5 Ways to Fix Outlook Not Opening on Windows 11

Quick Tips

• Running the Office repair tool can help fix various issues with Microsoft Outlook, including this one.
• Try using Outlook in Safe Mode to check if one of your add-ins is causing the problem.
• Consider creating a new Outlook profile and clearing the app data if nothing else works.

Try Basic Fixes

• End Outlook processes using Task Manager: At times, Microsoft Outlook may fail to load its interface due to temporary glitches. To fix this, press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager. In the Processes tab, select Microsoft Outlook > click End task. Then, reopen Microsoft Outlook and see if that works.
• Scan for malware: Malware infection is another possible cause for such issues with the Outlook app. To rule out this possibility, try scanning your system with Windows Defender or a third-party antivirus program. If the scan reveals anything suspicious, take the recommended steps to remove the threat.

Fix 1: Run the Office Repair Tool

If ending Outlook’s app processes doesn’t help, turn to Microsoft’s Office repair tool for help. It can scan and find issues with all your Office apps, including Outlook. Here’s how to run it.

Step 1: Right-click on the Start icon > select Installed apps from the list.

Step 2: Scroll down to locate the Microsoft Office suite on the list. Click the three-dot menu icon next to it and select Modify.

Step 3: Select Online Repair > Repair.

Fix 2: Reset the Navigation Pane

Sometimes, issues with the navigation pane can prevent the Outlook app from opening on your Windows PC. If so, resetting the navigation pane should help. For that, press the Windows key + R to open the Run dialog box. Type the following command and press Enter.

outlook.exe /resetnavpane

Fix 3: Open Outlook in Safe Mode

Opening Outlook in Safe Mode can help you identify if one of your add-ins is causing the problem. To do this, press and hold the Ctrl key on your keyboard and double-click the Outlook shortcut. Click Yes when the confirmation prompt appears.

If Outlook opens and works fine in safe mode, disable all the add-ins and re-enable them one at a time. Doing so should help you identify the troublesome add-in.

Step 1: In the Outlook app, click on the File menu at the top.

Step 2: Use the left pane to navigate to Options.

Step 3: In the Outlook Options window, switch to the Add-ins tab. Use the drop-down menu next to Manage > select COM Add-ins > click the Go button next to it.

Step 4: Uncheck the boxes to disable add-ins and click OK.

Restart the Outlook app after this and enable your add-ins one by one until the problem occurs again. Once you find the problematic add-in, remove it to avoid any issues in the future.

Fix 4: Create a New Outlook Profile

The Outlook profile on your PC contains your Outlook settings. If Windows is having trouble accessing this profile, Outlook will not open. If that’s the case, create a new Outlook profile by following the steps below.

Step 1: Click the search icon on the taskbar, type control panel, and press Enter.

Step 2: Change the view type to Large icons and click on Mail (Microsoft Outlook).

Step 3: Click Show Profiles.

Step 4: Click on Add > enter the name for the new profile > click OK.

Step 5: In the Add Account window, enter your account details > hit Next.

Step 6: Once the profile is created, select your new profile under When starting Microsoft Outlook and hit Apply.

Fix 5: Delete the Outlook App Data Folder

If nothing else works, it’s likely that some of the Outlook app data on your PC is corrupt. To resolve that, remove Outlook’s app data folder from your PC and open Outlook again. Here’s how.

Step 1: Press the Windows key + R to launch the Run dialog box, type the following path in the text box, and press Enter.

%localappdata%\Microsoft\Outlook

Step 2: Press Ctrl + A to select all the files and folders within the Outlook folder and click the trash icon at the top to delete them.