Is your Outlook stuck on starting and the screen says Starting? This appears to be a common problem, so we will address that issue in this post and offer some foolproof solutions.
Why is my Outlook stuck on Starting?
There could be several possible reasons why Outlook is stuck on loading and takes a long time to start such as:
- Faulty add-ins.
- Outlook working on a large or long process.
- Corrupted Outlook data files.
- Background processes.
- Network connectivity issue.
Fix Outlook stuck on Starting on Windows 11/10
While there could be several reasons why Outlook is stuck on Starting, we have found a few solutions that can help you fix the issue off-hand.
- Basic suggestions
- Start Outlook in safe mode
- Reset the Outlook navigation pane
- Force Outlook to always run maximized
- Repair all Outlook data files
- Reconnect the Outlook desktop email client.
1] Basic suggestions
Before you try the primary methods below, here are a few preliminary techniques you must try:
- Restart your PC and Router.
- Close all background processes.
- Make sure to install any pending Windows Update.
- Install any latest Office updates
If none of the above methods help, you can try the primary troubleshooting methods below.
Read: Outlook not responding; Keeps crashing, has stopped working, freezes or hangs
2] Start Outlook in safe mode
In this method, close the Outlook app, launch the Run dialog box (Win + R), type in Outlook /safe, and hit Enter to open it in safe mode. Once done, restart your Outlook and see.
If the problem goes away, then it is likely that one of the installed Outlook add-ins is creating issues. So, identify and disable the problematic Outlook addin and see.
3] Reset the Outlook navigation pane
To reset the Outlook navigation pane which is located at the left or bottom, open Run bix and execute the following command:
outlook /resetnavpane
Once done see if it has helped.
4] Force Outlook to always run maximized
In this case, you should run the Outlook app in the maximized window to fix the issue if it’s stuck on starting.
For this, right-click on the Outlook app icon on your desktop and select Properties.
In the Outlook Properties window, select the Shortcut tab, go to Run, and select Maximized from the drop-down.
Press OK to save the changes.
See if this helps.
5] Repair all Outlook data files
It could be possible that the Outlook data files like the .pst file or the .ost files are corrupted and hence, Outlook is stuck on starting.
In this case, you can repair the corrupt Outlook PST & OST personal data files with the Inbox Repair Tool (Scanpst.exe) or the OST Integrity Check Tool.
Read: Outlook is stuck on the Loading profile or the Processing screen
5] Reconnect the Outlook desktop email client
To reconnect Outlook to Outlook.com, you would either need to create a new user profile or delete the account from the client and create a new one.
Read: Outlook stuck on Trying to connect
What to do if Outlook is not launching?
If Outlook fails to launch, try opening it in Safe Mode by pressing and holding the Ctrl key as you click on the Outlook icon. Next, disable add-ins from the File tab > Options > Add-ins. If it doesn’t work, repair the Outlook program via Control Panel > Programs > Programs and Features. Make sure your software is updated for compatibility.
Read: Outlook not opening or working in Windows 11
Why does Outlook freeze when I start up?
Outlook may freeze on startup if the software is outdated, there are corrupt files or incompatible add-ins. Make sure that Outlook and your Windows OS are updated to the latest version, disable any unnecessary add-ins, and repair Outlook data files to address this problem effectively.
