How to Fix the ‘Cannot start Microsoft Outlook. Cannot open the Outlook Window. The set of folders cannot be opened’ Errors

Written By Mithilesh Tata
Updated on January 22nd, 2021

Outlook is the most popular email client, and many use it as a proficient solution for successful professional communication. But, errors may occur infrequently such as “Cannot start Microsoft Outlook. Cannot open the Outlook Window. the set of folders Cannot be opened”. Furthermore, in this blog, we will present two different approaches to fix these errors.

The actual reason for these frustrating errors is not acknowledged yet, as it could appear due to the inappropriate setup of Outlook on your system or a corrupt PST file linked with the Outlook account. Let’s have a look at some of these reasons that associate with errors:

What Causes ‘the Set of Folders Cannot Be Opened Outlook 2016’ Error?

The primary reason for this error is a damaged Navigation Pane settings file – profilename.xml. An immeasurable indication that the file is damaged is when its size is 0 KB.
When users start Outlook in compatibility mode. Moreover, in the Compatibility mode, some features and settings are disabled. Additionally, the navigation pane is pretended while operating Outlook in compatibility mode. Within this users may face the error “the set of folders cannot be opened. the attempt to log on to Microsoft Exchange has failed”
Operating on an out-dated version can also be a sufficient reason for the errors.

These are the causes that can generate the error “Outlook the set of folders cannot be opened”.

Before we overcome the error, it is good to note that you might be needed to have access to an administrator account to execute all of the methods described here.

(A) Manually how to Overcome “cannot start Microsoft outlook. cannot open the outlook window. the set of folders cannot be opened”

1. Recover the Navigation Pane configuration file

Follow the steps to fix the error outlook the set of folders cannot be opened.

First, press the (Window + R key) to bring up the Run application.
Copy the command (outlook.exe /resetnavpane) and hit the Enter key.

outlook the set of folders cannot be opened 3. The error should automatically execute to fix and retrieve the Navigation Pane to defaults.

If Outlook still shows you the error, you can attempt to manually remove the Navigation Pane configuration file.

First, press the Windows + R key.
Insert the following command and hit the Enter key again. %appdata%\Microsoft\Outlook
Now, File Explorer opens up. Here, inspect the Outlook.xml and delete it.
At last, Start Outlook afresh and you will see that error is fixed.

If all the approaches are inadequate to fix the error “Cannot start Microsoft Outlook. Cannot open the Outlook Window. the Set of folders Cannot be opened” then next attempt another approach to do so.

2. Turn Off Compatibility Mode in Outlook

Maximum no. of the users mention that running Outlook in Compatibility mode generates disputes. Here are the things you would require to turn off this compatibility mode.

First, begin the File Explorer and move to the folder where Office is installed. By default, the folder can be reached by following this sequence:

C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\(Office version)

Right-click on OUTLOOK.EXE and select Properties from the context panel.
Now, switch to the Compatibility tab and unmark the “Run this program in compatibility mode for” option.
Now, tap the Apply button, then exit by hitting OK.
At last open Outlook again to detect if the error is yet present.

If the error “cannot start Microsoft outlook. cannot open the outlook window. the set of folders cannot be opened” yet exists then execute the process with a different method.

3. Create A New Outlook Profile

The Outlook profile endures all settings for the MS Outlook. So, if this profile becomes unreliable due to some unexpected errors, it could appear as “the set of folders cannot be opened outlook 2016” error. So to deal with this you need to create a new Outlook profile.

the set of folders cannot be opened

First, visit the Control Panel and select “Mail (MS Outlook 2016)”.
Now, choose “Show Profiles” then, a new wizard will seem on the screen.
Tap the “Add” button and provide a name to the profile. Moreover, in the “Auto Account Setup” window, fill the information for your email account to structure a new profile.
Once you build a new profile, it will display up on the General tab in the Mail dialog box.
In the segment “When starting Outlook, use this profile,” check for “Always use this profile.” At last hit OK.

After creating a new profile, restart Outlook. Moreover, if Outlook starts normally, it seems that the former Outlook profile was unreliable or damaged. If you’re preparing to retrieve the corrupt profile, make sure to generate a backup for that profile.

4. Repair Outlook Data File

All the documents in Outlook, just as email messages, events, contacts, tasks, etc. are managed in PST files. Though, those PST files often get damaged due to various reasons. Therefore, it can also be the reason for this error “cannot start Microsoft outlook. cannot open the outlook window. the set of folders cannot be opened”. You can repair such files with the assistance of the Inbox Repair Tool (scanpst.exe). Follow the instructions to do so.

cannot start Microsoft outlook. the set of folders cannot be opened. the operation failed

First, launch Outlook and find the location mentioned below.

C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\root\Office16

Find ScanPST.exe and run it on your system.
Browse the file that you want to repair and hit the “Start” button to interpret the file.
Once the process is terminated, hit the “Repair” option to repair the file.

Note: If you have the wish to create a backup of that file, then you can mark for “Make a backup of scanned file before repairing” checkbox.

The File will fix soon, If the file is inefficient to repair, then we recommend a professional approach to repair the file. If you receive appropriate results using the manual method, then you may be capable of resolving ‘Cannot start Microsoft Outlook. Cannot open the Outlook Window. the set of folders Cannot be opened’. Furthermore, manual steps can create inconsistency issues and increase the possibility of data loss.

B. Professional Method to Repair the Corrupt PST Files

Sometimes within the manual method, it can’t be feasible to repair the PST file. Besides, we recommend a professional method to do so, and it is 100% safe and stable.

PST Recovery is one of the proficient Outlook PST Repair Tools. It is competent in recovering not just damaged data, but it also has the capability to recover deleted emails. After the recovery process, users are permitted to save the data in multiple output formats. It is an absolute recovery solution for all kinds of PST files generated by several Outlook versions including 2016.

Most Prominent Features of PST Recovery Tool

Recovers all mailbox items likewise Email, Calendar, Contacts, etc. from damaged Outlook PST files.
There is no restriction on the size of the PST file that requires it to be recovered.
Embedded with an option for recovery of Encrypted & Password Protected PST Files.
Recovered PST file data can be stored in various formats such as PST, MSG, MBOX, DBX, and EML.

Conclusion

In accordance with the blog “How to Fix the ‘Cannot start Microsoft Outlook. Cannot open the Outlook Window. The set of folders cannot be opened”, We have considered the possible reason for this error. Moreover, we have suggested different methods to fix this error “cannot start Microsoft outlook. the set of folders cannot be opened. the operation failed”. I hope this blog assists you to fix the issue.

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About The Author:

Mithilesh Tata

Mithilesh Tata is a technical expert who has assisted thousands of clients with Microsoft Outlook and other cloud-based email clients. He enjoys writing on email clients backup as well as email migration. He is always excited about giving troubled readers the most up-to-date knowledge, explanation, and user-friendly solutions.