Here, we list fixes for the possible causes, starting with the most likely culprit. Go in order so you have best chance of getting back to your inbox as quickly as possible. Occasionally, classic Outlook tries to run a process in the background. Auto-archive, sending and receiving a very large attachment, or running some of the other mailbox tools can all be done in the background. Check the status bar at the bottom of the screen to see if another process is running. If so, wait a short time (usually two or three minutes) to see if Outlook starts working again.

If you can send email while Outlook is in safe mode, creating a new Outlook email profile should allow you to send email again. Should you decide to remove a profile, back up the data files first. All offline cached content will be deleted when you choose Remove. For more information, see Introduction to Outlook Data Files (.pst and .ost).

Follow the on-screen instructions to update your Office apps. Then, launch your Outlook app, and it should open without problems. If your PC has a virus or malware infection, that may be why Outlook isn’t launching. In this case, run a full virus check on your PC to find and remove any threats.

For example, the first time you try to Dismiss All on a list of reminders, Outlook asks you if you're sure you want to do that. If you don't choose an option on that dialog box, Outlook won't let you do anything else. Pressing Alt+Tab will help you switch from window to window and help you see what dialog boxes might be stopping Outlook from responding.

Although the files are very robust, they can sometimes become corrupted and eventually stop working. All versions of Outlook from 2013 and above are configured to automatically receive updates from Microsoft. These updates ensure that the most recent security improvements are downloaded to fix bugs and apply Outlook repair support team patches. If the "Outlook Not Responding" issue did not cause you troubles in the past, it stands to reason to turn off the recently installed add-ins. I usually disable them one-by-one, closing Outlook with each change.

After updating Office, you may experience a brief flashing window every hour, which triggers the OfficeBackgroundHandlerRegistration task to start running. In this case, sign in to the Microsoft 365 portal by using your administrator credentials, and then select service health to determine whether other customers are experiencing the same issue. If other customers are experiencing the issue, the issue should end when the service-interrupting event is resolved. If you’d like to share any feedback about this article, please let us know.

I want it to open automatically whenever I open my laptop. Occasionally, classic Outlook tries to run a process in the background. Auto-archive, sending and receiving a very large attachment, or running some of the other mailbox tools can all be done in the background. Check the status bar at the bottom of the screen to see if another process is running.

If those steps don't work, see Need additional help? There are a number of possible reasons for Outlook to behave this way. We've presented the potential solutions in order from quickest to most time consuming. To manage your mailbox by using the AutoArchive feature, see AutoArchive settings explained. We recommend that you move several items in your larger folders to separate folders, or that you archive those items by using the AutoArchive feature.

This happens to accounts that are configured in the iOS Mail app. The loading of unregistered MAPI services has been disabled by default to make Outlook more secure. To access the calendar shared with your Microsoft 365 for business account, you'll need to accept the invitation from Outlook on the web, iOS, or Android. If you've already clicked the Accept button in Outlook 2016, you won't be able to re-accept the invitation from another Outlook application. The person who sent you the invitation will need to remove your permissions and then send a new invitation. If you typically use an Outlook.com account for email, this issue can occur if there are multiple aliases on the account and the 3rd party email address is the primary alias.

Like any other software, Outlook is also susceptible to bugs and problems, and these problems when they occur are usually frustrating and in most cases stop you in your tracks. One of the most common problems that users often face Outlook repair support team is the "Outlook keeps not responding" error. This message is commonly displayed when Windows is not able to communicate quickly enough with a program running on your computer. Against this backdrop, a list of possible reasons that might cause Microsoft Outlook freezing or Outlook not responding has been detailed for you below. As your mailbox size increases, more resources are required to open each folder.

Newer Windows updates and builds like Windows 10/11 provide better compatibility with Outlook 2019 and Outlook 365. If your Outlook keeps freezing, despite all your effort, it’s time to bring in the professionals. If your internet is slow or spotty, Outlook might struggle to sync data.