If the Outlook Inbox Repair Tool keeps popping up on your Windows 11/10 PC, read this post to learn how to fix it. The Outlook Inbox Repair Tool, also known as SCANPST.EXE, is a built-in utility in Microsoft Outlook that helps diagnose and repair errors in Outlook PST and OST files. You may run it whenever you suspect corruption in your Outlook data files. However, it doesn’t always work perfectly.
Some users report that the Outlook Inbox Repair Tool keeps popping up every time they open Outlook, trying to repair a Mail folder that never seems to go away. Despite completing the repair, the tool keeps running, preventing them from using their email normally.
Why does the Outlook Inbox Repair Tool keep popping up?
The Inbox Repair Tool keeps popping up for several reasons. If the Outlook data file is severely damaged, the tool may not fully repair it, causing Outlook to repeatedly prompt for repairs. It can also freeze or fail when fixing large PST files (especially those over 2GB-50GB). If Outlook is running while SCANPST is used, the repair might not be completed properly. Additionally, corrupt Outlook profiles, disk corruption, conflicting add-ins, or third-party tools (such as antivirus programs) can interfere with the repair process, leading to continuous prompts.
Outlook Inbox Repair Tool keeps popping up [Fix]
To fix the Outlook Inbox Repair Tool if it keeps popping up on your Windows 11/10 PC, use these fixes:
- Modify the Registry key
- Disable conflicting add-ins
- Delete and rebuild OST file
- Check disk for errors
- Use a third-party PST repair tool
Let us see this in detail.
1] Modify the Registry key
Press Win + R, type regedit, and press Enter. Click Yes in the User Account Control prompt. The Registry Editor will appear. Navigate to the following key, replacing x.0 with your version of Outlook:
Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\x.0\Outlook\PST
Look for the PromptRepair key on the right panel. If it is set to 1, double-click it and change the value to 0. This will prevent the Inbox Repair Tool from repeatedly prompting you to repair their Outlook data file.
Close Registry Editor and restart Outlook.
Note:
- Always back up your registry before making any changes.
- If the PST file is severely corrupted, this fix will only suppress the prompt, it won’t fix the underlying issue.
2] Disable conflicting add-ins
If outdated or faulty add-ins cause the issue, disabling them might fix it.
Press Win + R, type outlook.exe /safe, and press Enter. This will open Outlook in safe mode. See if it launches without repair prompts. If the issue disappears, exit Safe Mode and open Outlook normally. Go to File > Options > Add-ins. Click Go (next to ‘Manage: COM Add-ins’) and uncheck all add-ins. Re-enable add-ins one by one to find the problematic one.
When you open Outlook in Safe Mode, all add-ins are disabled by default. But once you restart Outlook normally, all add-ins will be re-enabled automatically. To fix the issue, you need to disable the problematic add-in manually.
3] Delete and rebuild OST file
If you have an Exchange, IMAP, or Office 365 account, a corrupt OST file can trigger the Inbox Repair Tool repeatedly. To fix this, close Outlook and go to:
C:\Users\<YourUsername>\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Outlook
Find the .ost file linked to your email account. Delete or rename it (e.g., change Outlook.ost to Outlook.old).
Restart Outlook; it will automatically recreate the file from the server.
This should resolve the issue and prevent the repair tool from continuously appearing.
4] Check disk for errors
If your hard drive has bad sectors or file system errors, it can lead to data corruption, causing Outlook to repeatedly trigger the Inbox Repair Tool. Running CHKDSK helps fix disk-related corruption that may be affecting the OST or PST file used by Outlook.
Open Command Prompt as Administrator. Type the following command in the Command Prompt window:
chkdsk /f
Press Enter and follow the on-screen instructions. Then reboot your PC and see if the issue is gone.
If the issue persists, run the following command for a deeper scan:
chkdsk /r C:
5] Use a third-party PST repair tool
SCANPST has limitations and may fail if the corruption is extensive. In such a case, using a third-party PST repair tool can be a more effective solution.
Download and install a reliable PST repair tool such as Stellar Repair for Outlook. Launch the tool, select the corrupted PST file, and click Repair. The tool will analyze and repair the corrupted data. Preview recovered items (emails, attachments, contacts, etc.) and save the repaired PST file to a safe location.
Import the repaired PST into Outlook using File > Open & Export > Open Outlook Data File.
If nothing works, try repairing your Office Application installation.
I hope this helps.
Read: Outlook closes automatically immediately after opening.
How do I stop Outlook messages from popping up?
If Outlook notifications keep appearing on your Windows 11/10 PC, go to File > Options > Mail, under Message arrival, uncheck Display a Desktop Alert. If add-in or script errors keep popping up, open Outlook in Safe Mode and disable unnecessary add-ins. If the popup appears due to a corrupt PST/OST file, run SCANPST.EXE or delete/rebuild the OST file.
How do I get my Outlook toolbar back to normal?
If your Outlook toolbar (ribbon) is missing or looks different, click on any tab (Home, View, etc.), then press Ctrl + F1. This will expand the ribbon if it was collapsed. To switch to the classic ribbon, go to View > Ribbon Layout. Select Classic Ribbon instead of Simplified Ribbon.
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