Sometimes, you double-click the Outlook shortcut, but nothing happens. Outlook won’t open – a lot of users have complained already regarding this issue, and more are showing up every day.
But the good news is you can fix it. Here are 6 solutions that worked for many users and should work for you, too.
Fixes to try:
You may not have to try them all; just work your way down the list until you find the one that does the trick for you.
- Close all Outlook services
- Restart your computer
- Repair your Outlook account
- Remove unnecessary Outlook add-ins
- Rebuild the Outlook data file
- Reinstall Office 365
- Bonus tip: Update your device drivers
Fix 1: Close all Outlook services
We don’t know exactly what is causing OUtlook to fail on your PC, but we do know that Outlook does run – you’ll find outlook.exe in the running processes if you open Task Manager.
Try force-quitting Outlook, then reopening it to see if it fixes your issue:
1) On your keyboard, press the Ctrl, Shift and Esc keys at the same time to open Task Manager.
2) Under Processes, look for Microsoft Outlook.
3) Right-click Microsoft Outlook and select End process.
4) Relaunch Outlook to test your issue.
If your problem continues to occur, move on and try the next fix.
Fix 2: Restart your computer
In some cases, the Outlook not opening issue is just a temporary error that can be fixed by restarting your PC.
If your problem still exists after the reboot, don’t worry. There are still 6 more fixes to try.
Fix 3: Repair your Outlook profile
Issues with opening Outlook arise when your Outlook profile becomes corrupted. In this case, repairing your profile can solve the problem. Here is how:
1) Run Outlook and click File.
2) Click Account Settings, and then click Account Settings in the drop-down menu.
3) Select your account, then click Repair.
4) Click Next, then follow the on-screen instructions to repair your account.
5) Restart your PC and Outlook.
If Outlook still won’t open, try the next fix.
Fix 4: Remove faulty Outlook add-ins
Faulty add-ins running on top of Outlook can also affect its functionality. If your problem is caused by a faulty add-in, remove that specific add-in should fix the issue. Here is how:
1) Boot your PC into safe mode.
2) Run Outlook and click File.
3) Click Options.
4) Click Add-ins.
5) Verify that the Manage option is set to COM Add-ins. Then, click Go.
6) Uncheck the box next to the unessential add-ins to disable them. Then, click OK.
7) Restart PC and Outlook to see if this worked for you.
If your problem still exists, go ahead with the next fix.
Fix 5: Rebuild the Outlook data file
Corrupted or damaged Outlook data files can also cause Outlook to fail. To fix this, try rebuilding the Outlook data file. Follow the instructions below:
1) Boot your PC into safe mode.
2) Run Outlook and click the File tab.
3) Click Account Settings, and then click Account Settings in the drop-down menu.
4) Click the Data Files tab. Then, select your account and click Open File Location.
5) If you find a .ost file in the current window, right-click the file, and then click Rename.
If you see a .pst file instead, skip this fix and check Fix 7 below.
6) Change the file name extension to .old.
7) Reopen Outlook and wait for it to rebuild your data file.
8) Restart your computer and Outlook to see if this worked for you.
If your problem still exists, check the fix below.
Fix 6: Reinstall Office 365
If none of the above fixes helped, reinstalling Office 365 may be the solution for you. Here is how to do it:
1) On your keyboard, press the Windows logo key and type control. Then, click Control Panel.
2) Under View by, click Category. Then, click Uninstall a program.
3) Right-click Microsoft Office 365, and then click Uninstall.
4) Go to the Office 365 official website and click Sign in to sign in your account.
5) Click Install Office, and then click Office 365 apps to download Office 365.
6) Open the downloaded file and follow the on-screen instructions to install Office 365 again.
7) After the process is finished, reopen Outlook to see if this worked for you.
Bonus tip: Update your device drivers
A missing or outdated device driver can bring various problems to your computer, when something goes wrong with your PC, try updating your device drivers to see if it fixes your issue. There are two ways you can get the driver safely:
Manual driver update – You can update your drivers manually by going to your hardware manufacturer’s website, and searching for the most recent correct driver. Be sure to choose only driver that is compatible with your Windows version.
Automatic driver update – If you don’t have the time, patience or computer skills to update your drivers manually, you can, instead, do it automatically with Driver Easy. Driver Easy will automatically recognize your system and find the correct driver for your graphics product, and your Windows version, and it will download and install them correctly:
1) Download and install Driver Easy.
2) Run Driver Easy and click the Scan Now button. Driver Easy will then scan your computer and detect any problem drivers.
3) Click the Update button next to the graphics driver to automatically download the correct version of that driver, then you can manually install it (you can do this with the FREE version).
Or click Update All to automatically download and install the correct version of all the drivers that are missing or out of date on your system. (This requires the Pro version which comes with full support and a 30-day money back guarantee. You’ll be prompted to upgrade when you click Update All.)
Hopefully, one of the fixes above helped resolve your problem. Please feel free to leave a comment below if you have any questions or suggestions.