Using Classic Outlook on Windows for personal email, calendar, and contact management
Try these fixes in order:
- Repair Office first.
- Go to Settings > Apps > Installed apps.
- Find Microsoft Office.
- Select Modify.
- Run Quick Repair first.
- If that does not help, run Online Repair.
- Note: Online Repair reinstalls Office and requires an internet connection.
- Start Outlook in safe mode.
- Press Windows key + R.
- Type
Outlook /safeand select OK. - In Choose Profiles, accept the default Outlook profile and select OK.
- If prompted, enter the password and select Accept.
- If Outlook opens in safe mode, the problem is likely an add-in.
- Disable Outlook add-ins if safe mode works.
- In Outlook, go to File > Options > Add-ins.
- At the bottom, confirm Manage shows COM Add-ins, then select Go.
- Clear all selected add-ins, then select OK.
- Restart Outlook normally.
- If Outlook opens, re-enable add-ins one at a time to find the one causing the problem.
- Do not delete add-ins during troubleshooting; disable them only.
- Reset the navigation pane.
- Close Outlook.
- Press Windows key + R.
- Type
Outlook.exe /resetnavpaneand select OK. - This removes navigation pane customizations.
- Create a new Outlook profile.
- A corrupted profile can prevent Outlook from opening.
- Create a new profile, then restart Outlook and choose the new profile in the Choose Profile dialog.
- If Outlook starts normally with the new profile, the old profile was corrupted.
- Warning: if removing a profile later, back up data files first. Removing a profile deletes offline cached content.
- Repair Outlook data files.
- Exit Outlook.
- Run the Inbox Repair Tool (scanpst.exe) using the instructions in Repair Outlook Data Files (.pst and .ost).
- If the exact message is: "Something is wrong with one of your data files and Outlook needs to close"
- Update Outlook from File > Office Account > Update Options > Update Now.
- That issue was fixed in Monthly Channel Version 2005 Build 12827.20470 and higher.
- Registry workaround exists, but it is risky because incorrect registry changes can cause serious problems.
- If using Microsoft 365 on Windows 10 or later, run the Outlook startup troubleshooter.
- Use the classic Outlook startup troubleshooter and follow the prompts in Get Help.
References:
- We're sorry, but Outlook has run into an error that is preventing it from working correctly. Outlook will need to be closed as a result. - Microsoft Q&A
- I can’t start Microsoft Outlook or receive the error “Cannot start Microsoft Outlook. Cannot open the Outlook Window”
- Something is wrong with one of your data files and Outlook needs to close