Outlook Won't Open? Here’s How to Fix it Fast

Can’t open Microsoft Outlook on Windows, Mac, or mobile? No worries, we’ve been there before. In this quick guide, we’ll help you fix the problem and get your emails back. In less than 10 minutes.

You’ve probably already tried to start Outlook a few times, checked your internet connection, and restarted your device. But Microsoft’s email client still won’t open, leaving you cut off from your important messages, schedule, and contacts.

There could be many reasons for this issue, including corrupted Outlook data files, conflicts between add-ins, or outdated software. Let’s explore the most common reasons why Outlook isn’t opening and how to resolve this frustrating situation.

How to fix Outlook not opening:

Check your Internet connexion
Is Outlook down?
Update Outlook and your Operating System
Restart your device
Disable Add-Ins
Open Outlook in Safe Mode
Repair Outlook data files
Use a PST recovery software
Reinstall Outlook
Create a new Outlook profile
Contact Outlook customer service

Let’s do this together.

1. Check your Internet connexion

To open Outlook and access your emails, you need a working internet connection, especially in its online mode. If your connection is not stable, Outlook may not open or could continually attempt to connect without success.

Verify your internet connection by trying to access other websites. Or use another online service. If they’re not working either, reset your router or contact your internet service provider. For mobile devices, toggle airplane mode on and then off to reset your connection.

2. Is Outlook down?

Microsoft servers are very reliable and rarely go down. However, it might be worth checking. If the servers are down, you won’t be able to access your emails until Microsoft brings them back online.

Check if Outlook is down or you can look at the service status page if Microsoft is experiencing issues.

3. Update Outlook and your Operating System

Microsoft regulatory releases new updates for Outlook and Windows (or macOS). If your version of Outlook or the operating system is outdated, it may not function properly with current technologies, leading to compatibility issues that can prevent Outlook from opening or functioning correctly.

Make sure that your Outlook and Operating System are up to date. On Windows, go to Settings > Update & Security and check for updates. For Mac, go to System Preferences > Software Update. You can also set both Outlook and your operating system to update automatically to prevent future issues.

4. Restart your device

I know this sounds silly. But you’d be surprised at how often it actually works. Restarting your device clears temporary files and can fix minor software conflicts. So it’s definitely worth a try.

Turn your computer (or your mobile) OFF, then ON again. This will refresh system processes. Once your device is ready, try opening Outlook once more, and see if things are back to normal.

5. Open Outlook in Safe Mode

Using Safe Mode is a great way to troubleshoot Outlook not opening, because it allows Outlook to run without any add-ins or extensions, and with a limited set of settings. This can help you quickly pinpoint the issue.

To open Outlook in Safe Mode, hold the Ctrl key while launching the program. Then click Yes to confirm. If it opens, you likely have an add-in problem. Which brings us to the next step.

6. Disable Add-Ins

Add-ins are extensions that you can install to enhance Outlook’s functionality and unlock additional features, like CRM integration. But these add-ins can sometimes result in compatibility issues, especially if they’re not up-to-date or poorly coded. A conflicting add-in might cause Outlook to freeze, crash, or not open at all.

Start Outlook in Safe Mode (hold Ctrl while opening Outlook on Windows), which temporarily disables all add-ins. If Outlook opens, go to File > Options > Add-Ins and disable all add-ins. Then, re-enable them one by one to identify the problematic one.

7. Repair Outlook data files

Outlook stores personal information and emails in files called PST (Personal Storage Table) or OST (Offline Storage Table). These files can become corrupted due to various reasons such as improper shutdowns of Outlook, large file sizes, or hardware failures. When these files are corrupted, Outlook may not open properly, or it might crash frequently.

You can fix this issue with the Inbox Repair Tool (ScanPST.exe), an application provided by Microsoft to repair PST or OST files. To use this tool, backup your Outlook data. Then run ScanPST.exe. You can find it in the Outlook installation directory on your computer. The software will then scan and repair your Outlook data files.

8. Use a PST recovery software

When PST files are beyond the repair scope of the Inbox Repair Tool (ScanPST.exe), third-party PST recovery tools can be a lifesaver. These programs are specifically designed to handle more complex data corruptions. They use advanced scanning and recovery algorithms to parse severely damaged files, reconstruct them, and recover their contents.

Install a PST recovery software, like Stellar Repair for Outlook or Remo Repair Outlook PST. Launch the software and select the corrupted PST file through the interface. Then click Repair to start the process.

9. Reinstall Outlook

When Microsoft Outlook is installed on your computer, numerous files, registry entries and configurations are set up to make sure the program runs smoothly. If any of these components are missing or corrupted during installation, Outlook may fail to open or could crash unexpectedly.

To fix this, you may need to reinstall Outlook. Start by uninstalling the program. To do so, go to Settings > Apps > Apps & features. Select Microsoft Office. Then click Uninstall. Sign in to your Microsoft account, download the Microsoft 365 suite, and run the installer to place new files on your system, write fresh registry entries, and configure default settings. This might do the trick.

10. Create a new Outlook profile

Your Outlook profile holds all your account settings and data configurations. If this profile becomes corrupted, it might fail to load or cause Outlook to crash upon opening. Such corruption could result from improper shutdowns, software conflicts, or corrupted files within the profile.

To fix this issue, you can create a new profile. Go to Control Panel > Mail > Show Profiles > Add. Then follow the prompts of the setup wizard to configure your profile, select it as your default profile, and restart Outlook.

11. Contact Outlook customer service

If none of the above steps work, the issue may be more complex or related to server-side problems that only Microsoft can resolve. Time to ask for help from Microsoft support.

Contact Outlook customer service for personalized assistance. You can start a live chat with a support agent, or visit their support portal. Have details of your account and the steps you've already tried ready to expedite the process.

Conclusion

There could be several reasons why your Outlook is not opening. Some possible causes include internet connectivity issues, outdated software, server maintenance, corrupted Microsoft Outlook data files, conflicts between add-in, or technical issues with the device you are using to access your email. Make sure to review each step from our guide to quickly pinpoint the issue, fix your Outlook not working, and get back to your emails.

This guide was written by Paul Anthonioz, content editor at Mailmeteor. Mailmeteor is a simple & privacy-focused emailing software. Trusted by millions of users worldwide, it is often considered as the best tool to send newsletters with Gmail. Give us a try and let us know what you think!

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