Outlook Opening in Browser Instead of App – How to Fix 

Quick Tips

• Microsoft Outlook might open in your web browser instead of your app.
• This problem is caused by a corrupted cache, changed defaults, and app preference issues.
• Fixes involve clearing the cache, reassigning shortcuts, and changing app defaults.

The Microsoft Office Suite has fully embraced life in your browser, as well as it has life as an app. Microsoft Outlook is no exception. Sometimes, though, you want things to open as a program, so if Outlook is insisting on doing otherwise, then we’ve got a few fixes for you to try.

In this article, we’ll be looking at how to fix Outlook opening in browser instead of app.

What Causes Outlook Opening Browser Instead of App?

There are a few reasons your Outlook opens in browser instead of app. The new Outlook can cause some conflicts with the old Outlook and its access shortcuts. Some major reasons include:

• Using a shortcut with a different path (e.g., Old Outlook)
• A Windows Update is resetting Outlook’s defaults
• A corrupted cache

Fixing the Online Outlook Problem

Let’s take a look at some solutions to get the new Outlook and its shortcuts running on your PC once again:

Check and Change the Shortcuts

If you’ve got an Outlook shortcut pinned to your desktop or taskbar, it might be taking you to the online version of Outlook instead of the local app. Here’s how to fix it:

Step 1. Right-click the taskbar shortcuts and select “Unpin from taskbar,” and delete any existing Desktop shortcuts. 

Step 2. Type Outlook into the search bar and look for the app (not Classic Outlook).

Step 3. Right-click the app and choose “Pin to taskbar.”

Step 4. Check to see if the issue has been resolved.

Change the Default App

Sometimes the problem is Windows switching away from Outlook as your default app. You can change this back in Settings:

Step 1. Open Settings (Win + I) and choose “Apps” from the sidebar.

Step 2. Choose “Default Apps,” then navigate down until you reach the “MAILTO” subsection.

Step 3. Click and choose “Outlook” from the list of options, again ensuring you pick the app and not Classic Outlook.

Step 4. See if the issue is resolved.

Clearing the Cache

There’s a lot that can get corrupted in a cache that’s not been cleared, especially with frequent system updates and changes. A good fix is to clear your Outlook cache and remove any potential web settings that are in there. Never fear, your emails won’t be deleted in the process. Here’s what to do:

Step 1. Open an Explorer Window (Win + E) and type “%localappdata%\Microsoft\Olk” into the address bar at the top.

Step 2. In the OLK folder, click the cache. Press (Shift +Del) to remove the entire cache instead of moving it to the Recycle Bin.

Step 3. Restart your machine. The Cache folder will be rebuilt automatically.

If this doesn’t resolve the issue, you can also try deleting both the logs and EBWebView folders in the same way, restarting afterwards.

Force a Sign Out

Another way to control when Outlook redirects to browser is to force the app to sign out and ensure that the sign-in process through your app makes it the only destination. Here’s what to do:

Step 1. Open an Explorer window (Win + E) and type “%localappdata%\Microsoft\OneAuth” into the address bar.

Step 2. Delete the “OneAuth” folder (Shift + Del), and you’ll be signed out locally.

Step 3. Use the new Outlook app to sign back in and check if the problem’s fixed.