Outlook is so important. It’s almost sacred. If you are a regular user who depends heavily on the inbox application to go about daily operations then Outlook not working or opening would be a big punch in the gut.
If you are reading this, you are probably having trouble with Outlook at the moment, so let’s see what we can do about it.
Preliminary Actions
Before we move on to the major steps, it is advisable to confirm that the problem indeed lies with the Outlook application. To do so you can try out the steps below-
- Verify Internet connection
- Update Outlook
- Verify if other applications face a similar issue
How to Fix Outlook?
1. Open Outlook in Safe Mode
Opening Outlook in safe mode means that the application will only open all the necessary files to start the applications. Added customizations and add-ins do not open.
Step 1: Use the Windows+R shortcut to open the Run command.
Step 2: Type in “Outlook.exe /safe” and click on OK.
If this method works, try disabling your add-ins and any recent customizations that you may have made in Outlook to permanently fix the issue.
2. Repair Outlook
Microsoft Office has an inbuilt repair tool to repair the Outlook application. If the application application is corrupted, you can repair Outlook 365 by following the steps below-
Step 1: Use the Windows+I shortcut to open Windows Settings.
Step 2: Access the Apps tab and click on Installed Apps.
Step 3: locate Microsoft Office 2019 and click on the three dots next to it.
Step 4: Select Modify.
Step 5: Agree to Run the application as Administrator by clicking on Yes.
Step 6: Select Quick Repair and click on Repair.
Step 7: Check to see if the Outlook issues persist.
3. Reinstall Outlook
If there was any error during the installation of the application or an update, reinstalling the application is the way to go. We have divided this process into two parts. Find out how to reinstall Outlook using the instructions below-
Part 1- Uninstall Microsoft Office
Step 1: Use the Windows+R shortcut to open Windows Settings.
Step 2: Access the Apps tab and click on Installed Apps.
Step 3: locate Microsoft Office 2019 and click on the three dots next to it.
Step 4: select Uninstall.
Part 2- Reinstall Microsoft Office
Step 1: Download the Office Suite from the Windows App Store.
Step 2: Reinstall Microsoft 365.
4. Repair Outlook Data File
If all the above methods were unsuccessful, you could take a closer look at the Outlook data file instead. You can easily use Scan PST to examine and repair your PST file. If that does not work you can try using SFware PST repair software.
a. Repair Outlook data file with scan PST
Step 1: Locate Scanpst.exe using the addresses provided below-
32-bit Version: C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\root\Office19
64-bit Version: C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\root\Office19
Step 2: Open the Inbox Repair tool.
Step 3: Use the Browse Option to Import the corrupted PST file. Click Start and initiate the scanning process.
Step 4: After the Scanning process, Scan PST states if there are any errors that it can repair.
Step 5: Select the box for creating a backup of the corrupt PST file, select a destination location, and click on Repair.
Step 6: Rename the repaired PST file and verify the results.
b. Repair Outlook data file with SFware PST repair software
SFware PST repair software is a professional data recovery software that is capable of repairing PST files with high levels of corruption. To get Outlook to work seamlessly with your PST file, use the SFware PST repair tool now!
Step 1: Download, Install, and open the SFWare PST Repair Tool.
Step 2: Select a PST file import method.
- Open PST File – Useful for those who are aware of the ST file location within their system.
- Find PST File – You can browse to manually locate and select your PST file.
- Select Outlook Profile – The software displays a list of all the PST files in your system from which you can choose.
Step 3: Select Normal Scan, choose a destination path for the repaired PST file, and click on Repair.
Step 4: Preview the results, and save the file if satisfied.
5. Contact Microsoft support
When you feel that you are experiencing a Microsoft-related issue that you can’t solve, you can always contact Microsoft Support .
To Conclude
When Outlook is not working, pondering upon the cause won’t be of use unless it is a regular issue. I would encourage readers to fix it by trying the solutions in this article. While carrying out the above methods it is advisable to close Outlook beforehand.
Frequently Ask Questions
Q1. How do I repair Outlook?
You can repair Outlook by following any of the below solutions-
- Open Outlook in safe mode.
- Repair Outlook using Quick Repair.
- Uninstall and reinstall Outlook.
- Repair Outlook data files using ScanPst or a professional tool.
Q2. What does Outlook Quick Repair do?
Outlook Quick Repair troubleshoots all minor Outlook problems and serves as an easy-fix solution. If the Outlook issue persists, you can try out the Online Repair Option.
Q3. I am unable to use ScanPst what do I do?
- Run ScanPST as Administrator.
- Close Outlook beforehand.
- Disable the AntiVirus software if any.
- Before you begin, update Windows, Microsoft Office, and Outlook.
- Once the file is repaired, you need to buy the full version to save the repaired file.
