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. Anonymous
    2023-09-29T15:43:41+00:00

    I do not have the start-up options giving me any selections:

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  2. lmacri 2,505 Reputation points
    2023-09-29T04:26:17+00:00

    The release notes for to Version 2309 / Build 16827.20130 have now been posted at https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/officeupdates/current-channel#version-2309-september-28, and the Resolved Issues section for Outlook states in part that "We fixed an issue where the setting to control how Outlook opens previous items at start-up was missing from the Options window".

    After updating to Version 2309 / Build 16827.20130 I changed the setting at File | Options | General | Start Up Options | When Outlook Opens to Never reopen previous items ...

    Image

    ... and I can confirm that the Version 2309 / Build 16827.20130 update automatically created the missing ReopenWindowsOption registry key at HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Office\16.0\Outlook\Preferences. My value is currently set to 1 (where 0 = Ask me if I want to reopen previous items, 1 = Never reopen previous items, 2 = Always reopen previous items), which matches the setting I chose in my Start Up options.

    Image

    Please note that I did not try any of the temporary workarounds suggested in this thread like rolling back my MS Office to Version 2305, manually creating the ReopenWindowsOption registry key (value type = REG_DWORD, value = 1) in my registry, disabling the “Store my Outlook Settings in the Cloud” checkbox at File | Options | General | Cloud Storage Options (which isn’t present in my MS Office 2019 settings) or adding the /restore switch to the Target field of my Outlook desktop shortcut.

    Dell Inspiron 5584 * 64-bit Win 10 Pro v22H2 build 19045.3448 * Firefox v118.0.1 * Microsoft Defender v4.18.23080.2006-1.1.23080.2005 * Malwarebytes Premium v4.6.3.282-1.0.2158 * Macrium Reflect Free v8.0.7279 * MS Office Home and Business Version 2309 / Build 16827.20130 Click-to-Run

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  3. lmacri 2,505 Reputation points
    2023-09-29T04:07:41+00:00

    .... So if 2309 update fixes this start-up options mess, can (or should) I go back and edit my Outlook icon shortcut to remove the " /restore"? ...

    Hi Fab2016:

    If you added the /restore switch to the end of the path for your Outlook executable in the Target field of your Outlook desktop shortcut as suggested by Michael Mead1 in their 20-Jul-2023 post <here> on page 6 of this thread then this will force Outlook to always restore previous items that were left open the last time you closed Outlook without displaying that annoying "Outlook closed while you had items open. Reopen items from last session?" prompt.

    If you always start Outlook from your desktop shortcut and that's the behaviour you prefer (i.e., if you always want to restore previous items) then you can leave your Outlook shortcut the way it is. However, if don't like that behaviour and you've received the Version 2309 / Build 16827.20130 update with the bug fix you can delete that /restore switch in the Target field of your Outlook desktop shortcut, go to File | Options | General | Start Up Options, and configure the When Outlook Opens dropdown box any way you wish (i.e., by choosing Ask me if I want to restore previous items / Never restore previous items / Always restore previous items).

    Dell Inspiron 5584 * 64-bit Win 10 Pro v22H2 build 19045.3448 * Firefox v118.0.1 * Microsoft Defender v4.18.23080.2006-1.1.23080.2005 * Malwarebytes Premium v4.6.3.282-1.0.2158 * Macrium Reflect Free v8.0.7279 * MS Office Home and Business Version 2309 / Build 16827.20130 Click-to-Run

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  4. Anonymous
    2023-09-29T01:15:31+00:00

    Agree, Seems that it was suddenly fixed.....I shall say remotely fixed by Microsoft because of their bug(s) no more Errors.

    Ted

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