Many a time’s users get trapped with the issues related to a particular client. Although, Outlook is professionally designed, yet scenarios may arise where the users encounter error messages displayed due to some internal issues. One of the common error of Outlook is identity could not be opened with this version of Outlook for Mac. If you encounter this error message, then necessary information about it can be collected from this blog. Let’s first have a look on the reason for the error.
Reason for the Error
Outlook displays the error message when a user try to delete or uninstall a copy of outlook 2011 which has been updated by some auto update process and then you try to reinstall the version using some external drive. This process upgrades the database of Outlook to a new version but there is no up-gradation in the version of Outlook. Hence, Outlook does not recognize the files in the database and denies to open them.
Resolution of the Issue
Outlook is being widely used due to a number of advance features associated with it. The most striking feature of Outlook is its strong disaster recovery plan. Outlook provides way to overcome a number of issues by using in built utilities. Outlook error ‘Identity Could not be Opened with this Version of Outlook for Mac’ can be resolved using the following steps.
STEP 1-
Downloading and installing latest update for Office
As mentioned above that the error is generated due to the conflict in the version of Outlook and its database files. Thus, if you download and install the latest version of Outlook, you can avoid this conflict and can open the files with the installed version of Outlook.
NOTE: Most of the times downloading and installing latest update can remove the error. However, if the error continues to occur, users may go for the following steps.
STEP 2-
Quit Outlook and Other Active Applications
In order to quite active applications on your local machine, follow these steps:
- Select ‘Force Quite’ from Apple Menu
NOTE: As an alternate to above step, you can press Command > Option > Esc
- Select an application from the Window displayed to you
NOTE: It is not possible to quit Finder
- Click on ‘Force Quit’
- Repeat the above mentioned steps until you quite all the active applications
NOTE: When you force quit an active application, unsaved changes to the open applications will not be changed
STEP 3-
Remove Outlook Preferences
Many a time’s damaged Outlook preferences may cause the error ‘identity could not be opened with this version of Outlook’. On moving the preferences to the desktop may overcome this issue. The basic steps followed for removing Outlook preferences are listed below:
- Quit all active application
- Select ‘Home’ from ‘Go’ menu
- Open ‘Library’
NOTE: In case you are using Mac OS X Lion, you won’t be able to view library as this folder is hidden. In order to preview this folder, hold option key and click on ‘Go’
- Open ‘Preference’ to view files present in it.
- Drag the below mentioned files to the desktop of your local machine
- ‘com.microsoft.outlook.plist’
- ‘com.microsoft.outlook.database_daemon.plist’
- ‘com.microsoft.outlook.database_utility.plist’
- ‘com.microsoft.outlook.office_reminders.plist’
- ‘com.microsoft.outlook.SyncServicesPreferences.plist’
NOTE: Many a times one of the above mentioned files may be missing if Outlook feature is not used. In such cases proceed drag the available files and proceed
- Open Outlook to find whether the issue continues or not.
If the issue is fixed then definitely, one of the file that you moved is causing some issues. In such scenario, the file is to be sent to trash. For isolating the file follow these steps:
- Quit Outlook
- Move a file to the original location
- Open Outlook
- If the error continues, the file that is being moved is causing the problem and so it needs to be sent to Trash
NOTE: If the error, perform the above steps until the issue is fixed
If you still find the error then quit Outlook and move the files to their original location and then follow these steps:
- Quit all active applications
- Select ‘Home’ from ‘Go’ menu
- Open ‘Library’
NOTE: In case you are using Mac OS X Lion, you won’t be able to view library as this folder is hidden. In order to preview this folder, hold option key and click on ‘Go’
- Open ‘Preference’ to view files present in it.
NOTE: In case you are having Service Pack2 installed then instead of Preference open Application Support
- Launch Outlook, followed by Office 2011.
- Drag the below mentioned files to the desktop of your local machine
- Outlook Preferences
- OfficeSync Prefs
NOTE: Many a times one of the above mentioned files may be missing if Outlook feature is not used. In such cases proceed drag the available files and proceed
- Open Outlook to find whether the issue continues or not.
If the issue is fixed then definitely, one of the file that you moved is causing some issues. In such scenario, the file is to be sent to trash. For isolating the file follow these steps:
- Quit Outlook
- Move a file to the original location
- Open Outlook
- If the error continues, the file that is being moved is causing the problem and so it needs to be sent to Trash
NOTE: If the error, perform the above steps until the issue is fixed
If you still find the error then quit Outlook and move the files to their original location and perform step 4.
STEP 4-
Moving Office 2011 Identities to Desktop
In order to move folders of Office 2011 identities to the desktop, follow these steps:
- Quit all active applications
- Select ‘Home’ from ‘Go’ menu
- Open ‘Microsoft User Data’ from ‘Documents’
- Drag the identities to the desktop of your local machine
- Open Outlook
These steps will definitely solve the error identity could not be opened with this version of Outlook for Mac and you will be able to work efficiently with Outlook.