How to troubleshoot Outlook start-up issues

1. Introduction
2. Start Outlook in safe mode and disable add-ins
3. Create a new Outlook profile
4. Disable compatibility mode in Outlook
5. Reset the Outlook Navigation Pane
6. Read also

Introduction

When it comes to managing emails, Outlook is the best tool that a Windows user can use. Outlook is a Microsoft Office application that has a lot of features compared to other email programs. However, in some situations, if Outlook is misconfigured, it will not start.

Today we will discuss such a problem where Outlook simply refuses to start and displays the following message:

There is no known reason for the problem that occurs in Microsoft Outlook. However, the main reason that can be attributed to the occurrence of this error is either the corrupted Outlook PST file or the corrupted navigation pane settings file - myprofile.XML, where 'myprofile' is the name of the Outlook profile.

Here are some ways that could help you get rid of this problem:

Start Outlook in safe mode and disable add-ins

One of the possible reasons for the Outlook start-up problem is that the add-ins may conflict with Outlook.

Starting Outlook in Safe Mode (starting Outlook without any add-ons) will check if the problem Is coming from there.

NOTE: If you have enabled an ABBYY FineReader add-in, an outdated version of the software may cause an error while starting Outlook. For more information, see installing the FineReader Add-in may block Office programs.

1. To start Outlook in safe mode, click Start> Run.

2. Type Outlook / safe, and then click OK.

3. In the Choose Profile dialog box, choose the defaultsetting (Outlook) and confirm with OK.

4. If prompted, enter your password and select Accept.

If Outlook starts in safe mode, the start-up concern is probably related to one of the installed add-ins.

It is recommended to disable all add-ins and restart Outlook.

Create a new Outlook profile

Your profile includes your Outlook settings. Sometimes this profile can be corrupted.

It is possible to check if this is the reason for the Outlook start-up problem.

1. Open the Control Panel. Type Mail in the search box and press Enter.

To open Control Panel, do one of the following:

o For Windows Vista or Windows 7, select Start> Control Panel.
o For Windows 8 and Windows 10, select Start, and then type Control Panel in the search bar.

2. Click View Profiles> Add in the Outlook Profile Configuration dialog box.

3. In the Profile Name box, type the name that you will use for the new profile.

4. On the Automatic Account Setup page of the Add an Account Wizard, under Mail Account, enter your name, email address, and password, and select Next. Then, choose Always use this profile and select your new profile from the drop-down list.

5. Click Apply, and then click OK

6. You can now restart your Windows PC and check if you can now open Outlook.

NOTE: If Outlook starts normally, your Outlook profile is corrupted and causing the problem.
If you want to delete a profile, you must start by saving your files and data. All offline cached content is removed if you select the Delete option.
This should fix it for you, otherwise try the next fix.

Disable Compatibility Mode in Outlook

Check if Outlook is running in compatibility mode. The compatibility mode in Microsoft Outlook is designed to help a program to run on an older operating system. If Outlook is running in compatibility mode, you can turn it off and see if it fixes the problem.

1. Locate the Outlook.exe file on your computer.
If you are using the latest Office software, you will find it here

C: Microsoft OfficeOffice16 Program Files
Or to

C: Microsoft OfficeOffice16 Program Files (x86)

2. Once found, right-click the Outlook.exe file, select the Properties option, and choose the Compatibility tab.

3. If one of the checkboxes on the Compatibility tab is checked, uncheck it and choose "Apply"> OK.

4. Restart Outlook. The problem should be solved.

Reset the Outlook Navigation Pane

1. Press the Windows key + R and

2. Type Next in the Run box,
Outlook.exe / resetnavpane

3. Then click on Ok

When you press the Enter key, Outlook starts by resetting the profile settings. Running this command will clear and refresh the navigation pane of the current Outlook profile.

Read also

How to change the language of the Office interface

How to create and add a signature to your messages on Outlook 2016 and 2013