Outlook not working

A Microsoft 365/Exchange Online service degradation is active on November 13, 2026, so check Microsoft’s public status first; if the incident does not cover your account, troubleshoot Classic Outlook locally. ^1^

Check whether this is the current outage

For a home account without Microsoft 365 administrator access:

1. Check Microsoft’s public service-status page.
2. Check the official Microsoft 365 Status account.
3. If Outlook on the web or mobile Outlook also fails, monitor the incident updates. Current incident references include EX1550543 and MO1550821.^1^
4. Check the incident’s latest update for any restoration estimate. Only Microsoft can restore an active cloud-service incident.

If you need email immediately, try Outlook on the web or new Outlook for Windows temporarily. If Outlook on the web works, continue using it while repairing Classic Outlook; if it also fails, the active service incident is the more likely path to monitor.

Business administrators can check Microsoft 365 admin center → Health → Service health, select the incident, and read All updates for progress and restoration information.^2^

If only Classic Outlook on this PC fails

1. End a stuck Outlook process
   • Press Ctrl+Shift+Esc.
   • In Task Manager, select Microsoft Outlook or OUTLOOK.EXE.
   • Select End task, and then reopen Outlook.
2. Install pending Windows and Office updates
   • Open Settings → Windows Update → Check for updates.
   • If another Office application opens, select File → Account → Update Options → Update Now.
   • Restart Windows afterward. Microsoft notes that updates can replace outdated files and resolve Outlook failures.^3^
3. Run Microsoft’s startup troubleshooter
   • Open the official Classic Outlook startup troubleshooter on the affected Windows PC.
   • Select its startup-troubleshooter button, allow it to open Get Help, and follow the prompts.
   • It requires Windows 10 or later and applies to Classic Outlook, not new Outlook.^4^
4. Test Safe Mode
   • Press Windows+R.
   • Enter:

          outlook.exe /safe
     

   • If Outlook opens, go to File → Options → Add-ins.
   • Beside Manage: COM Add-ins, select Go.
   • Record the enabled add-ins, clear their checkboxes, and restart Outlook normally.
   • Re-enable them individually, restarting Outlook each time, to identify the failing add-in. Disable rather than remove add-ins during testing.^3^
5. Repair Microsoft 365
   • Open Settings → Apps → Installed apps.
   • Find Microsoft 365, select its menu, and choose Modify.
   • Run Quick Repair first.
   • If Outlook still crashes, run Online Repair.^3^
6. Test a new Outlook profile
   • Close Outlook.
   • Open Control Panel → User Accounts → Mail → Show Profiles.
   • Select Add, configure the email account, and select Prompt for a profile to be used.
   • Start Outlook and choose the new profile. If it works, the original profile is damaged.^5^

If no outage is listed and these supported repairs fail, open the Windows Get Help app and contact Microsoft Support. For an employer-managed account or PC, contact the organization’s IT administrator instead.

References

1. Is Microsoft Experiencing an Outage - Microsoft Q&A
2. How to check Microsoft 365 service health
3. [Classic Outlook](https://support.microsoft.com/outlook/getstarted/outlook-for-windows-not-responding-hangs-freezes-or-stops-working)
4. Classic Outlook troubleshooters | Microsoft Support
5. Classic Outlook not responding, stuck at "Processing," stopped working, or freezes | Microsoft Support