How To Fix Outlook Not Working On Windows OS [Quick And Easy]

While using your Outlook account, you may notice that Outlook not working properly. As a result, it can block you from using the account and after a certain time, all the process keeps freezing. 

Sometimes, you may encounter an Outlook error message on the screen. This error mainly appears if the Outlook application is corrupted. This is a quite common issue that most of the users have faced. But the best part is that this issue can be resolved quickly. 

Causes of Outlook not Responding

There are common causes that might be responsible for this problem. So, here are the prime aspects behind Outlook not responding:

• Corrupted or damaged PST file.
• An outdated version of the Outlook.
• Malware infection or viruses.
• Hardware issue.
• Windows Firewall or third-party security software.
• Add-ins are enabled.
• Corrupted or missing Outlook profile.

10 Solutions to Resolve Outlook not Working On Windows 10 

Before moving to the solutions, first, you should reboot the computer. Sometimes, rebooting the PC can resolve various issues that you have encountered.

After rebooting the system, check if the issue still persists or not. If you find this problem again, then you can try to use other solutions. 

Here, we will be discussing all the possible fixes that may help you to get rid of the “Outlook not working” problem on your PC. Therefore, you need to follow and implement them as instructed below:

Fix 1 # Open the Outlook in Safe Mode

The first thing that you should do is to open the Outlook in Safe mode. To resolve this problem follow the given steps:

1. Right-click on the Start icon and then select Run.
2. Type “Outlook /safe” in the Run box and then hit the Enter key or click on the OK button.
3. Now, the Outlook account will open into Safe mode.

Fix 2 # Disable the Add-Ins

The third-party add-ins can cause Outlook issues on the device. Therefore, you should disable it by following these steps:

1. Open the Outlook and then click on the File option at the top of the menu bar. After that, select the Options tab.
2. When the Options window opens, click on the Add-ins tab.
3. Select the Add-ins from the Manage list and then click on the Go option.
4. Untick the add-ins that you need to remove or disable.
5. After performing these directions, restart the Outlook and then check if the problem is resolved or not.

Fix 3 # End the Outlook Processes from Task Manager

Another easy fix by which you should be able to resolve the “Outlook stuck on processing” issue on the device is to end the Outlook processes from the Task Manager. Hence, the following steps will assist you:

1. Press the Ctrl + Shift + Esc buttons together to launch the Task Manager window.
2. From the Task Manager window, look for the Outlook, select it and then click on the End Task button.
3. Next, move to the processes tab, locate and select the outlook.exe and then click on the End Task option to stop the process.
4. Once you are done with these steps, restart the computer and then check if your Outlook works properly or not.

Fix 4 # Repair the Outlook

Corrupted Outlook can result in Outlook not working. Therefore, you should repair the Outlook. In order to solve this issue perform the steps mentioned here:

1. Hit the Start button and then select the Control Panel. Navigate to the “Programs & Features” section. Look for the Outlook and select it.
2. Thereafter, click on the Change button and then click on the Quick Repair button to start the process.
3. Once the repair process is complete, reboot the Windows system and then check if it resolves the issue or not.

Fix 5 # Install the Latest Version of the Outlook

Outlook might not respond if you are using an outdated version of the Outlook application. Therefore, it is important to keep Outlook up-to-date. Take a look at the given steps:

1. Open the Outlook application.
2. From that window, click on the File option at the top of the left portion.
3. When you are in the File window, click on the Office Account tab on the left panel.
4. On the right window, click on the Update button and then select the Update Now option from the drop-down menu list. Now, the update process will begin.
5. After finishing the update process, restart the Outlook and then check if the glitch persists or not.

Fix 6 # Repair PST File

If the PST file is missing or corrupted, then you can come across this error message on the device. Therefore, you should repair this file by following the given steps:

1. Press the Windows Home button and E key at the same time to launch the File Explorer window.
2. When you are in the File Explorer window, go to the following paths: C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\root\Office (Version).
3. Find and right-click on the “SCANPST.EXE” file and then select the “Run as administrator” button.
4. In the scanning application, click on the Browse option and then find the .pst file that you are using on your computer.
5. After that, click on the Start button to start the scanning process. If you find that any issue is there, then click on the Repair button.
6. After completing the repair process, restart the PC and then check if the problem gets fixed or not.

Fix 7 #  Disable the Windows Defender Firewall

Windows Defender Firewall is one of the prime reasons behind Outlook not responding on your computer. So, you need to disable the Windows Firewall feature. To know more about it follow these steps hereunder:

1. Click on the Start icon and then choose the Control Panel.
2. When you are in the Control Panel window, move to the Windows Firewall section and then click on the Turn Windows Defender Firewall On and Off option.
3. On the right window, tick on the box next to the Turn Off Windows Defender Firewall option from both Private Network Settings and Public Network Settings sections.
4. After doing these directions, click on the Save Changes option to save it. 

Fix 8 # Remove the Security Software

Another security software can often prevent Outlook from working appropriately. Therefore, you need to uninstall the security software at the earliest. Here’s how to do that:

1. Press the Windows Home key and then click on the Settings icon.
2. Go to the Apps section and then select the “Apps & Features” tab.
3. Scroll down the page until you find the security software, select it and then click on the Uninstall option.
4. Once it is uninstalled, reboot the Windows system and then try to use the Outlook account.

Fix 9 # Update the Operating System

To fix this problem you need to keep the system up-to-date. To do that, perform the given steps:

1. Open the Settings window and then double-click on the “Update & Security” section.
2. Go to the Update tab and then click on the “Check for updates” button to check for available updates.
3. If yes, then click on the Update button to begin the process.

Fix 10 # Create a New Outlook Account

If none of the fixes help you to fix if Outlook stuck on processing then go through these directions:

1. Go to the Control Panel window and then click on the Mail section. After that, click on the Show Profiles button.
2. Choose your Outlook account and then click on the Remove button to delete it.
3. After deleting it, click on the Add option to create a new account. Type the name of the new profile and then click on the OK button.
4. Once you are done, add the email account to the new Outlook account.

We hope the following fixes will help you to get rid of the “Outlook not working” issue on the device.