Outlook users often face issues when working with the application. Outlook crashing on startup is one such issue that prevents the users from accessing the application and the mailbox items, thus affecting their daily communication and workflow. This issue can occur due to problems with the application, data file, and various other reasons. Therefore, understanding the proper reason behind the issue can help you fix it quickly. Below, we will discuss the reasons behind the Outlook crashing on startup issue and see how to fix this issue.
Why Outlook is Crashing on Startup?
There are many reasons that can lead to Outlook is crashing on startup issues. Some of them include:
- Faulty add-ins
- Corrupted Outlook Data File (OST)
- Outdated Outlook application
- Corrupted Outlook profile
- Damaged Outlook/MS Office program files
Methods to Fix the Outlook Crashing on Startup Issue
Follow the below methods to fix the crashing of Outlook issue on Windows system.
#1 Start Outlook in Safe Mode and Disable Add-ins
Sometimes, incompatible or faulty add-ins can conflict with Outlook functionality and cause it to crash on startup. You can open Outlook in the Safe Mode to check if add-ins are causing the issue. Follow the given steps to open Outlook in Safe Mode:
- Type Windows + R to open the Run dialog box. (On Windows 7, go to Start > Run.)
- Type outlook.exe /safe and click OK or hit Enter.
- This will open Outlook in safe mode.
If Outlook doesn’t crash in the Safe Mode, it means add-ins were the cause of the issue. You can disable the add-ins by using the following steps:
- Click File and go to Options > Add-Ins.
- Next, go to COM Add-Ins, next to Manage and then click Go.
- Deselect all the add-ins and click OK.
- Now, close the Outlook safe mode and restart it normally.
If the issue doesn’t occur, enable the add-ins one at a time and restart Outlook. Repeat this step until you find the problematic add-in. When found, remove it permanently.
#2 Update Outlook
If your Outlook is not updated, you may encounter issues with the application. You can install the latest updates to fix any bugs and issues that might be causing the Outlook to crash. To install the latest updates, follow these steps:
- Open Outlook in Safe Mode.
- Go to File in the top-left corner.
- You’ll see the Office Updates option under Office Account. Select Update Options.
- Next, click Update Now to install the latest updates.
- Wait until the process is complete. Once done, restart Outlook to see if the problem is fixed.
#3 Repair MS Office
Corrupted or damaged MS Office/Outlook program files can also cause Outlook to crash. Since Outlook is a part of Microsoft Office software suite, you can repair the MS Office program. Follow the below steps to do so:
- Open the Control Panel.
- Select Uninstall a program, under Programs.
- Now, right-click on MS Office and click Change.
- Select Repair and click Continue.
- Follow the onscreen prompts to complete the repair process.
- Once done, exit the window and start Outlook to see if the issue is fixed.
#4 Run Microsoft Support and Recovery Assistant (SaRA)
The Microsoft Support and Recovery Assistant tool helps troubleshoot problems with Microsoft Office applications, including Outlook. You can run this tool to diagnose and solve the Outlook crashing on startup issue. Follow these steps to run this tool:
- Download the Microsoft Support and Recovery Assistant (SaRA) from the official site and install it.
- Select Outlook from the available options and click Next.
- Select ‘Outlook keeps crashing with a message ‘Microsoft has stopped working’ or a similar issue and click Next.
- Follow the onscreen prompts to resolve the issue and complete the process.
#5 Create a New Outlook Profile
Corrupt Outlook profile may also cause frequent crashing or freezing issue in Outlook. You can create a new profile to fix the issue. Here are the steps:
- Go to Control Panel > User Accounts > Mail.
- Select Show Profiles, under the Profiles option on the Outlook Mail Setup screen.
- Click Add and enter a Profile Name.
- Specify the user name, SMTP address, and password, and click Next.
- You might receive a message, ‘Allow this website to configure alias@domain server settings.’
- Select the checkbox – ‘Don’t ask me about this website again’ and click Allow.
- Enter your sign-in credentials when prompted and click OK.
- Click Finish when the new profile creation setup is complete.
#6 Recreate OST File
If Outlook data (OST) file gets damaged or corrupted, you may face issues when starting Outlook. To resolve the issue, you can recreate the OST file. Here are the steps:
- Go to the OST file location on your system. The default OST file path is drive:UsersuserAppDataLocalMicrosoftOutlook.
- Rename the OST file or move it to another location for backup.
- Start Outlook. It will create a new OST file and download all the mailbox items from the server.
Now, check if any mailbox items are missing in the new OST file. If there are any missing items, you can use an OST to PST converter software, such as Stellar Converter for OST to recover those items from the backup OST file and save them to PST file. Then, you can import this PST file into your Outlook profile to access the missing items. It is an advanced software that can recover data from orphaned or inaccessible OST files and save it in PST file.
Conclusion
The Outlook is crashing on startup issue may occur due to many reasons. However, you can fix the issue by following the methods discussed in this article. In case the issue has occurred due to a damaged or corrupted OST file, then you can recreate the OST by taking its backup. After recreating the OST file, remember to check for any missing mail items. If you found any, then use Stellar Converter for OST to recover them from the backup OST file.
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Roland Hutchinson
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