Keep Getting "Outlook closed while you had items open. Reopen items from last session?" Even Though It's Not True

Anonymous
2023-07-05T13:34:20+00:00

This just started happening. Whenever I open Outlook, I get the message "Outlook closed while you had items open. Reopen items from last session?" even though this is not true -- I did not have items open when I closed Outlook. Using Windows 11. Screenshot of what version of Outlook I have:

Outlook | Windows | Classic Outlook for Windows | For business

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Anonymous
2023-07-07T17:46:51+00:00

I'm on build 2306. Is this the reg key in question?

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\16.0\Outlook\Preferences
DWORD: ReopenWindowsOption
Value: 1

Yes.

Some users that updated to 2306 have reported that the key was not already in the Registry and had to add it and the value.

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  1. lmacri 2,505 Reputation points
    2023-09-18T16:00:23+00:00

    Hi Michael Chesley Johnson:

    Please note that the MS support article Outlook Unexpectedly Prompts to Reopen Items From Your Last Session was updated on 14-Sep-2023 and now states:

    "This problem is currently scheduled to be fixed in Version 2310 with an estimated release in late October 2023. We will update this topic with more specific information as we get closer to release."

    Kudos to Forum Mod Gabriel Bratton for alerting readers to this upcoming fix in their 18-Sep-2023 post in CSG-08’s My Outlook 2016 “Start Up Options menu” has no drop down submenu.
    ————
    Dell Inspiron 15 5584 * 64-bit Win 10 Pro v22H2 build 19045.3448 * Firefox v117.0.1 * Microsoft Defender v4.18.23080.2006-1.1.23080.2005 * Malwarebytes Premium v4.6.2.281-1.0.2131 * Macrium Reflect Free v8.0.7279 * MS Office Home and Business 2019 v2308 Build 16731.20234

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  2. Anonymous
    2023-08-02T16:20:45+00:00

    If you open Outlook directly from the app menu make a shortcut on your desktop and use that.

    Right click on the Outlook desktop icon, Select Properties and edit the" Target" field by adding a command switch as follows.

    .......\OUTLOOK.EXE" /restore

    Adding the command switch /restore will...

    1. Stop the annoying dialog box opening anymore.
    2. If you have multiple e-mails accounts, Outlook will open next time in the last used account, instead of default setting.
    3. If you actually did leave messages open last time, they will open next time.

    If MS ever decide to issue an update to fix this, simply remove the switch.

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  3. Anonymous
    2023-07-12T20:09:28+00:00

    That won't fix it, it might for a day or two, then it comes back and just ignores what you have ReopenWindowsOption set to (0, 1, 2) or even removing it.

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  4. Anonymous
    2023-07-09T05:04:00+00:00

    Not so fast. Don't hold your breath...

    I was also afflicted for the last few days - with this registry setting present and set to 1..

    I'm also on Office 2021 Pro (perpetual) - lacking the Startup option dropdown.

    The annoying popup reliably occurred every time I opened Outlook for the last several days - and then magically stopped today, until late tonight. Oh.. I didn't previously close Outlook with any open messages.

    ReopenWindowsOption had been there all along, set to 1, since the issue arose - I did not need to add it.

    While it was behaving today, I tried to force it using key value 0 while closing with open messages (no pop up opened on startup)... as well as closing Outlook with an open message and key value 2 (it did not open the message on startup). So it is not obeying the registry value anyway.

    This quirk appears to have a complete mind of it's own regardless of the registry setting - at least for me.

    Oh... I've followed Diane's work for years (over two decades actually - oh my) - and I'm confident she'll get to the bottom of it.

    Cheers!

    Chip

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