mail server, creating a new Outlook profile should allow Outlook to sync it again from the server after the account is added.

For reference, these Microsoft articles may help confirm the next step:

Please let me know whether Outlook opens when using a newly created profile. That will help confirm whether the issue is with the old profile or with the old local data file.

Note: Please follow the steps in our documentation to enable e-mail notifications if you want to receive the related email notification for this thread.

Victor1-V 9,380 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-06-12T09:48:51.37+00:00

I hope you are doing well, KB!

I'm following up to check if you've had a chance to look over my reply.

Please feel free let me know if you need any further assistance. I look forward to hearing back from you.
KB 0 Reputation points

2026-06-12T20:12:11.7733333+00:00

Hi Victor - Thank you for your help and follow up. I performed another Restore to my system, and when Outlook came back, I was able to get it to sync with my email provider. And that works fine. I have the .pst file(s) located in my iCloud with MS. Those files contain my Calendar, and they are the one that Outlook now asks for a password. I am certain when I first created those files, I did not password protect them. But I understand that Outlook may automatically password protect them. So that is why I do not know the passwords. For more background info, several years ago I basically copied my Outlook Calendar data from another PC that I use from the company I worked for. And I was able to take that data file and upload it into my personal PC that I have a Microsoft 365 account. So I was able to transfer my Calendar that I used for work to my personal PC. And it worked fine until my system crashed on this past Monday. Now I have everything restored except this Calendar. Shouldn't I be able to access those .pst files for Outlook that has been restored? Unfortunately, I am not very savvy on this IT stuff, so it is very challenging for me to work through it. But I appreciate your help. Is there a simple way to get Outlook to bring back my Calendar? Thank.
Victor1-V 9,380 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-06-13T13:42:58.18+00:00
Hi KB,

Thank you for the update. Since Outlook is now syncing your email correctly, the remaining problem seems to be limited to the old .pst file that contains your calendar.

Outlook does not normally add a password to a .pst file by itself. However, if that .pst file is now being detected as password-protected, Outlook will need that password before it can open or import the calendar inside it. A Windows restore or Microsoft 365 reinstall would not remove a password stored inside the .pst file itself. Microsoft also cannot retrieve a forgotten .pst password.

Please try this safer approach:

Make a copy of the .pst file from iCloud to a local folder, such as Documents > Outlook Files. Please work only with the copy, not the original file.

In classic Outlook, go to File > Open & Export > Open Outlook Data File, then choose the copied .pst file.

If Outlook asks for a password, first try leaving the password box blank and selecting OK.

If it still asks for a password, run the Inbox Repair Tool on the copied .pst file, then try opening it again: Repair Outlook Data Files (.pst and .ost).

If the file opens, switch to Calendar view and check whether the old calendar appears under that data file. You can then copy or import the calendar items into your current mailbox. Reference: Import email, contacts, and calendar from an Outlook .pst file.

If the copied .pst still requires a password after repair, there may not be a supported way to bring back the calendar from that file without the password. In that case, the only other possibility would be checking whether the calendar exists in your mail provider’s web calendar or in any older backup of the same .pst file.

You may also contact Microsoft Support to review the Outlook profile and confirm whether the calendar exists in the Microsoft 365 mailbox or only in the local .pst file, but they may not be able to recover a forgotten .pst password. You can start here: Contact Microsoft Support.

I hope this helps clarify why the email came back but the calendar did not and gives you the safest next step to try with the calendar file.
KB 0 Reputation points

2026-06-13T14:45:44.6433333+00:00

Thanks. I will try all of that and I will report back to you. Have a nice weekend. KB
KB 0 Reputation points

2026-06-15T22:13:53.4866667+00:00

Hi Victor. I am attempting to try some of your last recommendations above. I made a copy of the .pst file and placed it into a different folder, the went into the Outlook Export/Import and did the steps, but Outlook still wants a password for the file. I then attempted the Repair Tool as you suggested and i do not have the same folders available. I have:

As you can see there is no folder for Microsoft Office. I am running Microsoft 365, and Windows 11. It that tool available for me? And like I mentioned previously, I am running Outlook Classic.

As a side not I attempted to add a new Profile. It let get as far as adding the new Profile and adding my Email info and Password, but when I click OK to create it I get this message:

Boy nothing is ever easy.... Thanks again for the help. KB
KB 0 Reputation points

2026-06-15T22:21:06.4033333+00:00

Oh! One other thing I tried. I found the original .pst file out on an external hard drive that I used a few years ago to recreate my Calendar on my new PC from my old work supplied PC. I figured that file would not be corrupted. I made a new folder on my PC and copied the file into this folder. I went through the steps in Outlook to import the file, but again Outlook wanted a password. So I am guessing that my .pst files are most likely not corrupted. It is Outlook that has changed with my recent reinstall. May be this info is helpful. KB
Hornblower409 9,750 Reputation points

2026-06-16T04:37:23.4133333+00:00

@KB said

I found the original .pst file out on an external hard drive
I am certain when I first created those files, I did not password protect them

Outlook may have put a generated random password on it because you brought the PST from another location.

[External Non-Microsoft Site]
https://www.slipstick.com/problems/pst-repair/remove-a-password-from-a-pst-file/

When moving a pst file to a new computer, Outlook will often ask for a password. You may not be forgetful - the moving process does something to make Outlook think there is a password.
Hornblower409 9,750 Reputation points

2026-06-16T04:49:29.77+00:00

@KB said

I then attempted the Repair Tool as you suggested and i do not have the same folders available

To find SCANPST.EXE :

Look in C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\root\Office16

Open Windows Explorer and put name:"scanpst.exe" in the Search box in the upper right.
Victor1-V 9,380 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-06-16T13:43:58.6333333+00:00
Hi KB,

Thank you for the update, and thanks to Hornblower409 for also sharing helpful information about locating SCANPST.EXE and the behavior that can occur when a .pst file is moved.

For the Inbox Repair Tool, the missing Microsoft Office folder under Program Files (x86) may simply mean Microsoft 365 is installed in a different location. Please try this:

Close Outlook completely.

Open File Explorer.

Select This PC, then search for scanpst.exe.

If it appears, open it and browse to the copied .pst file, not the iCloud original.

Run the scan and choose Repair if prompted. You may need to run it more than once.

After that, open classic Outlook and use File > Open & Export > Open Outlook Data File to test the repaired copy.

You can also check this common location: C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\root\Office16

Regarding the password prompt, finding the older original .pst and getting the same prompt is an important clue. It makes it less likely that the recent Outlook reinstall added a new password to the file. More likely, the .pst file already had password protection, or the old Outlook profile had the password saved and that saved setting was lost during the restore/reinstall.

The Inbox Repair Tool can help if the .pst file structure has a problem, but it cannot remove or recover a .pst password. If the file still asks for a password after repair, the only supported option is to try any old passwords you may have used at the time, such as an old Windows, Outlook, work, or computer password. Microsoft also notes that a forgotten .pst password cannot be recovered.

For the new profile message, since your email is already syncing in the current Outlook profile, I would not focus on creating another profile for now. That message appears related to account setup, while the calendar issue is still tied to opening the old .pst file.

I hope this helps narrow the issue down and gives you the safest next step to try.

Since this is a public forum, we will hide your personal identifiable information, and I have sent that image of yours containing your personal identifiable information in a private message so we can work together to resolve the issue. Also, please check your private message in case you want to share another screenshot to avoid leaking your PII by click on the Private Message button as show below.

Answer 2

KB 0

Good morning Victor and Newcomer Helpers,

First of all, thank all of you for assisting me with this issue.

I did find the scanpst.exe tool yesterday. It was in a different folder. I originally looked in the Program Files (x86) folder, which is where all the support material says it is located. But I later realized that there is also a Program Files folder as well. Looked in there, and it was in that folder. I ran the tool on my .pst file and it did say it found some minor inconsistencies and that Repair was optional. I let it repair the file, but it did not change the Outlook Asking For Password condition.

Regarding the Asking For Password issue, I know I am certain that I never setup a password when creating the file years ago. But I have tried every password that I can think I would use anyway, and it does not accept any of them. So perhaps the system did assign a random password at some point. Who knows......

Regarding the Account Type question above, I am not sure what it is, but under my Outlook Account Information I found the top box has my email address and directly under it says: IMAP/SMTP. Is that what you are talking about? Keep in mind that I am not a computer savvy guy. I am winging this whole process unfortunately. But I really appreciate everyone attempting to assist me.

KB 0 Reputation points

2026-06-17T01:31:40.14+00:00

Hello All - I have been playing with my issue some more and I see that when I go to Account Settings in Outlook Classic, then the Data Files tab the dialog box shows me the name of the file and its' location. But I noticed that this file is an .ost file type. Reading on the subject of .pst vs .ost, it says this .ost file is mainly for syncing my email data from my email provider. But isn't my Calendar data stored on a .pst file? My Calendar data is not coming from my email provider (right?) When I attempt to Import my .pst file, is there possibly a conflict with this .ost file and Outlook wants a password to open the .pst file? What do you guys think? Thanks KB.
Hornblower409 9,750 Reputation points

2026-06-17T04:22:28.46+00:00

@KB said

But isn't my Calendar data stored on a .pst file?

No. Unlike early versions of Classic Outlook (e.g. 2010 that used PSTs) your Calendar and Contacts for an IMAP or POP email account in later Classic Outlook are stored in a "(This computer only)" folder which in the same OST as your emails.

If you want to have your Calendar and Contacts for an IMAP or POP email account stored in a separate PST file (that is not in the email account OST) see:

[External Non-Microsoft Site]
https://robert365.com/article/do-not-risk-losing-your-contacts-and-calendar-when-using-imap

When I attempt to Import my .pst file, is there possibly a conflict with this .ost file and Outlook wants a password to open the .pst file?

As far as I know, No. The PST password has nothing to do with any other Outlook settings.
Victor1-V 9,380 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-06-17T10:50:09.2533333+00:00
Hi KB,

Thank you for the update, and thanks also to the other contributors for helping with this.

You found the correct SCANPST tool and ran the right test. Since the file was repaired but Outlook still asks for the password, the prompt is most likely coming from the .pst file itself, not from the current Outlook profile or reinstall.

For the IMAP/SMTP question, yes, that is your current email account type. Outlook uses an .ost file mainly to sync mail from your provider. If your old calendar was copied into a local Outlook data file years ago, it would likely still be in the old .pst file, not the IMAP .ost file. So this does not sound like a conflict between the .ost and .pst files.

If you only want to stop the password prompt, you can remove the old .pst from Outlook under File > Account Settings > Account Settings > Data Files, select the old .pst, and choose Remove. This should only detach it from Outlook and should not delete the actual file. However, the calendar inside that .pst will not be accessible unless the file can be opened.

If none of your old passwords work, Outlook does not provide a supported way to recover or remove a forgotten .pst password. You may also contact Microsoft Support to let them review the Outlook profile and confirm whether the calendar exists anywhere in the mailbox, though they may not be able to unlock a password-protected .pst file.

Visit the Microsoft Support contact page: Contact - Microsoft Support

In the search bar provided on the page, type "Outlook issue" and press Enter.

Click on the "Get Help" button that appears.

Scroll down the page until you see and click on the "Contact Support" option.

When prompted to select your product or service, choose "Other Products".

For the category, choose "Outlook".

Look for and click on "Chat with a support agent in your web browser".

Confirm your personal email when prompted - this is the email Microsoft will use to communicate with you during and after the support session.

Explain your situation clearly: Be concise but provide all the relevant details.

I hope this helps clarify the .ost and .pst difference and the remaining options.
KB 0 Reputation points

2026-06-17T15:56:26.6833333+00:00

Thanks for the explanations. I will keep working on the issue with your suggestions. And I will report back.

Out of my own curiosity, I did attempt one other experiment. I have a separate PC that is exactly like the one I have been using that crashed last week. A couple of years ago, I bought 2 brand new PCs for myself and my wife as I was getting ready to retire. I began using mine right away, but my wife has not used hers. Since that PC has not been used, and has not crashed (yet), I thought I would try an experiment and see if I could get Outlook Classic going on it and use my original .pst file, which is located on an external drive, to load all my data, especially the Calendar. Long story short, I have the same exact problem. My email connected fine and loaded fine. But when I attempt to Import the .pst file (for the Calendar data), Outlook wants a password.

Thinking back a couple years ago when I was going through this process of copying my Calendar from my old work PC and importing it into my new personal PC, I do not remember how I actually imported my Calendar data. Meaning what steps did Outlook have me perform to import the Calendar data? I remember that I had to Connect to my email provider to get my emails into Outlook, which involved having my email provider create a one-time access password. And I recently went through this same email one-time password connection process when I reinstalled Outlook Classic on my crashed PC and on my other new PC as well.

All I know is that I did get my old work calendar imported into my new PC and it worked fine until last week when my system crashed. Now the only thing I cannot get working again after the crash is my Calendar. Very frustrating, as it is one of the items I use most on my PC, next to email.
Victor1-V 9,380 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-06-18T14:10:55.91+00:00

Thank you for the additional update. Testing the same .pst file on another PC and getting the same password prompt is a useful clue. It further suggests that the prompt is tied to that specific .pst file, not to the crashed computer or the current Outlook profile.

Just to check, have you already contacted Microsoft Support using the steps shared earlier? While they may not be able to unlock a password-protected .pst file, they may be able to help review the Outlook profile/account side and confirm whether any copy of the calendar exists outside that local data file.

If Support also confirms the calendar is only inside that password-protected .pst, then the remaining practical options would be to look for an older unprotected backup/export, an old Outlook profile where the calendar still opens, or any saved record of the password used at that time.

I hope this helps narrow down the next best step.
KB 0 Reputation points

2026-06-18T16:51:51.7233333+00:00

Hi Victor. I have not contacted MS Support yet. I was saving that option for last, which I am going to do today or tomorrow.

I have been working on the Password side of the issue though. I just happened to run across a local person yesterday where I live that was an IT/Network installer during his military career (25 years in the Coast Guard). He says he has all sorts of Microsoft Certifications and such. He thinks because I exported the original .pst file from my previous work PC that outlook may have overwritten the file for Security reasons when I first installed it on my new personal PC a couple of years ago. And that the Password Outlook wants now (for Import) is most likely my old work Password since that is where the file originated.

I did find some notes on an old Word document that I used regarding my work passwords. I worked for this company for 19 years and retired in August 2024. The company is a heavy user of MS products. Up until August 2021, employees were required to change their system access Passwords every 90 days. So I had kept track of my personal Password activity over the years. In August 2021, the company had a Policy change regarding Passwords and they required all access Passwords must be a minimum of 16-digits long. And we would no longer be required to change Passwords every 90 days from that point forward.

Of course, having to enter a 16-digit Password every time you signed-in was annoying.

Then in early January 2022, I was provided a new PC (Laptop) as the company typically rotated PCs every 3 to 4 years. When I got this new PC, the company IT folks added a feature whereby you only had to enter a 4-digit PIN Code to access our systems. They told us that the PIN Code was still associated to the last 16-digit Password we entered, which still existed in the system. Therefore, between August 2021 and August 2024 (when I retired) I never changed my Password or Pin Code. And I never had any issues with gaining access to the Systems during that time period.

I believe my local contact is not exactly correct about his thoughts on my issue being connected to my old company Password.

The Outlook box that pops up wanting a Password for the previous .pst file import into my reinstalled Outlook Classic only allows up to 15 digits. That blows his theory as our company Passwords had to be a minimum of 16 digits.

And to further test his theory, I have attempted to enter any 4-digit Pin Code I can possibly recall ever using. I know the Pin Code I used for my work PC, but it is not accepted by Outlook for this Import process.

Anyway, it was interesting going through this process as another attempt to resolving my issue.

Thanks again, and I will let you know what happens with MS Support.

KB
KB 0 Reputation points

2026-06-18T23:56:42.8933333+00:00

Good evening Victor,

Here is my latest update. I spoke to Microsoft Support via phone an hour ago, and the support agent was helpful.

I provided him a detailed description of what happened and what I have done since restoring my PC. He understood exactly what I am dealing with now, meaning the Outlook Password issue. Unfortunately, as we all already know, Microsoft has not tool for uncovering, resetting or overriding the Outlook Password. And he confirmed to me that if Outlook is asking for a Password, then one must have been put into the file at some point. Therefore, the only way to open the file is with the Password. He further stated that there are third-party software apps, which I believe you guys also recommended, and that I could give them a try to Reset the Password. He apologized that he cannot assist with these third part applications for obvious reasons. I gave him my opinion that since MS developed and created the Outlook programming, that it is absurd that they do not have Password recovery tools available for them to use. He thought it was a little strange as well, but he said they do not have any such tools. If they did, he would have helped me to recover my Calendar.

He said if I am able to reset the Password (using another tool) then they would be happy to assist me in getting Outlook and my Calendar fully functional again.

It appears that I will have to attempt using one of these third-party apps to continue my quest. If you have an opinion which one you would recommend, I would appreciate your input.

Thanks again for listening to me, and I will keep updated as I have any new developments.

KB
Victor1-V 9,380 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-06-19T10:10:59.5833333+00:00

Hi KB,

Thank you for the detailed update, and I’m glad you were able to speak with Microsoft Support directly.

What they told you matches the behavior we have been narrowing down here: if Outlook continues asking for a password when opening or importing that same .pst file, the password is tied to the data file itself. Unfortunately, Outlook does not provide a supported way to recover or reset a forgotten .pst password.

Regarding third-party tools, I cannot recommend a specific one, since they are outside Microsoft’s support scope and the .pst may contain personal email, calendar, and contact data. If you decide to try one, I would strongly suggest working only on a copy of the .pst file, keeping the original untouched, and using extra caution with where the tool is downloaded from.

Please feel free to update the thread after you test it. I hope you are able to recover the calendar data from the file.

Answer 3

Robert Sparnaaij [MVP] 18,396 MVP Volunteer Moderator

Which mail account type are you using? POP3

In that case, your Calendar data should be within the pst-file of your original configuration. The default location for that is; \Documents\Outlook Files

You can reassociate this pst-file with your POP3 account. A similar scenario is described here;
Restoring a pst-file of a POP3 account on a new computer - Robert 365

As for the pst password issue, there are several workarounds for this.
See: Recover a forgotten PST password - Robert 365

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Answer 4

The most likely cause is a problem with the existing Outlook profile or its data file after the crash and restore. Use the supported recovery steps in this order:

Start Outlook in Safe Mode
1. Close Outlook.
2. Press Windows key + R.
3. Type: Outlook /safe
4. Select the default profile if prompted and continue.
5. If Outlook opens in Safe Mode, the issue is likely with add-ins or the profile. Disable add-ins as described in the referenced article and then restart Outlook normally.
Create a new Outlook profile If Outlook still will not launch or continues to prompt for a data file password, create a fresh profile and connect it to the account so mail and calendar can resync from the server.
1. Close Outlook.
2. Open Control Panel.
3. Select User Accounts > Mail.
4. Select Show Profiles.
5. Select the existing profile and choose Remove only if sure data is backed up or stored on the server (removing a profile removes associated data files on that machine).
6. Select Add.
7. Enter a profile name.
8. Enter the user name and primary email address (SMTP address), then select Next and complete setup.
9. When finished, select Finish and then start Outlook with the new profile selected.
If Outlook starts and syncs successfully with the new profile, the previous profile or its data file was corrupted and can be discarded once all needed data is confirmed present.
Repair Outlook data files if needed If there is a local Outlook Data File (.pst or .ost) that might be corrupted, run the Inbox Repair Tool (scanpst.exe) as described in the referenced documentation to repair it, then reopen Outlook.
Repair Office if Outlook still crashes or will not respond If Outlook continues to crash or hang even with a new profile:
1. Open Control Panel.
2. Select Uninstall a program.
3. Right-click the Microsoft 365 installation.
4. Select Change > Online Repair and complete the repair.
5. Restart the computer and try Outlook again.

If none of these steps restore access, use Outlook on the web or the new Outlook for Windows as a temporary workaround while contacting Microsoft Support for further assistance, especially if the issue matches a known service incident.

References:

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Outlook will not launch

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