How to Fix “The set of folders cannot be opened an unexpected error has occurred”?

Summary: Here in this post we will discuss “The set of folders cannot be opened an unexpected error has occurred” issue in Outlook. If you are facing such an error when opening Outlook, then this post is for you. Here we will address it and fix “Cannot start Microsoft Outlook. Cannot open the Outlook window. The set of folders cannot be opened.” error.

If you are using Outlook, then it may be possible that you face the set of folder cannot be opened in Outlook error. This issue can prevent you from accessing your important data since you are not able to open your Outlook. Fortunately, there are various reliable methods that solve this issue.

Here in this post, we will discuss all the possible ways to fix the error. Before that let’s understand this Outlook error. This error basically occurs when you have an issue with your Outlook profile, data file, or email account configuration setting. It is an unexpected error and disturbs your workflow. Therefore, it is advisable to backup Outlook emails to hard drive and secure your data beforehand.

Why is Outlook error the set of folders cannot be opened an unexpected error has occurred?

There can be various reasons why users face the “Cannot start Microsoft Outlook. Cannot open the Outlook window. The set of folders cannot be opened” issue. Here are the common reasons for that –

• This issue can be caused when Outlook is unable to read the data file.
• If your email account setting is incorrect, then you were not able to open folders in your Outlook.
• Outdated Outlook and Windows versions can also be the reasons for this error.
• If the Outlook profile is corrupted, then the set of folders cannot open in Outlook
• Insufficient system resources permitted Outlook
• Faulty add-ins installed in Outlook
• And many more

How to Fix “The set of folders cannot be opened in Outlook” Error

There are various ways to fix the issue, let’s check them out one by one.

1. Update Outlook

If you face the “Cannot start Microsoft Outlook. Cannot open the Outlook window.” error, then your steps to update your Outlook. The outdated version of your application can be the reason for this error. For an update, go to File >> Office account >> Office update >> update options >> update now.

2. Corrupted Outlook Profile
If after updating you still face the issue, then check your Outlook profile. A corrupted Outlook folder can cause the set of folders cannot be opened Outlook shared mailbox error. To solve it create a new Outlook profile.

3. Reduce PST File Size
The large PST file also stops you from opening your Outlook folders. For that you either compact PST file or archive old emails.

• To Compress: File >> Info >> Account Setting. In the data file tab, choose your PTS file and click the Setting option. Then click on Compact Now under the General tab.
• To Archive old emails: File >> Info >> Tools >> Clean up old items. Then select Archive this folder and choose a date under Archive items older than.

4. Microsoft Support and Recovery Assistant
Outlook offers a free tool that helps their users to solve the issue. For that run this tool on your system, it will perform the tests and analyse all the possible issues you are facing. After that, it gives possible solutions to fix the set of folders cannot be opened an unexpected error has occurred in Outlook. Download the Microsoft Support and Recovery Assistant tool and run it.

5. Incorrect Email Setting
Sometimes issues with email account settings can cause the set of folders cannot be opened error. Verify the IMAP configuration setting and try to open your Outlook, maybe the error is resolved.

6. Corrupted PST File

A corrupted PST file can be the cause of this error. To resolve it you need to repair PST file and then access your Outlook. For that, you can use the scanpst.exe tool offered by Outlook. It will scan the data file and repair it.

Conclusion

The error “the set of folders cannot be opened an unexpected error has occurred in Outlook” can be frustrating while accessing mailbox. However, you can easily fix the issue with a simple process. Here in this post, we discuss some solutions that help you to fix the issue. Try them, if you still face the error, then you can contact the Microsoft support team.