Home → Microsoft → Outlook → 6 Ways to Fix “The Set of Folders Cannot Be Opened” Error in Outlook for Windows
5.1. 6 Ways to Fix “The Set of Folders Cannot Be Opened” Error in Outlook for Windows
6 Ways to Fix “The Set of Folders Cannot Be Opened” Error in Outlook for Windows
Fix 1: Reset the Navigation Pane
Sometimes, Outlook may fail to load the navigation pane entirely and throw an error message that reads, “Cannot start Microsoft Outlook. Cannot open the Outlook window. The set of folders cannot be opened.”
You can reset Outlook’s navigation pane to see if that fixes the problem. To do so, press the Windows + R keyboard shortcut to open the Run dialog box. Type in the following command and press Enter.
outlook.exe /resetnavpane
Fix 2: Open Outlook in Safe Mode
Opening Outlook in safe mode can help you determine whether the “The set of folders cannot be opened” error in Outlook is occurring due to a faulty add-in. Press and hold the Ctrl key on your keyboard and double-click the Outlook shortcut. Select Yes when the confirmation prompt appears.
If you don’t encounter any errors while using Outlook in safe mode, it means that one of your add-ins is causing the problem. To identify the problematic add-in, you will need to disable all the add-ins and re-enable them one at a time.
Step 1: Open the Outlook app and click the File menu at the top.
Step 2: Select Options in the left pane.
Step 3: In the Outlook Options window, switch to the Add-ins tab. Use the drop-down menu next to Manage and select COM Add-ins. Then, click the Go button.
Step 4: Uncheck the boxes to disable your add-ins and click OK.
Restart the Outlook app after this and re-enable your add-ins one at a time until the error appears again. Once you find the problematic add-in, consider removing it.
Fix 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 somehow become corrupted, Outlook may throw various errors. To fix them, you will need to remove the problematic XML files from the Outlook directory.
Step 1: Press the Windows + R keyboard shortcut to open the Run dialog box. Type the following path in the box and press Enter.
%appdata%\Microsoft\Outlook
Step 2: Locate and select XML files and then click the trash icon at the top.
Fix 4: Run the Inbox Repair Tool
Another reason why you might encounter this error is if your Outlook data files (PST or OST) have become corrupted. The Outlook offers a tool that can automatically find and fix problematic files.
Step 1: Press the Windows + E keyboard shortcut to open File Explorer and navigate to the following folder.
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\root\Office16
Step 2: Double-click the SCANPST.EXE file.
Step 3: Click Start to initiate the scan.
Step 4: If the tool finds any issues, click Repair.
Fix 5: Create a New Outlook Profile
Several users on the Microsoft forum reported fixing the “The set of folders cannot be opened” error in Outlook by removing old profiles and recreating them. You can also give it a try.
Step 1: Click the search icon on the taskbar, type in registry editor, and select Run as administrator.
Step 2: In the Registry Editor window, paste the following path in the address bar at the top and press Enter.
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Office\16.0\Outlook\Profiles
Step 3: Right-click on any subkey within the Profiles key and select Delete.
Step 4: Select Yes to confirm. Similarly, delete all the keys within the Profiles subkey and close the Registry Editor window.
Step 5: Click the search icon on the taskbar, type in control panel, and press Enter.
Step 6: Change the view type to Large icons and click on Mail (Microsoft Outlook).
Step 7: Click the Show Profiles button.
Step 8: Click the Add button, enter the name for the new profile, and click OK.
Step 9: In the Add Account window, enter your account details and hit Next.
Step 10: Select your new profile under When starting Microsoft Outlook and hit Apply.
Fix 6: Run the Office Repair Tool
Running the Office repair tool can help you troubleshoot issues with all the Office apps, including Outlook. So, if none of the above tips work, try running the Office repair tool using the steps below.
Step 1: Press the Windows key + R to open the Run dialog box. Type appwiz.cpl in the box and press Enter.
Step 2: In the Programs and Features window, select the Microsoft Office product on the list and click the Change button at the top.
Step 3: Select the Online Repair option and click Repair.
