

If this method wasn’t applicable or you’re looking for a different approach of resolving the problem, move down to the next method below.

Note: This method will not be applicable on versions newer than Outlook 2013. Closing the PST / OST file from the main Outlook menuĪfter confirming at the warning prompt, affected users have reported that the Data file could be deleted without encountering the “ You Cannot Delete this Outlook Data File” error. Several users that we’re encountering the issue on Outlook 2010 and Outlook 2013 when trying to import an Outlook 2003 file have reported that the issue was resolved after they right-clicked on the PST / OST file from the main Outlook screen and clicked on the Close option. Method 2: Closing the PST / OST file from Outlook (Outlook 2013 and older only) If this method wasn’t applicable and all your email clients we’re already closed, move down to the next method below. If you see one, simply right-click on it and choose End Task. With this in mind, open up your Task Manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc), go to the Processes tab and see if you see any evidence of an Outlook process that is currently running. Keep in mind that if Outlook.exe or a different application is running and is actively using the Data file, you’ll keep seeing the “ You Cannot Delete this Outlook Data File” error because the file is in use. Or it could be a different email client that is using the same Data file. If you receive this error message while trying to delete the Data file, you should start investigating if any instance of Outlook is currently running on your computer.


Not every potential fix will be applicable to your particular scenario, so we urge you to follow the methods in the order that they are presented and skip those that aren’t applicable. Down below, you’ll find five different methods that affected users all over the world have successfully used to resolve the issue. If you’re currently struggling to resolve this particular error, this article will provide you with several troubleshooting steps. In this case, you might be successful by deleting the data file manually or by deleting the entire Outlook profile. If the PST / OST file contains bad data, you might be prevented from deleting it conventionally.
