Outlook will not open

scott kuyt 0 Reputation points
2026-11-13T02:36:23.63+00:00

I cannot open Outlook. It just sits there spinning and nothing happens.

Microsoft 365 and Office | Other
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  1. EmilyS726 280.2K Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2026-11-13T03:09:09.9+00:00

    Hello

    There's currently a global outage affecting some Microsoft services, including Outlook, OneDrive, Copilot and others. It is an issue on Microsoft's end. Service status can be monitored here https://status.cloud.microsoft/

    Or via Msft's X/Twitter page: https://x.com/MSFT365Status/status/2120938282204688468

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  2. AI answer

    2026-11-13T02:36:40.7733333+00:00

    Try these steps in order:

    1. Start Outlook in safe mode.
      • Press Windows key + R.
      • Type Outlook /safe and select OK.
      • In Choose Profile, accept the default profile and select OK.
      • If Outlook opens in safe mode, the issue is likely an add-in.
    2. Disable add-ins if safe mode works.
      • In Outlook, go to File > Options > Add-ins.
      • At the bottom, confirm Manage is set to COM Add-ins, then select Go.
      • Record the selected add-ins first.
      • Clear all selected check boxes, then select OK.
      • Close Outlook, then start it normally.
      • If Outlook opens, re-enable add-ins one at a time until the problem add-in is identified.
      • Do not use Remove during this test, because that can delete an add-in.
    3. Reset the navigation pane.
      • Close Outlook.
      • Press Windows key + R.
      • Type Outlook.exe /resetnavpane and select OK.
      • This removes navigation pane customizations.
    4. Create a new Outlook profile if Outlook still will not open.
      • Create a new profile using the steps in Create an Outlook profile.
      • Restart Outlook.
      • In Choose Profile, select the new profile and choose OK.
      • If Outlook starts normally, the original profile was likely corrupted.
      • Warning: if removing an old profile later, back up data files first. Removing a profile deletes offline cached content.
    5. Repair Outlook data files.
      • Exit Outlook.
      • Run the Inbox Repair Tool by following Repair Outlook Data Files (.pst and .ost).
    6. Install the latest Windows and Office updates.
      • Install the latest updates by following Install Office updates.
    7. Repair Office if the issue continues.
      • Quit all Microsoft 365 apps.
      • Open Control Panel > Programs and Features.
      • Right-click Microsoft Office 2016, then select Change.

    If Outlook is specifically stuck at Loading Profile, end any running Office processes in Task Manager and then try Outlook again. For an issue that affected Current Channel Version 1905 (Build 11629.20196) and higher, restarting Outlook a couple of times was also part of the fix.

    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

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