Outlook not opening on your computer? It’s time for computer repair

Posted by Quick Tech on February 18th, 2021

When you open a file or send an email message in Microsoft Outlook 2010 or later versions, does Outlook freeze? Or do you receive the error message: Outlook not responding? Well, the “right fix” depends on what you experience and the installed version of Microsoft Outlook.

Causes of Outlook not opening

Some common culprits include:

·       Latest updates not installed

·       Loading external contents

·       Problematic add-ins

·       Over full mailboxes

·       Damaged files

How to fix Outlook not opening in Windows?

Outlook doesn't open or opens with problems? Try these troubleshooting steps:

·       Install the latest updates:

The Office installation on your computer might not be updated. This might be because Windows Update is not configured on your computer to download and install recommended updates automatically. Installing important, recommended, and optional updates can often fix PC problems by replacing out-of-date files and fixing vulnerabilities. Ensure that the Outlook is updated.

·   Check the problem cause by external contents:

Prevent Outlook from downloading external content. Go to File > Options > Trust Center > Automatic Download. Select Don't download pictures or other content automatically in the HTML e-mail option and Warn me before downloading content when editing, forwarding, or replying email. Avoid sending an email from just these external sources.

·       Open Outlook in safe mode:

Did Outlook open in Safe Mode? An add-in or toolbar extension is probably the problem.

·   Investigate possible add-in issues:

Even though add-ins can improve your user experience, they can affect Outlook. Try to start Outlook without any add-ins running.

·   Check whether your mailbox is too large:

As your mailbox size increases, more resources are essential to open each folder. Do you have a large number of items in any single folder? You may experience performance issues during certain operations.

·   Repair Office programs:

You can repair your Office program files automatically to fix computer problems; such as Outlook freezing or not responding.

·   Repair Outlook data files:

An Inbox repair tool (scanpst.exe) is installed on your computer when you install Outlook. This PC repair tool can resolve problems by scanning your Outlook data files and repairing errors.

Still can’t open Outlook? Perhaps it’s time for a computer repairer. Contact a computer repair technician to investigate further why Outlook won’t open. Eventually we must accept that computer maintenance is inevitable.