Error 0x8000ffff adding a data file in the Mail applet in Outlook 2016

Original KB number:   3143950

Symptoms

You run Microsoft Outlook 2016, and when you open Mail in Control Panel and then select Add on the Data File tab, you may receive this error message:

An unknown error occurred, error code: 0x8000ffff

This is a known limitation in Outlook 2016.

Workaround

To work around this issue, add the data file in Account Settings in Outlook 2016 by following these steps.

1. Open Outlook 2016.
2. On the File tab, select Account Settings, and then select Account Settings.
3. On the Data Files tab, select Add.
4. Add the data file as needed, and then select OK.
5. Select Close on the Account Settings window.