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
    2023-08-12T12:58:28+00:00

    Does anyone know where the roaming Outlook profile described in the MS support article Information About Store My Outlook Settings in the Cloud is normally stored (e.g., with your Microsoft Account, on your OneDrive cloud storage, on a network server, etc.) if the "Store my Outlook Settings in the Cloud" checkbox is enabled at File | Options | General | Cloud Storage Options?

    Any ideas why my MS Outlook 2019 settings do not have a section called Cloud Storage Options at File | Options | General (see image below)? Is it because I have disabled OneDrive (see AskVG!'s [Tip] Disable OneDrive in Windows 10) to prevent OneDrive from starting at Windows startup? Can these Cloud Storage Options disappear if some other change is made in the settings (e.g., if the user removes one of the default Microsoft Office add-ins at File | Options | Add-ins)?

    Note that I see the occasional “Outlook closed while you had items open. Reopen those items from your last session?” prompt at Outlook startup, and my dropdown box under File | Options | General | Start Up Options is missing, but I have not tried any of the workarounds suggested in this thread. Given that the "Store my Outlook Settings in the Cloud" checkbox is also missing from my settings, I assume this means that I do not have a roaming Outlook profile that syncs with the Outlook settings on my local computer every time I launch Outlook.

    This is just speculation on my part, but if someone else with a roaming Outlook profile tries the 18-Jul-2023 workaround suggested <here> by Paul from London (e.g., to re-create the missing ReopenWindowsOption registry key AND uncheck the "Store my Outlook Settings in the Cloud" checkbox) but fails to uncheck that checkbox then I'm guessing they could undo that registry change the next time the Outlook settings stored in their roaming profile re-syncs with the Outlook settings on their local computer.

    Dell Inspiron 5584 * 64-bit Win 10 Pro v22H2 build 19045.3324 * Firefox v116.0.2 * Microsoft Defender v4.18.23070.1004-1.1.23070.1005 * Malwarebytes Premium v4.5.34.275-1.0.2102 * Macrium Reflect Free v8.0.7279 * Microsoft Office 2019 Home and Business 2019 Version 2307 / Build 16626.20170 Click-to-Run

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  2. Anonymous
    2023-08-12T20:19:14+00:00

    I was more referring to using more than one PC to check your emails on and the saving Outlook Settings to the Cloud would allow you to sync your settings on both assuming you are using the same Microsoft Account to log into them.

    But where you are not seeing that option you are either not using the cloud to save your Outlook Settings, or it might be using OneDrive.

    I am using Microsoft Office Home and Business 2016 v 2307 (Build 16626.20170 Click-to-Run) so things may differ.

    But try to do all what I did apart from the Cloud part, so parts 1, 2, 4 and 5.

    At some point I will be upgrading to Microsoft 365 which will get me the latest Outlook version so might be able to see if that has any issues due to Micrsoft seem to be dragging their feet here on fixing the issue.

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  3. Anonymous
    2023-08-13T22:39:56+00:00

    What do I do with the registry key? HKEY_CURRENT-USER ............

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  4. lmacri 2,505 Reputation points
    2023-08-13T23:52:33+00:00

    What do I do with the registry key? HKEY_CURRENT-USER ............

    Hi LarrY Vergon:

    If you want to try Diane Poremsky's workaround and re-create the missing ReopenWindowsOption registry key then try the instructions in the MSOutlook.info tutorial Editing the Registry at https://www.msoutlook.info/question/290, which shows how to add a registry entry called "ShowBcc" at HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\16.0\Outlook\Preferences (value type = REG_DWORD, value =1). If you follow those instructions just substitute the value name "ShowBcc" used in that example with "ReopenWindowsOption".

    Once that registry key is created then monitor MS Outlook for a few days and see if this stops the “Outlook closed while you had items open. Reopen those items from your last session?” prompt from appearing when Outlook is started.

    Dell Inspiron 5584 * 64-bit Win 10 Pro v22H2 build 19045.3324 * Firefox v116.0.2 * Microsoft Defender v4.18.23070.1004-1.1.23070.1005 * Malwarebytes Premium v4.5.34.275-1.0.2102 * Macrium Reflect Free v8.0.7279 * Microsoft Office 2019 Home and Business 2019 Version 2307 / Build 16626.20170 Click-to-Run

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