8 Ways to Fix Microsoft Outlook Crash on Windows

Although Microsoft Outlook is one of the most feature-rich email clients, it is not free from problems. Outlook for Windows may occasionally trouble you with strange errors and abrupt application crashes.

If you are facing the same problem, here are some solutions to fix Outlook application crashes on Windows.

1. Restart Microsoft Outlook

This may sound basic, but restarting Microsoft Outlook can help fix minor issues the app may encounter while running. So you should start with that.

To close Outlook on your computer:

1. Right-click on the Boot icon and select Task Manager from the list.
2. In the Process select Microsoft Outlook.
3. Click on the End of task at the top of the page.

Reopen Microsoft Outlook after that and see if it works fine.

2. Start Outlook in Safe Mode

Opening Outlook in safe mode allows you to use the application without any add-ins. This can help you determine if the problem is caused by an add-on or something else.

To open Outlook in safe mode:

1. Press on Win+R on your keyboard to open the Run dialog box.
2. Type Outlook.exe /safe in the Open field and press Come in to open Outlook in safe mode.

If Outlook works fine in safe mode, one of the add-ons is most likely to blame. To find the problematic add-in, you need to disable them all and then enable them one by one. Here’s how.

1. Open Outlook in safe mode.
2. Click on File and then Options.
3. In the Outlook Options window, switch to the option Additional information tab.
4. Click on the button Go on button next to COM add-ins.
5. In the COM Add-ins dialog box, uncheck all add-ins and click okay.
6. Restart the Outlook application and enable your add-ons one by one until you find the one causing the problem.

   

3. Disable Hardware Acceleration

Hardware acceleration is a handy feature of Outlook that helps the application perform specific tasks more efficiently. However, sometimes this feature may not work as expected, especially if you are using Outlook on older hardware. If so, Outlook may crash unexpectedly on your computer.

To check this possibility, you can disable hardware acceleration in Outlook and then try using the application. Here are the steps to follow to do so.

1. In Outlook, click the button File then go to Options.
2. In the Outlook Options window, navigate to the tab Advanced tab.
3. Under the tab Display check the box that reads as follows Disable hardware graphics acceleration.
4. Click on okay.

   

Restart Outlook after doing this and see if it crashes again.

4. Update the Outlook application

Microsoft regularly releases updates for Outlook to bring new features and improve the stability of the application. If it’s been a while since you’ve updated your Outlook client, you might miss out on these new features and improvements.

You can try updating the Outlook application on your computer and see if that improves the situation.

1. Open the Outlook application and go to File > office account.
2. In the right pane, select Update options > Update now.

   

Wait for Outlook to find and install the latest updates. Once updated, Outlook should work smoothly on your PC.

5. Repair Outlook Data Files

Damaged Outlook data files can also cause the application to crash on your computer. To repair these files, you must use an executable in the Outlook installation directory.

1. Right-click the Outlook shortcut and select Properties.
2. In the case Shortcut click on the tab Open file location.
3. Locate SCANPST.EXE and double click on it.
4. In the Microsoft Outlook Inbox Repair Tool, click Browse then navigate to the following directory:

    C:Users*username*AppDataLocalMicrosoftOutlook 

   Be sure to replace *username in the above path with your own username.

5. Select the profile you want to repair, then click To start up.

   

Once the scan is complete, try using the Outlook application and see if everything works fine. Also, be sure to check out how to repair PST and OST files in Outlook with Recovery Toolbox.

6. Create a new Outlook profile

It is possible that your current Outlook profile has become corrupted or inaccessible, which is why Outlook crashes on your computer. If so, you need to create and use a new Outlook profile.

To create a new Outlook profile:

1. Press on Win+S to open the search menu.
2. Type control panel in the box and select the first result that appears.
3. In the Control Panel window, click the button View by drop-down menu to select Big Icons.
4. Click on Mail (Microsoft Outlook).
5. Under Profilesselect Show profiles.
6. Click on the Add enter a name for your new profile, then click okay.
7. In the Add Account window, enter your account details and click Next.
8. Once the profile has been created, select your new profile in the section When starting Microsoft Outlook and you press To apply.

   

The Office Repair Tool on Windows can help you repair all Office applications, including Outlook. So, if Outlook keeps crashing on your computer, you can use the following steps to run the Office Repair Tool.

1. Use one of the many ways to open Control Panel.
2. Go to Programs and Features.
3. Locate and select Microsoft Office in the list. Then click the button To modify at the top of the page.
4. Select the Quick repair then click To fix.

   

Let the repair tool repair the Outlook installation on your computer. If the problem persists after that, you can repeat the above steps to perform a repair. Online Repair.

8. Run the Microsoft Support and Recovery Assistant

If none of the above solutions work, Microsoft recommends running the Support and Recovery Assistant on Windows. It can detect the cause of Outlook crash and recommend solutions accordingly. Here’s how to run it.

1. Go to the Microsoft website and download the Support and Recovery Assistant.
2. Click on the downloaded file and follow the on-screen instructions to install the software. Microsoft Support and Recovery Assistant on your computer.
3. Then open Microsoft Support and Recovery Assistant.
4. Select Outlook and click on Next.
5. Select the problem you are having and click Next.

   

From there, follow the on-screen instructions and let the tool fix all Outlook-related issues. After that, Outlook should work as before on your computer.

Don’t let Outlook crashes disrupt your productivity

Such Outlook application crashes on Windows can negatively impact your productivity and keep you busy all day. We hope that one of the solutions listed above has helped you and that Outlook is working again on your computer.