Calendar reminders not working on some events

Stephanie Rickards 0 Reputation points
2026-09-11T14:58:20.68+00:00

I have noticed that some calendar reminders are not working on events. I have confirmed notifications are on, I have confirmed the reminder is set. I have even changed the time on calendar events that I am no longer receiving a reminder for. Some work, and some do not.

Outlook | Windows | New Outlook for Windows | For business
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  1. AI answer

    2026-09-11T14:58:36.49+00:00

    For new Outlook for Windows, the most likely causes are:

    1. Windows or Teams is suppressing notifications Even when Outlook reminders are enabled, reminders can be blocked if:
      • Teams status is Do not disturb
      • Windows Notifications, Focus Assist, or Do not disturb is turned on
    2. Some invitations do not contain a reminder This is common with some external invitations, especially Google Calendar invites. If the sender used only Google Calendar’s default notification time, the invitation can arrive in Outlook with Reminder = None in the meeting data. In that case, Outlook will not generate a reminder unless one is set manually.
    3. Reminder data may be corrupted if reminders cannot be dismissed or keep reappearing In classic Outlook, Microsoft documents corruption of the reminders folder or reminder view as a cause. One supported reset is:
      • Close Outlook
      • Press Windows + R
      • Run: 
             outlook.exe /cleanreminders
      This is a reset action for reminder data.

    For a practical end-to-end check in new Outlook:

    1. Go to Settings > General > Notifications.
    2. Under Notify me about > Calendar, confirm notifications are On.
    3. Expand Calendar and verify the reminder style and sound settings.
    4. If old reminders are appearing late, turn on Automatically dismiss reminders for past events.
    5. Go to Settings > Calendar > Events and invitations.
    6. Under Events you create, confirm Default reminder is set to the desired time.
    7. Open one event that is failing and check its Reminder dropdown directly. If needed, set it again and save.
    8. If the affected events came from Google Calendar or another external system, manually set the reminder in Outlook for those events.
    9. If notifications still fail intermittently, check whether Windows Do not disturb, Focus Assist, or Teams Do not disturb is active when the reminder should appear.

    If the problem is limited to externally sent meetings, especially Google Calendar invitations, the issue can be with the invitation itself rather than the Outlook notification setting.

    If reminders are stuck, cannot be dismissed, or reappear repeatedly, the outlook.exe /cleanreminders reset is the documented repair step. Note: this is a repair/reset action for reminder data.

    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

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  2. Aetherin 1,545 Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2026-09-11T15:23:15.3333333+00:00

    Hi @Stephanie Rickards,

    After reviewing your question and the AI response, I think some of the AI's suggestions are worth considering.

    One thing worth checking is whether Windows Do Not Disturb/Focus, Battery Saver, or Teams Do Not Disturb was active at the time the reminders should have appeared, as these settings can sometimes suppress notification pop-ups in New Outlook.

    I would also disregard the outlook.exe /cleanreminders suggestion. That command is intended for Classic Outlook scenarios where reminders cannot be dismissed or keep reappearing, which does not appear to match the issue you described.

    Additionally, it may help to narrow down the scope of the problem:

    • Does the issue affect only external invitations, recurring meetings, or shared calendar events, or does it also occur with events you create yourself?
    • Do the missing reminders occur consistently for the same type of event?

    If possible, test one of the affected events in Outlook on the web.

    If reminders also fail to appear in Outlook on the web, the issue may be related to the mailbox, the event itself, or an account-level configuration.

    If reminders work correctly in Outlook on the web but not in New Outlook for Windows, the issue is more likely related to the Outlook application or Windows notification handling. In that case, you can try the following: Go to Windows Settings > Apps > Installed apps > Outlook (new) > Advanced options. Select Repair first. If the issue persists, try Reset.

    User's image

    Also, make sure both Windows and Microsoft 365/Office are fully updated to the latest available versions.

    Please take a look at the suggestions above, and if you have any updates, feel free to leave a comment and let me know. I'd be happy to review the findings with you and provide any further assistance if needed.

    Thank you so much for taking the time.

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