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Can’t Move The Items. The Items Could Not Be Moved! Get Rid Off It Now

  author
Nimisha Ramesh   
Published: Mar 25, 2019 • Outlook • 4 Min Read

“When trying to move messages into my personal Outlook folders, I am encountering a dialog box with the message ‘Cannot move the items the item cannot be moved.’ The problem is restricting me from doing my further official works due to which now I am really getting irritated. This is happening with new as well as the old emails. Can anyone suggest to me what’s exactly going on? Is there any bug trending in Microsoft email client from which I am totally unaware of? Or what??”

Due to the frequent use of Outlook email client either for business purpose or casual work, the PST file gets oversized. This leads to flashing of errors at various stages like file integrity, software performance, etc. One such error is cannot move the items the item could not be moved it was either already moved, which occurs when a client tries to copy or move an email from Inbox folder of Outlook to the public one.

Important Tip – It is highly recommended to Microsoft users that they should hold smaller PST files. Backup Outlook data or archive it to be safe from the occurrence of email client’s errors.

Well, nothing to worry about, today in this post we are going to describe particular aspects related to this can’t move the items the items could not be moved error and illustrate its core causes with resolution methods.

Error Consequences

Several users, despite being known from the fact that Microsoft desktop-based email app is prone to errors, ignore the backup of PST file. This is a common reason due to which people get stuck when an issue arises in multiple different use cases of Outlook. For example – occurrence of error can’t move the items the items could not be moved takes place when a person tries to move or copy an item from personal or inbox folder of Outlook to public mailbox. This affects the movement of important messages, and hence warrants an effective and rapid remedy for offsetting integration and productivity loss. Like others, it is possible to fix the problem with certain tested and tried resolution methods and products. However, prior to the explanation of the solutions to fix this cannot move the items the item could not be moved it was either already moved error, it is essential to first analyze the root cause of the problem. So, let’s continue with the next section of this post to understand the reason behind the error!

Causes Due to Which Error Occurs

  • Antivirus app installed on PC is performing a regular threat check on the database file.
  • The message has chosen to move or copy is already present in the targeted folder.
  • The message that a user is going to move is in use by some unknown instance.
  • The PST file from which items are moved is corrupted.

Ways to Fix ‘ Cannot Move the Items the Item Cannot be Moved ’

Its time to reveal the solutions through which one can troubleshoot this particular error. If your imagination or technical knowledge says that the reason behind the occurrence of the error is not corruption in PST file, simply fix the issue by ‘Force Closing’ all the applications that are in running state and then, restart Outlook. Now, give an attempt to copy or move messages again in Outlook. If you observe that the activity is taking place in a smooth manner, congratulations problem is resolved. But it can’t move the items the items could not be moved error persists, your imagination is wrong! It means that corruption is present in the Outlook database file.

OMG, Corruption in PST File!! What to do Now?

Don’t panic, just charm down!! There can be several reasons due to which Outlook PST file gets corrupted and, the cause cannot move the items the item cannot be moved or deleted or access was denied error. One of the most common reasons is the oversized PST file. If you had attempted solutions to fix large PST file problem but, your error is not yet resolved then, it means that the file corruption is because of some other unknown reason. In such a scenario, the only approach left is to use the scanpst.exe utility or a third-party PST repairing product to recover corrupted PST file.

Once you’ll attempt the approaches mentioned in this post, your problem will definitely get resolved. Now its time for us to bind up the post. We hope that we were successfully able to fix your problem. However, if in case you are facing trouble in fixing the error, feel free to contact us at any time.

By Nimisha Ramesh

Nimisha Ramesh is a professional with a keen focus on branding and technical content writing. With a deep understanding of how to craft and convey brand messages, Nimisha excels in the art of branding, ensuring businesses leave a lasting impact. Her talent for technical content writing ensures that complex concepts are presented in a way that's clear and accessible to a wide audience. Nimisha's dual expertise in branding and content writing makes her a vital asset in shaping brand narratives and engaging audiences effectively.