How to open new outlook at startup using the Startup Folder?

Question

How to open new outlook at startup using the Startup Folder?

Efrat Nakash 40

How to open new outlook automatically at startup using the Startup Folder?

What is the path to new outlook?

0 comments

Answer accepted by question author

DaveM121 937.9K Independent Advisor

On your Start Menu, click either the All button or change the Category drop-down menu to show the long alphabetical list of installed apps on the Start Menu.
Scroll down the alphabetical list to find Outlook, then drag its icon from that list onto your Desktop to create a Desktop icon for Outlook.

You can then drag that new Desktop icon into the Start-up folder to get Outlook to start with Window.

Hamza 26 Reputation points

2026-04-15T12:23:03.0733333+00:00

Hi, I found that the shortcut tends to break once an update for Outlook has happened which means it stops starting up and you need to add the shortcut again. Anyone else experienced this?
Stefan Blom 353.9K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator

2026-04-15T16:54:40.86+00:00

Hi, I found that the shortcut tends to break once an update for Outlook has happened which means it stops starting up and you need to add the shortcut again. Anyone else experienced this?

Hamza,

You should see olk.exe in the folder %userprofile%\Appdata\Local\Microsoft\WindowsApps. If you use that path, then does it continue to work even after Outlook has updated?

Note that %userprofile% points to your user profile path on your PC.

1 additional answer

Your answer

Hamza 26 Reputation points

2026-04-15T12:23:03.0733333+00:00

Hi, I found that the shortcut tends to break once an update for Outlook has happened which means it stops starting up and you need to add the shortcut again. Anyone else experienced this?
Stefan Blom 353.9K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator

2026-04-15T16:54:40.86+00:00

Hi, I found that the shortcut tends to break once an update for Outlook has happened which means it stops starting up and you need to add the shortcut again. Anyone else experienced this?

Hamza,

You should see olk.exe in the folder %userprofile%\Appdata\Local\Microsoft\WindowsApps. If you use that path, then does it continue to work even after Outlook has updated?

Note that %userprofile% points to your user profile path on your PC.

Answer 1

To start the new Outlook for Windows automatically using the Startup folder, create a shortcut that points to olk.exe in the new Outlook install location and place that shortcut in the Startup folder.

Press Windows + R, type:
```
   %AppData%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup
```
and press Enter. This opens the Startup folder.
Find the full path to new Outlook (olk.exe):
- The executable name is olk.exe.
- New Outlook is installed under the WindowsApps folder in a versioned subfolder. The pattern is:
```
     C:\Program Files\WindowsApps\Microsoft.OutlookForWindows_<Version>_<Architecture>_8wekyb3d8bbwe\olk.exe
```
- To get the exact current path, run this PowerShell command:
```
     (Get-AppxPackage Microsoft.OutlookForWindows).InstallLocation
```
  Then append \olk.exe to that location.
In File Explorer, browse to that olk.exe path, right‑click olk.exe → Create shortcut (or copy an existing shortcut if one exists on the Start menu / desktop).
Copy that shortcut and paste it into the Startup folder opened in step 1.

New Outlook will now launch automatically when Windows starts. To stop it autostarting, delete the shortcut from the Startup folder.

References: