Why Fixing Microsoft Outlook Issues is Important?
Outlook is one of the most widely used email clients across the world, especially in business environments, as it offers several features like calendaring, task management, and contact management.
Outlook can be seamlessly integrated with other Microsoft products like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. Additionally, Outlook is built with robust security features.
However, you may encounter problems or outlook errors at any time. In a business environment, this would cause financial loss, security compromises, and impact productivity.
We have observed some common issues that are frequently posted by Outlook users on the Microsoft community and other platforms. We are going to provide DIY solutions to troubleshoot and fix these problems. Continue reading.
7 Outlook Issues and Their Solutions
Here are some of the commonly occurring outlook problems and their solutions:
- Outlook Crashing and Freezing
- Cannot Send or Receive Emails
- Outlook Search Not Working
- Outlook Rules Not Working
- Outlook Running Slow
- Cannot Open Outlook Attachments
- Outlook Error code “0x80040600”
1: Outlook Crashing and Freezing
When your Outlook keeps crashing or freezing when launched, it disrupts the workflow, Outlook either crashes or freezes due to problematic add-ins, corrupt PST files, Outdated applications, insufficient system resources, corrupt profile.
Solutions:
Fix 1: Open Outlook In Safe Mode
To Open Outlook in Safe Mode without add-ins
- Press Windows Key + R, Type outlook.exe /safe, and press Enter.
If Outlook starts without any issues, then disable the add-ins.
Fix 2: Outdated Application
- Update the Outlook application to resolve crashing and freezing issues.
- Go to File > Office Account > Update Options > Update Now.
Fix 3: Repair PST File
In case of a corrupt PST file, try running the inbox repair tool (ScanPST) to scan and repair the Outlook data files to fix outlook crashing.
You can also choose effective third-party tools to fix the corrupt PST file.
Fix 4: Repair Office Installation
Resolve Outlook crashing and freezing issues by repairing the Outlook installation:
Open Control Panel > Programs > Programs and Features.
Select Microsoft Office and click on Change > Repair.
Once the repair is completed, Now launch Outlook.
2: Cannot Send or Receive Emails
If your Outlook is not sending or receiving emails, it can be incorrect email settings, network issues, Outlook data file issues, or large attachments. Try the solutions below to fix this issue.
Solutions:
Fix 1: Check the Network
Verify the internet connectivity on your device, and try accessing the internet from other applications.
Fix 2: Verify the Email Settings
Check the incoming and outgoing server settings.
- Go to File > Account Settings > Account Settings in Outlook.
- Select the email account and click on Change.
- Verify incoming and outgoing server settings, port numbers, and encryption methods.
Fix 3: Manage the Email Attachments
Verify if the email attachments are larger than the size limit.
- Go to the Outbox folder.
- Delete or move emails with large attachments to the Drafts folder.
- Try sending a smaller email to check if the issue persists.
Fix 4: Repair Outlook Data Files
Try repairing the Outlook PST or OST files using the following solutions:
- Use the Inbox Repair Tool (scanpst.exe) or Outlook PST repair tools to repair corrupted PST files.
- For OST, recreate a fresh copy by deleting the existing file and allowing Outlook to download a fresh copy.
3: Outlook Search Not Working
Outlook search makes it easy to locate emails and provides specific mail items as well, if the search function on Outlook doesn’t work then it can be indexing, issue, incorrect search settings, or disabled Windows search service.
Solutions:
Fix 1: Rebuild the Search Index
Rebuilding the search index can often resolve search-related issues. This process will re-index all your Outlook data, Here is how you do it:
- Open the Control Panel and select Indexing Options
- Select Microsoft Outlook and click on Advanced
- Click on Advanced and choose the Rebuild
Wait for the indexing process to complete. Once the process is complete now try performing a search on Outlook.
Fix 2: Check Windows Search Service
- Press Windows Key + R , type services.msc, and press Enter.
- Locate Windows Search and ensure that status is Running
If not, right-click on it and select Start. If it is running, you can also try restarting it.
Fix 3: Adjust Search Settings
Open Outlook and adjust the search settings:
- File > Options > Search.
- Under the Search options, review and adjust the settings.
- Ensure that the “include all mail items” and that no unnecessary filters are applied.
4: Outlook Rules Not Working
Outlook rules help in organizing emails according to their needs, reducing manual efforts. There are a few reasons why your Outlook rules are not working. Such as exceeding the rule quota set for your mailbox, conflicting rules, or incorrect rule conditions:
Solutions:
Fix 1: Verify and Enable the Rules
Check if the rules on your Outlook are properly configured.
- Open Outlook, File > Manage Rules & Alerts in Outlook.
- Make sure that the checkboxes next to the rules are selected.
- Review each rule to ensure it is configured correctly.
Fix 2: Check for Conflictions
Verify that any rules on your Outlook conflict with other rules.
Fix 3: Review Rule Conditions and Actions
- File > Manage Rules & Alerts.
- Choose a rule and click on Change Rule > Edit Rule Settings.
- Verify the conditions and actions of the rule and make changes if necessary.
5: Outlook Running Slow
In case of Outlook application is sluggish or running slow, it affects the overall productivity significantly, Outlook has delayed response due to large Outlook data files, filled mailbox, add-in, or antivirus conflicts.
Solutions:
Fix 1: Disable Unnecessary Add-ins
Remove all the add-ins that are not been used on your Outlook, which can slow down the Outlook performance.
Fix 2: Optimize Outlook performance settings
- Open File > Options > Advanced.
- Under the Outlook options section, adjust settings such as Cached Exchange Mode, Mail to keep offline, and others for optimal performance.
Fix 3: Adjust Antivirus Settings
Configure your Outlook to exclude Outlook from real-time scanning to ensure the antivirus doesn’t disrupt the Outlook functionalities.
Fix 4: Reduce Outlook Data File Size
You can archive old emails to reduce the size of your PST or OST file, Here is how you do it:
- File > Account Settings > Account Settings > Data Files > Settings > Compact Now
6: Cannot Open Outlook Attachments
Outlook displays an ‘Outlook cannot open attachments’ error when the attachment is of unsupported file format, outdated application, damaged attachments, etc.
Solutions:
Fix 1: Remove Temporary Internet Files Folder
Outlook displays the “Can’t open attachments in Outlook” error when the temporary internet files are full. Because every time you download an attachment, outlook saves a copy of it on a subdirectory of the Temporary files.
- Press Windows + R , type “Regedit.exe”, and press Enter.
- Click on Edit and choose Find
- Now type “OutlookSecureTempFolder” and click on Find Next
- Double-click on the OutlookSecureTempFolder and copy the location of the folder under Value Data.
- Paste the location on the run utility.
- Delete all the files present in the folder restart Outlook and try opening the attachments now.
Fix 2: Change Outlook Security Settings
- Open Outlook, Go to File > Options > Trust Center.
- Then go to Trust Center Settings and click on Attachment Handling.
Adjust the settings to allow the opening of attachments, or lower the security settings temporarily to test if attachments can be opened.
Fix 3: Verify Attachment Blocking Policies
If your Outlook is connected to a business network then contact your email or IT admin to check if the attachments are blocked by some policies at the server level.
7: Outlook Error code “0x80040600”
The Outlook error code “0x80040600” indicates that there is an issue with the Outlook data file (PST or OST), which may have become corrupted or damaged. This error can prevent you from sending or receiving emails and may also affect other operations within Outlook.
Solutions:
Fix 1: Disable Antivirus Scanning
Occasionally antivirus software can interfere with Outlook’s operation, so antivirus software or configure it to exclude scanning of Outlook data files (PST/OST) and restart Outlook.
Fix 2: Run Scanpst.exe
Locate ScanPST and follow the on-screen instructions to scan to fix PST corruption issues,
Fix 3: Check Disk Errors
Disk errors or bad sectors on the drive where your Outlook data files are stored can cause corruption, run the chkdsk command to repair the disk errors:
- Open Command Prompt as administrator.
- Type : chkdsk /f and press Enter
Once the scan is completed, restart the device and check if the Outlook 0x80040600 error is gone.
Tips for a Smooth Outlook Experience
Follow these tips for a smooth experience while using Outlook:
- Update Regularly: Keep Outlook and Windows updated for bug fixes and security patches.
- Restart: Sometimes a simple restart can resolve temporary glitches.
- Archive Outlook Emails: Moving older emails to archive folders will reduce the size of your main data file.
- Utilize Automatic Features: Enable auto-save and auto-send features for peace of mind.
- Clean Up Regularly: Schedule regular deletion of old emails and attachments to avoid storage issues.
Conclusion
Most of the issues in Outlook are solvable if you are troubleshooting is set straight, We hope you found this article helpful in keeping your workflow and productivity intact.
