What if Outlook Crashes When I Attempt to Open?

There are a number of factors that can cause Outlook to crash when it is opened. Below are several preventative measures as well as reactive measures in the event that this issue is occurring.

Preventative Measures

• Allow your computer to fully boot up before attempting to open Outlook. Many people open Outlook as soon as they see the icons to “save time” however this typically backfires and overloads resources.
• Ensure Outlook close completely before shutting down computer. If Outlook does not close completely, errors will generate the next time it is opened and likely cause a crash or lockup to occur.
• Let Send/Receive run fully before attempting to close Outlook. If Outlook is trying to send/receive while it is being shut down it can cause messages to become corrupt and will likely cause errors to be present the next time Outlook is opened.
• Keep attachments small. Large attachments cause numerous performance issues both for the sender and recipient(s). If files are being shared internally, sending a link to the network file path is best.
• Limit the number of open PST files. A best practice is to keep only the PST files that you use regularly open. The more PST files that are open (especially if large in size), the higher the risk for lockups.
• Close Outlook before you go on/off VPN. For those with recurring Outlook issues, this is a good practice to implement to prevent Outlook from having to switch modes

Reactive Measures

• End Processes in Task Manager. This is a good first step. Press Ctrl+Alt+Delete and select ‘Start Task Manager’. Click the process tab and select the process called Outlook, then click ‘End Process’.
• Reboot. If ending processes does not repair the lockup, it is best to perform a full reboot to clear out the conflicts completely.
• Disable Outlook Add-Ins. If rebooting does not repair the lockup, then “add-ins” may be the culprit. Many times “add-ins” are installed and enabled without you being aware. To remove “add-ins” follow these steps.

1. Open Outlook and go to Tools, Trust Center, Add-Ins.
2. Click Go at the bottom.
3. Uncheck ALL of the Add-Ins. Click OK.
4. Close Outlook.
5. Reopen Outlook. (Note: If you use a certain Add-In and this solution worked, you can go back and enable that specific add-in later.

• Run a Repair on Outlook. Something could be awry with the setup of Outlook and therefore running a repair may help. To run a repair on Outlook follow these steps.

1. Click Start, Control Panel, Add/Remove Programs.
2. Find Microsoft Office in the list and click Change.
3. Select Repair. Click Continue.
4. Click Finish at the end.