19 Fixes For Outlook Won't Open (2023)

Outlook is a good email client. You can check your mailbox without logging into your provider’s website. Even this well-liked feature of Microsoft Office, however, might fall short on occasion. In that case, you cannot open the Outlook window at all.

You cannot start Microsoft Outlook. It’s usually due to outdated software or a damaged profile. The problem can be immediately identified if a specific error code is displayed.

Many consumers are unsure how to proceed in such situations. You’re up a creek without a paddle if the cause of the problem is unknown.

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Why Does Outlook Won’t Open?

Microsoft Outlook is a full-featured, powerful, and dependable email program. You may run into problems with Outlook at some point. You won’t be able to load or access anything, which can be annoying.

You may occasionally face a situation in which you cannot start Microsoft Outlook. It refuses to open or start and displays the following error messages.

“Microsoft Outlook won’t open the Outlook window.”
“The Outlook will not open.”
“You cannot open the Outlook Window.”

The Outlook may not load or function properly for a variety of reasons. These are some of the reasons.

There are problems with the Outlook service.
Issues with internet connectivity.
There is an issue in the app that necessitates an update.
Updates to the app are causing problems.
Add-ons that are outdated or broken.
Outlook PST file that is corrupted or damaged.
A profile that has been tampered with.
There are problems with the navigation panel.

Solutions To Fix “Cannot Open The Outlook” Issue.

You can use various easy and advanced troubleshooting procedures to resolve Outlook difficulties. Try reopening Outlook and see whether it works.

Switch To Another Email Client
Create A New Profile
Repair Your Outlook Data File
Start Outlook In Safe Mode & Disable Add-Ins
Ensure Outlook Isn’t Running In Compatibility Mode
Change The DPI Settings
Microsoft Recovery And Support Assistant
Update Microsoft Outlook
Restore Navigation Panel Configuration File
Enable Work Offline Mode
Delete Outlook App Data Folder
Run The SFC Command
Repair Microsoft Office
Use Outlook Older Version
Delete The Registry Key
Use The New Email Message Option
Send File With Outlook
Check If You Have Permissions To Access Your Pst File
Rebuild Outlook Database (Mac)

1. Switch To Another Email Client

If Outlook would not open, it may be time to switch to a different email client. There are many excellent options available. Mailbird is my recommendation in this situation.

Mailbird is one of the common email services for Windows 10 and one of the top email apps.

The program is helpful. It enables you to sync all of the emails and contacts from various accounts into a single Inbox. It also comes with a slew of easy-to-configure customizable features and choices. Mailbird’s primary user interface, low system impact, and use of various shortcuts.

2. Create A New Profile

Outlook settings are stored in your Outlook profile. If the profile is corrupted, you can build a new one and set it as the default when Outlook launches.

Select Start, then Control Panel, then Mail from the drop-down menu.

“Add” should be selected.

In the Profile Name box, provide the name you want to use for the new profile.

Fill in Your Name, Password, and Email Address on the Auto Account Setup page. Do it in the Add Account Wizard under Email Account.

Select Finish, and your new profile’s name will appear in the Mail dialogue box’s General tab.
Then, under Prompt for a profile to be used, select Prompt for a profile to be used. Use this profile when starting Microsoft Outlook and then select OK.
Restart Outlook and choose the new profile name you generated from the Choose Profile dialogue box’s drop-down list. Select OK and verify that Outlook launches typically with the new profile name.

3. Repair Your Outlook Data File

The PST file in Outlook is corrupt or damaged. Scanpst.exe, Microsoft’s built-in recovery tool, can be used to fix the Outlook data file. In addition, there is specialized PST repair software.

Scanpst.exe can be used to fix an Outlook data file.

Exit Microsoft Outlook.
Look for file “Scanpst.exe” in the following location. Go to location “C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office then root\Office19”

If you don’t know where Scanpst.exe is, look it up.
“SCANPST” should be double-clicked.
Select Browse and browse to the file that needs to be repaired.
To begin scanning the corrupt PST file, select Start.
When the scanning is finished, a new screen will appear, detailing the faults identified in the file.
To correct the errors, select Repair.

The corrected elements can then be saved to a new.pst file.

Open Outlook.
CTRL+6 is the shortcut key. The Folder List view will be enabled as a result of this action.

You may see a list of all the recovered data folders under Folder List. Inbox, Outbox, Contacts, Sent Items, and so on are all included.
Make a new PST file.
Drag and drop all recovered data objects from the Lost and Found folder into the new PST file.
Remove the PST file that was recovered.

Use Stellar Repair Tool.

Browse to the PST file’s location from the main interface. Click Find if you don’t know where you are.
To begin scanning, choose the PST file you wish to fix and click Repair.
The preview pane will list all recoverable files and folders when the scanning procedure is finished. Choose the records and folders that are required to be repaired.
After making your choices, go to the Home menu and select Save Repaired File.
Determine the file format where you want the repaired file to be saved.
After that, click OK and specify the location where you want the recovered files to be saved.

4. Start Outlook In Safe Mode & Disable Add-Ins

Outlook in Safe Mode allows you to start Outlook without any add-ins. Add-ins can interfere with it. You can determine whether or not the add-in is the source of the issue.

Choose Start, then Run. Select OK after typing “Outlook /safe” in the box.

In the Choose Profile dialogue box, accept the default Outlook settings and click OK.

If indicated, enter your password and then choose Accept. Outlook in Safe Mode will open, the Outlook in Safe Mode label appears next to your email address.

If Outlook in Safe Mode works, remove all add-ins and restart the program.

To turn off add-ins in Outlook, go to File, Options, then Add-ins.
Check if COM Add-ins are shown in the Manage box at the bottom of the View and Manage Office Add-ins page.
Select the Go option.

Take a screenshot of the property sheet if the COM Add-ins listing appears. Each selected add-in displayed under Available Add-ins should be saved or recorded. After that, hit OK and clear all of the selected checkboxes.

Choose File and then Exit. Now, right-click Start, then Run, and put Outlook into the box.
After that, go to File, Options, and Add-ins.
Select the box next to the add-in you want to re-enable. Rep to this process until you’ve re-enabled all of the original add-ins and identified the source of the error.

5. Ensure Outlook Isn’t Running In Compatibility Mode

Compatibility mode allows you to execute programs on earlier operating systems with ease. Whether Outlook is set to compatibility mode, turn it off and see if it works properly again. Check whether the “Outlook will not open” issue is resolved.

On your PC, look for the Outlook.exe file. Navigate to C:⇒Program Files then Microsoft Office⇒Office 14 or C:\Program Files (x86)\ Microsoft Office\Office 14\ on Outlook 2010.
C:\Program Files\ Microsoft Office\Office 15\.
Alternatively, C:\Program Files (x86)\ Microsoft Office\Office 15\ for 2013 Outlook.
On the Compatibility tab, uncheck any boxes that are checked. Select OK, then Apply. Restart Outlook and check if it now usually opens.
Restart Outlook, and in the Choose Profile dialogue box, select the new profile name you generated from the drop-down list. Select OK, and then check to see if Outlook opens correctly with the new profile name.

6. Change The DPI Settings

Set the DPI scaling to 100% in Outlook to solve the “cannot start Microsoft Outlook” problem. Reduce the display scaling to 200 DPI from 250 DPI to solve the problem.

Select Display Settings from the context menu when you right-click your desktop.
Move the slider to the extreme left until it states 100 percent when the Display Settings window opens.
After that, log out and back into Windows 10. Restart Outlook to see if the issue has been resolved.

7. Microsoft Recovery And Support Assistant

Use the Microsoft Support and Recovery Assistant application. You may be able to fix “Outlook won’t open” Outlook issues.

This utility is meant to address common problems with Office tools, and all you have to do is download it, run it, and let it take care of the problem.

8. Update Microsoft Outlook

Outlook installs updates automatically by default. These updates can be enabled or disabled manually in your Office Account settings. You can also check for available updates on your device and install the most recent one.

Select File, then Office Account to activate automatic updates for Outlook.
Select Update Options from the drop-down box, then Enable updates.

Manually check for and apply Outlook updates. In the menu panel, choose File, then Office Account.
Then, under Update Options, click Update Now.
Select Help from the menu bar to update Outlook on your Mac. Then choose to Check for Updates from the drop-down menu.
To download and install any pending updates, select Update.

9. Restore Navigation Panel Configuration File

The corruption of the Navigation Panel Configuration File is a common cause of the “Microsoft Outlook won’t open” issue. The file profilename.xml has a size of 0 KB, which indicates that it is corrupt. You can restore the file in this instance by following these steps.

Microsoft Outlook should be closed.
Select Start and then Run.
Type Outlook.exe /resetnavpane in the Run dialogue box.

Click the OK button.
The problem is not fixed by repairing the corrupted Navigation Pane Configuration File. You can delete it (no harm will come to your.pst file).
Select Start then Run.
Type “%appdata%\Microsoft\Outlook” in the pop-up window and click OK.

You will be directed to the Microsoft Outlook configuration file’s location.
Find and remove the XML file.

10. Enable Work Offline Mode

You can use the Work Offline option to access emails you saved before Outlook stopped operating.

Open Outlook and look at the bottom of the window for the Working Offline status. If you don’t see Work Offline, it’s turned off.
On your Windows PC, enable Work Offline. Select Send/Receive and then Offline Work.
Go to the menu bar on a Mac device and select Outlook, then Work Offline.

11. Delete Outlook App Data Folder

Remove The Outlook Folder From Your Computer.

Simply delete the Outlook AppData folder to resolve the issue with Outlook. All deleted files will be recreated if Outlook can start. The problem should be handled entirely.

Make sure Outlook is closed fully.
Enter %localappdata% by pressing Windows Key + R.
Go to the Microsoft folder.
Locate and remove the Outlook folder.
Restart Outlook if necessary.

Remove The Outlook.Xml File From Your Computer.

The issue can be fixed by deleting the Outlook.xml file. You can accomplish this by following the steps below.

Enter %appdata% by pressing Windows Key + R. Enter the code.
Locate the Outlook.xml file in the Microsoft Outlook folder and delete it.

12. Run The SFC Command

Your files may have become corrupted. You won’t be able to start Outlook at all. You can fix this problem by running an SFC scan. It is a straightforward command that scans and repairs your computer. You can do that if you follow the steps.

In the Windows search box, type the cmd command. From the right pane, select Run as administrator.
Enter the following command on Command Prompt and click Enter.
- SFC /scannow

After the scan, check to see if the Outlook issue has been resolved.

13. Repair Microsoft Office

A problem with MS Office installation may be preventing Outlook from replying. You can utilize the built-in Microsoft Office repair tool to repair the software. Take the following steps:

Close all Microsoft Office programs that are currently open.
Pick “Programs and Features” from the Control Panel.
Locate the Microsoft Office version you want to change, right-click it, and choose Change.

Restore the functionality of your Microsoft Office software. Steps differ depending on whether you have a Click-to-Run or MSI-based Office installation.

To finish the MS Office repair process, follow the instructions on your screen.
After the fix is complete, try launching and opening Outlook.

14. Use Outlook Older Version

Outlook may become unresponsive if there is an issue with the MS Office installation. It makes you question why Outlook is refusing to open. You can utilize the built-in Microsoft Office repair tool to repair the software.

Close all Microsoft Office programs that are currently open.
Pick “Programs and Features” from the Control Panel.
Locate the Microsoft Office version you want to change, right-click it, and choose Change.
Restore the functionality of your Microsoft Office software.
It Depends on whether you have a Click-to-Run or MSI-based Office installation. The processes will differ.
Follow these steps for a Click-to-Run installation:
When the window ‘How would you like to fix your Office programs’ appears. Select Repair from the drop-down menu after selecting Online Repair.
Select Repair from the ‘Change your installation’ dialogue box for MSI-based installations. Then click Continue.

To finish the MS Office repair process, follow the instructions on your screen.
After the fix is complete, try launching and opening Outlook.

15. Delete The Registry Key

I strongly encourage you to back up your registry before making any changes to it in case something goes wrong.

Enter regedit by pressing Windows Key + R.
Navigate to the following route in the left panel and expand it:
- HKEY_CURRENT_USER Software⇒Microsoft⇒Windows NT⇒CurrentVersion then go to Windows⇒Messaging⇒Subsystem
Right-click the Profiles key and select Delete.
Restart your machine to see if the problem has been repaired.
Occasionally, merely deleting a single key from your registry might resolve the issue with Outlook.

16. Use The New Email Message Option

To close Outlook, I recommend using Task Manager and following the steps above.

To open Task Manager, press Ctrl + Shift + Esc.
Locate the Outlook process in the Process tab of Task Manager and click the End Task button.
In the Start Menu, look for Outlook. To open its Jump List, click the right arrow next to it.
You may also display Outlook’s Jump List by right-clicking it on your Taskbar.
Select New Email Message, New Meeting, or any other item from the drop-down menu. There will be a new window opened.
Pick “Run as administrator” from the menu when you right-click Outlook. Outlook should now be able to start without any issues.

17. Send File With Outlook

Users have reported getting stopped on the Processing page. Try sending any file through Outlook, which has been proposed as a solution that might work for you.

To do so, open Outlook and wait for the Processing screen to appear.
Open File Explorer, then right-click on any file. Select Send To Mail Recipient from the drop-down menu.
After that, Outlook will open in a new window with a new email window.

18. Check Permissions To Access Your Pst File

Outlook stores all of your data in a PST file. If you don’t have the right permissions to view it, you can get into some difficulties.

Changing your security permissions is all it takes to solve this problem. It can be completed by following the steps outlined above.

You should be capable of starting Outlook without any issues. First, get complete control over your PST file.

Locate your PST file and right-click it to bring up the Properties option.
Select “Security” from the drop-down menu. See if your username is available in the Groups or user names section. Click the Edit button if it isn’t.
Add a new user. Simply click on the Add button.
Enter your user name in the Enter the object names to select from, then click Check Names.
Click OK to add your user name if it is correct.
After selecting your user name from the Group, click Full Control, or user names are in the Allow column.
Save the changes made by clicking Apply and OK.

19. Rebuild Outlook Database (Mac)

You’re trying to open Outlook on a Mac, but it won’t open. Use the Microsoft Database Utility to rebuild the Outlook database. Examine whether the issue is due to a fragmented or damaged hard drive. To diagnose and repair hard disc problems, use the Apple Disk Utility.

Ensure you have at least 20MB of free space on your hard drive. The database must be rebuilt or compacted.
Open Outlook and go to Outlook, then Office Reminders, and then Turn Off Office Reminders.
Quit all Microsoft Office apps, including Outlook and the Mac version of Messenger.
Hold down the Option key while closing Outlook. To access the Microsoft Database Utility, click the Outlook icon on the Dock.
Select Rebuild after selecting the identification of the database you wish to rebuild.
Once the database rebuilding procedure is complete, restart Outlook.

Conclusion

Microsoft Outlook may not function properly at times. When you try to launch Outlook, it says, “Outlook Won’t Open.” You can resolve such situations by following the steps outlined in this article. After following all the solutions, I am sure you can quickly fix the issue.