
An Outlook Data File (.pst) can become damaged because of file corruption, software crashes, virus attacks, or because the file is too large for the hard drive.
There are a lot of ways to recover PST files, but not all of them works turns out to be really effective.
If you’re looking for the best way to recover your lost or corrupted PST files, look no further than our handy guide.
We’ll show you how to use a variety of methods to get your files back, and we’ll also give you some tips on avoiding future problems.
If your .pst file becomes damaged, you can use the Inbox Repair tool (SCANPST.EXE) to repair it.
In this article, you will get to know about free Microsoft utility as well as a third party Outlook PST File recovery software in order to repair your corrupt data file and recover inaccessible data.

1. Use Scanpst.exe
Scanpst.exe or Inbox Repair Tool is the Microsoft utility to repair corrupt Outlook Data File(.pst).
Before you run the Inbox Repair tool, If you receive a prompt to enter a password when you try to open your Personal Folders (.pst) file or your Offline Folder (.ost) file, type the correct password in the Password box, and then click OK.
Although you can open and work with items in a password-protected Personal Folders (.pst) file or Offline Folder (.ost) file without supplying a password, you cannot open items that are encrypted.
For more information about encryption in Microsoft Outlook, see Understanding encryption in Outlook.
- How to run scanPST.exe?
You can locate scanpst.exe and run the utility to repair PST file. You must take the PST data file back-up before running scanpst.exe utility in order to save your PST file from further data corruption.
Here, you have limitation with scanpst such as the data file should not be larger than 2 GB and the inbox repair utility can’t repair severe data file corruption.
So, for large size PST file, or severe corrupted file, you have to use a third party repair software. We have evaluated Stellar Repair for Outlook below – one of the best Outlook PST recovery tool.
- Use manual method
Outlook PST file recovery can be a tricky business. If you’ve accidentally deleted an important PST file, or if your PST file has become corrupt, there are a few things you can do to try to recover it.
First, try using a recovery tool designed specifically for Outlook PST files. These tools can often recover files that have been accidentally deleted or corrupted.
If you can’t find a recovery tool that works for you, try opening the PST file in a text editor such as Notepad. This won’t work for all PST files, but it’s worth a shot.

If all else fails, you may be able to contact Microsoft and ask them for help. They may be able to provide you with a copy of the PST file from their servers.
- Use Stellar Repair for Outlook
Stellar Repair for Outlook is a professional PST repair software that can repair corrupt, damaged or inaccessible PST files and restore all your emails, contacts, calendars, tasks, journals, etc.
The software uses powerful scanning algorithms to deeply scan the damaged PST file and recover all your lost data. It also allows you to split large sized PST files into smaller parts.

Before you decide on a particular PST repair tool, it’s important to understand the different features and options that are available. This will help you choose the right tool for your needs and budget.
There are a few different things to consider when choosing a PST repair tool, including:
-The cost of the software
-The features offered
-The ease of use
-The customer support options.
Why to choose Stellar Repair for Outlook?
If your Outlook data file is severely damaged, you may not be able to open it or access your emails, contacts, and other data. In this case, you’ll need to use a data recovery tool to repair your Outlook data file.
There are a few different data recovery tools available, but we recommend using Stellar Repair for Outlook. This tool can repair corrupt or damaged PST files and recover your emails, contacts, calendar items, tasks, and notes.
How to use Stellar Repair for Outlook?
To use Stellar Repair for Outlook:
- Download and install the ‘Stellar Repair for Outlook’ software on your computer.
- Run the software and select the PST file that you want to repair.
- Click “Scan” and it will start scanning the PST file.
- Once the scan is complete, you can preview the recovered data.
- Select the data that you want to save and click “Recover.”
Stellar Repair for Outlook features:
- Stellar Repair for Outlook is a comprehensive and versatile tool that can repair even the most severely corrupted PST files and restore them to their original state.
- The software can recover all items from the PST file, including emails, contacts, calendar entries, tasks, notes, and attachments.
- It can also repair encrypted and password-protected PST files.
This software is capable of repairing severely corrupted or damaged PST files and restoring all its mailbox items like emails, contacts, attachments, tasks, notes, etc. in their original form at a user-specified location.

Conclusion
Stellar Repair for Outlook is one of the best Outlook PST file recovery software as it is simple and easy to use with a user interface that is both intuitive and straightforward. It can be used to recover all or selected emails, contacts, calendar items, tasks, notes, and journals from a corrupt or damaged outlook pst file.
The recovered data can be saved in various formats such as .pst, .msg, .eml, .mhtml,.html,.rtf,.gif,.tif and .jpg. The software also has the option to save the recovered data in multiple formats in a single operation.