Tips to Fix “The Outlook Data File is Already in use the Current Profile”

Summary: In this guide, you will know the reasons for getting “the Outlook data file is already in use the current profile” issue. Additionally, we will provide you all the possible solutions to fix this error in Outlook 2019, 2016, 2013, 2010, 2007, 2003.

When you receive the error message, saying that “the outlook data file (.pst) is already in use in the current profile, Close any application that is using the file, and then try again. You might need to restart your computer.”

However, the issue is not resolved even if you tried the solution that is suggested in the error message itself. Then we have some other fixes that can help to resolve the error message this Outlook data file is already in use in the current profile.

But before we proceed towards its resolutions, let’s understand the factors that may lead to this error.

What Cause “the Outlook data file (.pst) is already in use in the current profile”?

These are the possible reasons for the occurrence of this error message in Outlook.

1. Abrupt termination of the Outlook.
2. Power supply failure.
3. Faulty Add-ins.
4. PST file corruption.

Besides these there could be other Outlook related process running behind, Outlook.exe running in the background, etc.

How to Fix “The Outlook Data File (.pst) is already in use in the current profile”?

Below are some solutions that depend on the situations or reasons under which the error could have occurred. Let’s explore each one of them.

Important Note: Make a backup of the PST file before performing any solution.

1: Check for PST File Name

This personal folders file (.pst) is already in use in the current profile may also occur if you have a similar file name for the PST that you are trying to access in Outlook and the PST already running in Outlook. So, first of all, you should check the PST file name and if it is found to be the same then change the name for the file and retry accessing it.

2: Run Outlook in Safe Mode

Execute the commands to run Outlook in safe mode:

1. Open the Run dialogue by pressing the Windows and R key together.
2. Once it is opened, type Outlook.exe /safe and click OK.

3: Open Outlook Data File

The chance of corruption would be low if you open the PST file instead of importing the PST data. Follow the simple instructions to open Outlook Data File:

1. Run your Outlook application.
2. Select the Open & Export option > Open Outlook Data File.
3. Choose the Outlook PST file you want to open and click OK.
4. Access the Outlook emails again and check for any issues.

4: Verify for Read-Only Status

Sometimes PST files are protected by other users by enabling the Read-only feature. If it is enabled then the PST file may throw this error “this Outlook file PST is already in use in the current profile”. You can confirm the read-only status by performing these steps.

1. Go to your PST file and right-click on it.
2. Click the Properties option from the list.
3. In the Outlook Properties window, check whether the Read-only property checkbox is selected or not.
4. If it is selected, then unselect the checkbox.
5. Now, restart the Outlook application to verify if the error is fixed.

5: Relocate Outlook PST File

Inaccuracy in the path location could be a reason behind this personal folders file (.pst) is already in use in the current profile. Therefore, it is suggested to relocate the PST file. Follow the steps to reset the PST path location:

1. Open Outlook application.
2. Go to File > Click the Account Settings > Account Settings.
3. Click on the Data Files tab, select the PST file & click Open File Location.
4. Check at the opened folder location for the PST file. If it is not available, search for it on the system and copy/paste it to this particular folder.
5. Run Outlook application again to check for the Outlook error.

And if the issue still persists, jump to the next solution.

6: Run Scanpst.exe

In case, if none of the above-mentioned techniques worked for you, then you can try repairing the Outlook PST file by using the in-built utility scanPST.exe provided by Microsoft.

Location of the this utility depends on the version of Outlook you are using. Most commonly you will find the tool at this location:

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

1. Navigate to above location and double-click the SCANPST.EXE application to open it.
2. Browse the PST file from the system location and add it.
3. Next, click Start to initiate the repair process.
4. After the scan, click Repair the button.

However, there are some drawbacks of the Inbox Repair Tool(scanpst.exe). It fails to respond if you have a large-sized and encrypted PST file. Don’t panic, we also have another alternative that can overcome all the limitations of the scanpst.exe.

Outlook data recovery is a reliable and efficient tool that can resolve all the major corruption issues from the Outlook PST file. It is designed with brilliant algorithms that perform a quick and advance scan in the PST file and fixes the errors.

The preview options of the tool allow viewing PST emails as Normal Mail View, Hex, Properties, Message Header, MIME, HTML, RTF, and attachments. Moreover, the utility retains the original hierarchy of emails and restore recovered data in PST, PDF, EML, MSG, HTML files.

Concluding Words

By reading the article, you will know the reason for getting “the Outlook data file is already in use the current profile”. Then, we have listed different methods to fix this issue. However, the manual methods are failed to fix the error if your PST files are damaged. To repair those corrupted files, we recommended the automated tool that can easily turn the broken PST files into a healthy state without any data loss.