My Outlook stops responding/hanging.

Question

My Outlook works for a few minutes then stops responding/hanging. I end the task and open it again and it downloads emails from last Friday, then again works a few minutes and stops responding. This has been happening since Monday. I even tried the new version of Outlook and same issue. Downloads emails from Friday, works a few minutes and stops responding.

Answer 1

Dear Retesh Singh

Thank you for reaching out to the Microsoft Q&A Forum.

Based on your description, it appears you may be encountering a known issue affecting Classic Outlook for Windows that started after the January 13, 2026 Windows Update, specifically KB5074109.

You can find Microsoft’s official notice here: Classic Outlook profiles with POP accounts and PSTs hang after Windows updates on January 13, 2026

To better understand your situation, could you please confirm whether you are using a POP account and whether your device has installed Windows update KB5074109?

If the update is installed, you may consider uninstalling KB5074109 and restarting your computer. Here’s how:

1. Open Settings > Windows Update
2. Select Update history
3. Scroll down to Uninstall updates
4. Locate KB5074109
5. Click Uninstall, then reboot your PC

Note: Removing an update may reduce security posture temporarily, so if you’re in a managed environment, please coordinate with your IT administrator. You may try pausing automatic Windows Updates to prevent the affected KB from reinstalling. Pause updates in Windows

You can also temporarily use webmail to continue accessing your email and consider move PST files out of OneDrive, as mentioned in above article.

Please try this and let me know the result. I look forward to your reply.

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Answer 2

2026-01-25 - A fix for the KB5074109 Outlook/OneDrive bug has been released as KB5078127.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/january-24-2026-kb5078127-os-builds-26200-7628-and-26100-7628-out-of-band-cf5777f6-bb4e-4adb-b9cd-2b64df577491

Answer 3

If your Outlook is stopping and hanging, it could be due to several reasons. Here are some troubleshooting steps you can take to resolve the issue:

1. Check for Updates: Ensure that you have the latest updates installed for Outlook. Sometimes, not having the latest updates can cause performance issues.
2. Investigate Add-ins: Sometimes, add-ins can interfere with Outlook's performance. Try starting Outlook in safe mode by typing Outlook /safe in the Run dialog (Windows key + R). If it works fine in safe mode, consider disabling add-ins from the Options menu.
3. Repair Office Programs: You can repair your Office installation by going to Control Panel > Programs and Features, right-clicking on your Office installation, and selecting Repair.
4. Repair Outlook Data Files: Use the Inbox Repair Tool (scanpst.exe) to repair any corrupted Outlook data files. This tool is included with your Outlook installation.
5. Check Antivirus Software: Ensure your antivirus software is up-to-date and check if it conflicts with Outlook. You might need to disable any Outlook integration within your antivirus software.
6. Create a New User Profile: Sometimes, a corrupted user profile can cause issues. You can create a new Outlook profile through Control Panel > Mail > Show Profiles.
7. Run the Classic Outlook Advanced Diagnostics Troubleshooter: This tool can help identify issues with your Outlook configuration.

If the problem persists after trying these steps, consider reaching out to Microsoft Support for further assistance.

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References:

• Outlook not responding error or Outlook freezes when you open a file or send mail
• How to troubleshoot issues that cause Outlook to crash or stop responding when used with Microsoft 365