How to Fix Microsoft Outlook Has Stopped Working?

As an Outlook user, you may have encountered a situation where Microsoft Outlook has stopped working. You might also receive an error message reading "Outlook stopped working," which can occur for a number of reasons discussed in this post. Additionally, this guide covers how to use an Outlook repair tool to resolve the issue and fix the "Outlook Not Working or Responding" error with a few simple adjustments.

Part 1: Why Does "Microsoft Outlook Has Stopped Working" Appear?

Main Causes

What might be the root cause of this Microsoft Outlook error? It can be triggered by a wide range of factors, including:

• Cause 1: Faulty add-ins.
• Cause 2: Missing or damaged DLL files.
• Cause 3: Incorrect Outlook configurations.
• Cause 4: Corrupt or damaged Outlook data files (.pst/.ost).
• Cause 5: Corrupt or damaged Outlook profiles.
• Cause 6: Damaged Outlook installation.
• Cause 7: Outdated Windows operating system.

Finding a solution is crucial if Outlook isn't functioning properly. Therefore, in the following section, we will describe how to resolve the "Microsoft Outlook has stopped working" issue on Windows 10/11.

Part 2: Solutions to Fix Outlook Stopped Working Issue

You can apply the following fixes to resolve difficulties if Microsoft Outlook abruptly grays out or displays an error message that reads, "Microsoft Outlook has stopped working" or "Not responding."

Solution 1: Remove Flawed Add-ins in Safe Mode

You must disable or delete add-ins while Outlook is running in Safe Mode to isolate and correct the problem. Follow these steps:

Step 1 Launch Run Dialogue

Press Windows + R to open the Run dialogue box. Type Outlook.exe /safe and press Enter to launch Outlook in Safe Mode.

Step 2 Navigate to Add-ins Options

Go to the File menu, click Options, and then select the Add-ins tab.

Step 3 Disable Third-Party Add-ins

Select COM Add-ins from the Manage drop-down and click Go. Disable or delete third-party add-ins, leaving only the essential Microsoft add-ins you require.

Step 4 Restart Outlook Regularly

Close Safe Mode and restart Outlook normally to see if the issue has been resolved.

Solution 2: Use Windows Event Viewer

To pinpoint the exact error file causing the crash, you can check the Windows Event Viewer.

Step 1 Open Event Viewer

Type Event Viewer in the Windows search box and press Enter.

Step 2 Select Application Logs

Expand Windows Logs on the left panel and choose Application.

Step 3 Filter for Outlook Errors

Look for Outlook and Windows Error Reporting under the Source column to trace the crash logs.

Step 4 Identify and Fix the Faulting File

Identify the faulty module (such as a corrupted DLL file) mentioned in the log, and repair or delete it accordingly.

Solution 3: Create a New Outlook Profile

Step 1 Open Mail Setup

Launch the Control Panel on your computer, search for Mail, and open it.

Step 2 Add a New Profile

In the dialogue box, click Show Profiles, then click Add. Type a name for your new profile and click OK.

Step 3 Configure Email Account

Enter your email account details as prompted and click Next to sync the mailbox.

Step 4 Set Default Profile

Set the newly created profile as the default profile under "Always use this profile," then restart Outlook.

Solution 4: Repair your MS Office Suite

Microsoft Outlook may stop working if the MS Office installation is damaged or key files are missing due to malware attacks, sudden system failures, or disk malfunctions. You can easily fix this via the built-in repair utility.

Step 1 Go to Programs and Features

Open the Control Panel and choose Uninstall a program under the Programs section.

Step 2 Locate Microsoft Office

Find Microsoft Office (or Microsoft 365) in the list and right-click on it.

Step 3 Perform Quick Repair

Select Change, then choose Quick Repair (or Online Repair) and click the Repair button.

Step 4 Restart Outlook

After the repair process concludes, restart your computer and open Outlook again.

Solution 5: Repair Corrupt PST File

Method 1: Using SCANPST (Inbox Repair Tool)

Step 1 Find and Open SCANPST

Press Windows + E to open File Explorer. Search for SCANPST.exe in the search box or navigate to your Office installation path, then double-click to open it.

Step 2 Select the Corrupt PST File

Click Browse in the Microsoft Outlook Inbox Repair Tool window to choose the specific .pst file you want to scan.

Step 3 Execute Repair

Click the Start button to scan. If errors are found, click Repair to fix the damaged file, then restart Outlook.

Method 2: Using Wondershare Repairit for Email

Outlook data may become completely inaccessible if a PST or OST file is severely corrupted. One of the finest ways to safely recover it is by using Wondershare Repairit for Email.

Wondershare Repairit for Email stands out from competitors by supporting both OST and PST formats with an efficient, user-friendly repair process. It is an excellent choice for resolving the "Outlook has stopped working" error caused by deep file corruption.

Key Features of Repairit for Email:

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• Repair damaged PST & OST files in all corruption scenarios, including hard disk crashes, bad sectors, virus attacks, trojan horses, system malfunctions, and improper shutdowns.

• Restore long-deleted Outlook emails and extract messages, folders, attachments, calendars, and contacts within seconds.

• High success rate in repairing corrupted mailbox items and deeply buried archives.

• Repair emails in batches with no file size limitations, featuring a full contents preview before final saving.

• Fully compatible with Windows 11/10/8/7, Windows Server 2022/2019/2016, and macOS 10.11 up to the latest versions.

Follow these simple steps to use Repairit for Email on Windows:

Step 1 Upload the Damaged Mailbox Files

Launch Repairit for Email on your PC. Click the Select File button to upload your damaged PST or OST files. You can choose to add individual files or batch upload multiple files together.

If you don't know the file location, click the Find tab to search across folders and drives automatically to locate your email database files.

Step 2 Start the Email Repair Process

After adding your files, simply click the blue Repair button. Repairit will automatically scan and fix your corrupted items in just a few seconds.

Step 3 Preview and Save Fixed Emails

Once the repair process finishes, you can preview all fixed emails from the left-hand panel. Double-click any item to verify its contents, choose your target location, and click save.

Part 3: Microsoft Outlook Has Stopped Working FAQs

Here are some frequently asked questions regarding Outlook malfunctions. Read on for further insights.

Conclusion

"Outlook has stopped working" is one of the most common hurdles users encounter when managing their mail workflows. Defective or incompatible COM add-ins are typically the main trigger behind the crash. The effective solutions outlined above work flawlessly across Windows 11, 10, and macOS environments.

Hopefully, one of these methods helped stabilize your Outlook software. If the built-in utilities fail, try Wondershare Repairit for Email; it offers a practical, high-success-rate approach to diagnose and fix both PST and OST file problems simultaneously.