Outlook is one of the excellent and feature-packed tools of Microsoft that helps in contact management, task managing, journal logging, calendaring, and much more functions. However, there may be times when your outlook doesn’t open, and you couldn’t find any logical or valid reasons behind that.
Actually, Microsoft Outlook has a powerful tendency of leaving different processes running in its background, and these processes are often not visible to a computer user. So, when one of these processes is running in the background, your attempt to open Outlook won’t help in anything and there will be nothing to display.
Outlook is running already in the background, but you are not just seeing it. However, if you are experiencing any issues with Outlook and the program is not running properly, then here we have prepared a guideline and some possible causes that help you troubleshoot the problem.
Why My Outlook Won’t Open?
If you are wondering why my outlook won’t open, and what could help fix the issues, then first you have to identify the causes of the problem. Some of the possible reasons could be:
- Complicated issues with your Outlook service
- Internet connectivity problems
- A serious bug in your app that needs a fresh update
- Problems with app updates
- Outdated add-ins
- Defective outlook PST file
- A corrupted profile
- Some problems with the navigation pane
- Damaged files
How to Fix When Outlook 365 Won’t Open?
Now that you understand some possible reasons for Microsoft Outlook not opening in your device, there are different solutions and quick fixes that can help you deal with the issues. When you are done with these fixes, try opening your Outlook and check if it’s working or not.
- If your outlook is not opening, it’s recommended to download and install the Automated Support as well as Recovery Assistant Tool. These tools help run different tests so you can easily identify problems and it also offers the best quick fixes. The tool works best in cloud-based Microsoft 365 or Outlook on your computer.
- Check if there are any pending updates on your device. You can even consider troubleshooting if Windows are not installing any updates.
- Check whether your outlook is causing the same issue on another device or working smoothly.
- Create one more user account on the device and check if the outlook is opening or not.
- Also check if your calendar is working, and make sure the date, time, and country is correct.
- Check if your server settings are correct and exact as provided by your internet service provider. Consider your outlook with an IMAP account instead of using an Exchange account.
- If the program is still crashing on your device, then it’s best to clear your cache. Remove the app and download it again.
Update your Outlook and Windows:
If you are confused about what happened to your Outlook, there may be a problem with your updates. To resolve this issue, just update your Outlook and Windows and install the latest updates.
Follow these steps to update your Outlook:
- Go to Files and choose Office Account
- Click update options and then select update now.
If you want to install the latest Windows manually, then it’s better to follow these instructions.
- Go to your settings
- Choose Update and Recovery, and select how updates get installed
- Then turn on automatic updates.
After that, try to open Outlook and check if the error “Cannot open your Outlook” is resolved. If it’s still not opening, then it’s better to troubleshoot which we have explained below.
Let’s Troubleshoot Your MS Outlook When it Won’t Open:
After trying a couple of options for your Outlook, if it still won’t open on your device, then it’s time to try troubleshooting. There are different steps involved in troubleshooting, such as:
Step 1- Open Windows Task Manager:
If your Outlook is not opening, let’s try the first step. Open Windows Task Manager. You can do it using different options in the program, however, the most reliable and amazing way to open Task Manager is using the Ctrl, Alt & Delete buttons simultaneously.
Step 2- Choose Processes Tab:
After opening your Task Manager window, you need to select the Processes tab which is generally the second tab at the left top side of the window.
Step 3- Close Invisible Background Procedures:
Now it’s time to close all the unwanted invisible background procedures which are left run by your Outlook and causing it not to open.
Step 4- Outlook.Exe:
Find out the process with the name “Outlook.Exe.”
Step 5- Click on the Process:
When you find out that process with the name “Outlook.Exe”, click on that immediately.
Step 6- End Process:
After that, just click on the “end process” button located at the right bottom side of your Task Manager.
Always repeat from step 3 to step 6 when the outlook is left running on your device. It’s also recommended to check the list of all the programs that your Outlook is running.
Step 7- Warning:
You may see a warning box stating something like “terminating a process can cause undesired results including loss of data and system instability.” Do not worry. This is normal and has nothing to do with your system. So just press the Yes button and continue.
So, these were the quick steps to troubleshoot your Outlook that may help run the program again smoothly and quickly.
Conclusion:
However, if you still failed to open your Outlook normally even after doing all the possible steps and procedures, then it’s better to uninstall and reinstall the program for more effective results. Reinstalling may remove some kind of viruses or unknown technical issues.
If you are a business, it’s better to get help from your IT technical staff or call your email provider. They work with technical people who have a complete understanding of all these issues, so they may help you solve the issues within seconds.
So, these were all the recommended methods to consider when your Outlook is not opening. In the end, we would recommend you contact customer support when the issues are not resolved with any of the above methods. They may help you identify some more technical issues.
