Outlook redirecting to a website or browser instead of opening within the Outlook application

Question

Outlook redirecting to a website or browser instead of opening within the Outlook application

Anonymous

Hello Microsoft Support Team,

I’m experiencing an issue with the new Outlook for Windows. When I click the Outlook icon on my desktop or taskbar, it no longer opens the Outlook desktop application. Instead, it redirects me to a web browser (usually Microsoft Edge) and loads my mailbox through Outlook on the web (https://outlook.office.com).

This behavior is confusing and inconvenient because I expect the Outlook desktop app to open, not the browser version. I have verified that the full Microsoft Office suite (including Outlook) is installed on my PC, but the system still launches the web version.

It seems the new Outlook version or a recent update may have changed how the shortcut works, causing the redirect. Please review this issue, as many users prefer to use the classic desktop Outlook client rather than the web-based version.

0 comments

Answer accepted by question author

Alina-Le 6,415 Microsoft External Staff Moderator

Hello @IT Guy

Welcome to Q&A forum!

I understand this confusing redirection is really inconvenient for you. I’ve tried searching and found some troubleshooting steps that other users have successfully used in the same situation. Let’s try these steps, and feel free to share your thoughts so I can assist you further.

1. Reset your browser:

I’m providing instructions based on Microsoft Edge, since that’s the browser I use. You can find similar steps for the browser you’re currently using:

Open Microsoft Edge.

Click the three-dot menu (⋯) in the top-right corner and select Settings.

In the left-hand menu, click Reset settings.

Choose Restore settings to their default values.

Confirm by clicking Reset.

Let me know once you've tried this, or if you need help finding the steps for a different browser.

User's image

2. Deleting the Olk and OneAuth folders

It helps fix the issue where Outlook only opens in a browser by clearing corrupted cache and resetting authentication data.

Close Outlook completely. Make sure it's not running in the background. You can check Task Manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc) and end any Outlook-related processes.
Open "File Explorer" choose "This PC" → "Windows (C)"
Navigate to "Users" -> click on your "user's name folder"
Continue choosing the "AppData" folder -> "Local" folder → "Microsoft" folder
In the "Microsoft" folder, find "Olk" and "OneAuth" and delete them.

Finally, open Outlook again to see if the issue continues.

User's image

I’d really appreciate it if you could take a moment to review the information and share your thoughts.

Please understand that our initial response may not always resolve the issue right away. However, with your cooperation and by providing more detailed answers to my follow-up questions, we can work together to identify the root cause and find the potential solutions together.

Looking forward to hearing from you!

If the answer is helpful, please click "Accept Answer" and kindly upvote it. If you have extra questions about this answer, please click "Comment".

Note: Please follow the steps in "our documentation" to enable e-mail notifications if you want to receive the related email notification for this thread.

User's image

Marek 0 Reputation points

2025-10-16T15:55:34.9866667+00:00

Thank you so much for sharing this! I deleted the two folders from my Microsoft folder, and even the name on the icon returned (it was just a long dash for some reason). It seems to have gotten a major update in the recent week, but it wouldn't open at all for days. Only once was I redirected to the browser, in my early attempts to open the app. So after reading op's problem, I figured I'd give this a try, and it worked! Thank you, thank you!
Gabriel Araujo 0 Reputation points

2025-10-16T16:13:09.6666667+00:00

The first option don't solve my problem, but when i did the second, it works! Thanks @Alina-Le !
Simon Webb 0 Reputation points

2025-10-17T00:13:05.0166667+00:00

Option 2 worked for me as well, thank you @Alina-Le
Anonymous

2025-10-17T03:41:19.8466667+00:00

Thank you for your help! The second method (deleting the Olk and OneAuth folders) worked for me as well Outlook is now opening properly in the app.

Appreciate your support! 🙏
Alina-Le 6,415 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-10-17T09:24:46.5033333+00:00

Have a nice day @IT Guy

I’m very glad that my support has helped with your case.

If you need help with anything else, feel free to return to our forum, we’ll do our best to assist you.

Stay safe and happy!
Henry Gabryjelski 5 Reputation points

2025-10-17T20:13:18.92+00:00

The second option (deleting the "OneAuth" folder) worked for me.

Note that, in my case, I did not have a "Olk" folder anywhere under "%LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft\". Thus, deletion of just the "OneAuth" folder resolved it for me.
Len Cardinal (CCSI) 151 Reputation points

2025-10-17T22:10:44.3833333+00:00

We are seeing this too - but for users using Classic Outlook! This is for computers in two different M365 Tenants, variety of hardware.
For three users, this happened since either applying the 25H2 update, or the October 24H2 updates - all of which seemed to become published in the last few days.
Users had restarted computers a few times, but the issue persisted. I was only contacted today, afternoon EST. Each time I went on their machines, I solved it by closing Edge, closing Outlook, and then re-opening one or the other. The issue just seemed to go away. This solution doesn't make sense since they all claimed to have restarted their computers a few times. But I'm also wondering if Microsoft found an issue and did something behind the scenes so that one of Outlook, Edge or Windows is getting new instructions as users restart those apps.
I also suspect there was a DNS problem...as one user's Edge browsers were having trouble opening pages; even opening the blank start page. They would get a NET error message. Some pages would come up very slowly, often partially. I changed the Edge settings to use CloudFlare DNS. Then all browsing was very fast again.
MZ 0 Reputation points

2025-10-20T18:24:22.1933333+00:00

I have a work computer and when I open my user folder, I don't have an AppData folder. I search my User folder for the OneAuth and Olk and nothing came up. What do I do?
Hornblower409 18,970 Reputation points

2025-10-20T21:52:18.5133333+00:00

@ MZ

-- I don't have an AppData folder.

Do you have the New Outlook for Windows App installed on your PC?
https://apps.microsoft.com/detail/9nrx63209r7b?hl=en-US&gl=US

Open your Windows Explorer
Paste this into the Address box: %LocalAppData%\Microsoft and press Enter
Do you not see something like this?

2 additional answers

Your answer

Marek 0 Reputation points

2025-10-16T15:55:34.9866667+00:00

Thank you so much for sharing this! I deleted the two folders from my Microsoft folder, and even the name on the icon returned (it was just a long dash for some reason). It seems to have gotten a major update in the recent week, but it wouldn't open at all for days. Only once was I redirected to the browser, in my early attempts to open the app. So after reading op's problem, I figured I'd give this a try, and it worked! Thank you, thank you!
Gabriel Araujo 0 Reputation points

2025-10-16T16:13:09.6666667+00:00

The first option don't solve my problem, but when i did the second, it works! Thanks @Alina-Le !
Simon Webb 0 Reputation points

2025-10-17T00:13:05.0166667+00:00

Option 2 worked for me as well, thank you @Alina-Le
Anonymous

2025-10-17T03:41:19.8466667+00:00

Thank you for your help! The second method (deleting the Olk and OneAuth folders) worked for me as well Outlook is now opening properly in the app.

Appreciate your support! 🙏
Alina-Le 6,415 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-10-17T09:24:46.5033333+00:00

Have a nice day @IT Guy

I’m very glad that my support has helped with your case.

If you need help with anything else, feel free to return to our forum, we’ll do our best to assist you.

Stay safe and happy!
Henry Gabryjelski 5 Reputation points

2025-10-17T20:13:18.92+00:00

The second option (deleting the "OneAuth" folder) worked for me.

Note that, in my case, I did not have a "Olk" folder anywhere under "%LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft\". Thus, deletion of just the "OneAuth" folder resolved it for me.
Len Cardinal (CCSI) 151 Reputation points

2025-10-17T22:10:44.3833333+00:00

We are seeing this too - but for users using Classic Outlook! This is for computers in two different M365 Tenants, variety of hardware.
For three users, this happened since either applying the 25H2 update, or the October 24H2 updates - all of which seemed to become published in the last few days.
Users had restarted computers a few times, but the issue persisted. I was only contacted today, afternoon EST. Each time I went on their machines, I solved it by closing Edge, closing Outlook, and then re-opening one or the other. The issue just seemed to go away. This solution doesn't make sense since they all claimed to have restarted their computers a few times. But I'm also wondering if Microsoft found an issue and did something behind the scenes so that one of Outlook, Edge or Windows is getting new instructions as users restart those apps.
I also suspect there was a DNS problem...as one user's Edge browsers were having trouble opening pages; even opening the blank start page. They would get a NET error message. Some pages would come up very slowly, often partially. I changed the Edge settings to use CloudFlare DNS. Then all browsing was very fast again.
MZ 0 Reputation points

2025-10-20T18:24:22.1933333+00:00

I have a work computer and when I open my user folder, I don't have an AppData folder. I search my User folder for the OneAuth and Olk and nothing came up. What do I do?
Hornblower409 18,970 Reputation points

2025-10-20T21:52:18.5133333+00:00

@ MZ

-- I don't have an AppData folder.

Do you have the New Outlook for Windows App installed on your PC?
https://apps.microsoft.com/detail/9nrx63209r7b?hl=en-US&gl=US

Open your Windows Explorer
Paste this into the Address box: %LocalAppData%\Microsoft and press Enter
Do you not see something like this?

Answer 1

Faizi, Shuk (Engineering) 0

I can't resolved the issue of automatic web browse launch

Len Cardinal (CCSI) 151 Reputation points

2025-10-17T22:11:05.0333333+00:00

Did it clear up for you?

Answer 2

ID: EX1173600

Some users may have the new Outlook client open in their web browser instead of the Desktop client

Issue type: Advisory

Status: Service Degradation

Impacted services: Exchange Online

Details

Title: Some users have the new Outlook client open in their web browser instead of the Desktop client

User impact: Users have the new Outlook client open in their web browser instead of the Desktop client.

More info: As a workaround, users are able to use the classic Outlook to access their Exchange Online mailbox.

Current status: We've identified that a code bug contained in a recent service update is causing a race condition and resulting in the impact. We've developed a fix to address the code issue which we're preparing to deploy to the affected environment. We'll aim to provide a timeline for the fix to deploy by our next scheduled communications update.

Scope of impact: Your organization is affected by this event, and some users attempting to open the new Outlook client are impacted.

Root cause: A code issue contained in a recent service update is causing a race condition and resulting in the impact.

Next update by: Monday, October 20, 2025, at 9:00 PM UTC

Len Cardinal (CCSI) 151 Reputation points

2025-10-20T18:35:55.6+00:00

FYI: For us, the issue was happening with people using Classic Outlook, and I am pretty sure they did not have email opened in the browser, though they likely had other M365 apps open in the browser (SharePoint, OneDrive, etc).