Wondershare Repairit
Email Repair

Perfectly repair and recover corrupted Outlook PST & OST files.

  • Fix all Outlook Email issues on Windows and Mac in various scenarios.
  • One trick to fix corrupted PST & OST files in Outlook.
  • Restore Outlook Emails deleted for a long time and extract important Email messages, folders, calendars, etc.
  • Perfectly compatible with Windows & Mac devices.
email repair

How to Solve the Operation Cannot be Performed Outlook

Is the following error displaying on your Outlook screen?

"The operation cannot be performed because the message has been changed."

If that's the case, you will not be able to manage your Outlook emails properly. It stops several operations across your email client. To resume your processes across Outlook, you must find a proper solution to this error. We will offer remedies to the operation that cannot be performed under Outlook error.

Part 1: Why Can't You Perform a Specific Operation on Outlook?

The problem of The Operation Cannot be Performed Outlook is quite common. The reasons are straightforward, but most people fail to realize them. Therefore, we will be reviewing the reasons that become the cause of this Outlook error:

operation cannot be performed outlook reasons

1. Issues in Outlook Configurations

You may have configured Outlook as per your desired settings. However, while setting up Outlook, certain flaws can be left behind. These flaws lead to such Outlook errors where you cannot perform operations.

2. Malfunctioning Anti-Virus

Although Anti-virus software provides a set of options to manage operations, it can also malfunction. When such issues happen, An operational anti-virus will return you with such errors.

3. Use of Add-ins Across Outlook

Different add-ins help you improve your Outlook performance. However, these add-ins sometimes cause additional problems for users across Outlook. It includes the operation cannot be performed Outlook error. The only appropriate way to eliminate such a problem is by disabling the add-ins from Outlook. You can also verify this by running Outlook in Safe Mode.

4. Corrupted or Faulty Installation of Outlook

The installation file of Outlook may be damaged for some reason. With such damages, you will have to consider repairing your software. If it does not do the trick, the only reasonable way to avoid such errors is by uninstalling it.

Part 2: The Perfect Solutions to "Operation Cannot be Performed Outlook"

The overview of the reasons helped make you understand the error. You now have a clear view of the "The Operation Cannot be Performed Outlook" error. The stage is perfect to lead to the solutions to this particular error:

Solution 1: Remove Add-ins from Outlook

We have discussed that add-ins can cause many issues with your Outlook. To resolve this error, you will have to disable add-ins from Outlook. By following these steps, you will be able to figure out a resolution to this issue:

Step 1: Initiate the process by launching Outlook on your computer.

Proceed across the "File" tab present on the top-left of the screen.

access file tab

Step 2: Find the "Options" button across the left panel to open Outlook Options on a new window.

Go across "Add-ins" from the left section to open the respective settings.

choose add-ins settings

Step 3: On the right side of the window, find the "Manage:" option and select "COM Add-ins.

" Hit on "Go" to lead to a new window for add-ins. Remove all the add-ins across the window with the available options and click "OK."

remove the add-ins

Solution 2: Go for Disabling Conversation Clean-Up Option

Issues in Outlook configuration can also cause such errors. If you want to avoid an operation that cannot be performed in Outlook, you will have to change the settings. You can consider going for the following steps:

Step 1: Start Microsoft Outlook on your computer and lead to the "File" tab on the top-left.

Navigate to the "Options" button in the left section of the new screen.

access outlook options

Step 2: This will pop up the Outlook Options as a new window.

Hover to the "Mail" tab from the left and look over the options on the right.

open mail settings

Step 3: Lead to the "Conversation Clean Up" section, where you have to find an option.

Uncheck the option of "When a reply modifies a message, don't move the original." Select "OK" to permanently change the settings and restart your Outlook.

disable when a reply modifies option

Solution 3: Check If Outlook Can Be Repaired

Damaged installation can be a reason for many errors in Outlook. However, to have it resolved for yourselves, you might seek repairing it. The following steps provide you with an overview of repairing Outlook on your device:

Step 1: You must access the "Run" program with the "Windows + R" shortcut keys.

As the pop-up opens, type in "appwiz.cpl" to open the "Program and Features" window.

execute the run command

Step 2: Scroll down and find the "Microsoft Office" application from the list.

Select the app and hover your cursor on the "Change" button on the top.

tap on change button

Step 3: As the repairing wizard launches, select "Quick Repair" from the options.

Conclude the process by hitting "Repair" on the same window.

start repairing outlook

Solution 4: Uninstall and Reinstall Outlook on Computer

You can also uninstall Outlook once on your device if nothing resolves. To get rid of the operation cannot be performed Outlook error; there is no other proper way. Thus, look into the details of how you can achieve this across your Outlook:

Step 1: Initiate the process by opening the 'Search' bar using the "Windows + S" shortcut key.

As the bar protrudes in front of you, type "Apps & features." Search for the appropriate result on your device.

open apps and features option

Step 2: You will be directed to a new window containing the details of the applications.

Scroll down the list to find "Microsoft Office." On accessing it, select it to find the "Uninstall" button across it. Uninstall Outlook with the on-screen options provided.

click on uninstall button

Step 3: Open your browser and search for the latest version of Microsoft Office.

Reinstall it properly on your computer without any particular hindrance.

Solution 5: Try Turning Off Autosave Feature in Outlook

There is another approach you can try to resolve the operational issues of Outlook. By turning off the Autosave feature, you will be able to control the conditions of your mailbox. To do this, look ahead into the steps of disabling this feature:

Step 1: Launch Microsoft Outlook on your computer and proceed across the "File" tab.

You can find this in the screen's top-left menu bar. As you lead up front, see the "Options" tab on the farthest bottom-left of your window.

launch outlook settings options

Step 2: The Outlook Options open up on the new window.

Navigate to the "Mail" section from the options available on the left panel. Next, look for the "Save messages" section from the available options.

access mail tab

Step 3: You need to uncheck the option "Automatically save items that have not been sent after this many minutes."

Click "OK" to successfully turn off Autosave across your Outlook.

disable automatically save items option

Bonus Part: How to Repair Outlook Data Files That Are Corrupted?

You can try using any of the above methods to resolve the "operation cannot be performed" error. However, another prevalent error of Outlook is the corrupt Outlook data files. If this happens, you won't be able to process any complete operation across the email client. Thus, it needs to be corrected. Luckily, this can be done with a repair tool.

Wondershare Repairit for Email is recognized as a complete email repairing tool.

You can find support for repairing PST and OST files across the repair tool. Along with that, the platform supports previewing the data beforehand. This gives you better control over what you are repairing. With a fast and accurate repair system, you can perform these actions on Windows or Mac.

  • Repair damaged PST & OST Files in Outlook in all Email corruption scenarios, such as hard disk crashes & bad sectors, virus attacks & tojan horse, outlook corruption & malfunctions, improper shutdown procedure, etc.

  • Restore Outlook Emails deleted for a long time and extract the Email messages, folders, calendars, etc. within seconds.

  • Repair corrupted Emails and restore deleted Emails with a very high success rate.

  • Repair Emails in bathes without size limits and support previewing all of them before saving.

  • Compatible with Windows 7/8/8.1/10/11, Windows Server 2012/2016/2019, and MacOS X 10.11~ MacOS 12 (Monterey).

Let's find out how you can fix your corrupted Outlook files with this repair tool:

Step 1: Launch Outlook and Select Outlook Data File.

Wondershare Repairit for Email is downloaded separately as an application on your computer. Go for the "Select File" button after starting the tool.

tap on select file button

Step 2: Search Through Drive or Browse Manually.

Repairit allows you to find or add the data file manually. Go for "Find File" if you want to let the platform search for the data file across a specific drive. Consider browsing it across the "Add File" tab if you know the location.

start repairing corrupted outlook file

Step 3: Repair Corrupted Data File and Preview to Save.

On importing the corrupted data file, click "Repair" to start the repair. The preview window starts displaying the repaired content in front of you. Look into the content and select the data that you wish to retrieve. On selecting the data, click on "Save" to conclude.

save the repaired content

Concluding Words

This article has helped dissect the operation that cannot be performed Outlook error. With all the solutions in your view, you can try any of them to resolve this Outlook error. To resume operations across Outlook, you must be absolute with your selection. If you wish to repair your corrupted Outlook data files, opt for Wondershare Repairit for Email. You won't be disappointed with the repairing results.