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

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

0 comments No comments
Answer accepted by question author
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.

Was this answer helpful?

40+ people found this answer helpful.
0 comments No comments

178 additional answers

Sort by: Newest
  1. 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

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments No comments
  2. 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

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments No comments
  3. Anonymous
    2023-09-29T00:46:16+00:00

    Hi Fab2016,

    I'm not at all sure about the process for the Outlook icon, as I didn't change anything to do with the icon.

    Pleased to hear that many people are getting back to normaility.

    Pete

    Was this answer helpful?

    1 person found this answer helpful.
    0 comments No comments
  4. Anonymous
    2023-09-28T20:27:00+00:00

    I also forced the download of v2309...20130 and that "StartUp Options" drop-down box now appears in the 'Options' menu of Outlook, so that is a good thing (I selected 'never remind me'). I closed down Outlook, then restarted it and it came up in a window instead of remaining minimized on the Taskbar like it has for the past 8 weeks or so. I'll check later to see if it continues to do that after I do a power-down and restart on my laptop or if it goes back to the minimizing routine...

    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"?

    Oh, one more little nagging thing - why is it that the little personalized bubble in the upper right changes from an initial on colored background to the picture that I use on my pc logon screen and then back again randomly? Right now it's an initial on a maroon background, yesterday at one time it was that initial on a light blue background and another time it was a thumbnail pic... Oh, maybe it's the new AI 'CoPilot' trying to guess my mood of the day??? (I terminated Co-Pilot after it appeared after the KB5030509 and KB5030310 updates that came in yesterday - just one more (x) thing to mess things up.)

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments No comments