outlook repeatedly get hanged for 7 days

Question

I am facing problem for last 7 days. Whenever I open outlook, it gets hanged and I close program with task manager and reopen again it hanged/not responding and emails from server get downloading each time I open outlook, same emails repeated times. Sometimes I have to restart computer. Should I uninstall outlook, I need guidance how to uninstall and install again. Thank you.

Answer 1

It sounds like you're experiencing significant issues with Outlook freezing and repeatedly downloading the same emails. Here are some potential causes and resolutions you can try before considering uninstalling and reinstalling Outlook:

1. Check for Updates: Ensure that you have the latest updates installed for Outlook. Sometimes, performance issues can be resolved with the latest patches.
2. Disable Add-ins: A previously installed add-in might be interfering with Outlook. You can disable add-ins by going to File > Options > Add-ins and managing them from there.
3. Antivirus Software: If your antivirus software integrates with Outlook, it might be causing performance issues. You can try disabling the integration or any add-ins related to your antivirus software.
4. Repair Outlook: You may need to repair your Microsoft 365 programs. This can often resolve issues related to corrupted files.
5. Create a New User Profile: Sometimes, a corrupted user profile can cause issues. You can create a new profile by going to Control Panel > User Accounts > Mail > Show Profiles and then adding a new profile.
6. Selective Startup: Performing a selective startup can help identify if other programs are conflicting with Outlook. You can do this through System Configuration.

If these steps do not resolve the issue and you still wish to uninstall and reinstall Outlook, you can do so through the Control Panel under Programs and Features. After uninstalling, you can reinstall it from your Microsoft 365 account or installation media.

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References:

• Outlook not responding error or Outlook freezes when you open a file or send mail
• Outlook not responding error or Outlook freezes when you open a file or send mail

Answer 2

How to Repair Outlook: Microsoft 365 programs?

Answer 3

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 4

If you use Classic Outlook for Windows and have any POP email accounts, this is a know bug:

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/classic-outlook-pop-account-profiles-hang-and-freeze-after-windows-11-update-to-kb5074109-590fe356-ecc2-49f4-b9e3-bd39fafa58f6

There are two temporary fixes. Doing either one should fix the issue:

1 -- Move any PST files out of your OneDrive folder and use ScanPST to check for errors.

How to remove an Outlook .pst data file from OneDrive

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/how-to-remove-an-outlook-pst-data-file-from-onedrive-b6b9e522-59bd-40f7-949f-168d0aa9b38e

ScanPST

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/troubleshoot/outlook/data-files/how-to-repair-personal-folder-file

Once you have moved all of your PSTs you can resume Windows Updates. KB5074109 won't break your Outlook.

2 -- Uninstall the Jan 2026 Update KB5074109 and Pause Windows Updates.

How to uninstall a Windows Update

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/how-to-uninstall-a-windows-update-c77b8f9b-e4dc-4e9f-a803-fdec12e59fb0

Pause Windows Updates

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/pause-updates-in-windows-643e9ea7-3cf6-7da6-a25c-95d4f7f099fe

If you can not uninstall KB5074109 thru normal means:

See this Microsoft Learn Q&A thread for alternatives.

https://learn.microsoft.com/answers/questions/5707915/outlook-classic-not-opening-properly-or-recording

Or contact Microsoft Support and ask "How to uninstall KB5074109?"

https://support.microsoft.com

Answer 5

Hi,

Thank you for sharing your question. I understand how disruptive it is when Outlook hangs every time you open it, forcing you to restart the program or even reboot your computer, and especially when the same emails keep downloading repeatedly.

This kind of continuous freezing can be extremely frustrating, particularly when you rely on Outlook daily and are unsure whether reinstalling is the right next step.

This behavior can happen when Outlook encounters corruption in your profile, add‑ins, data files, or when a recent update triggers performance issues. Similar cases show that POP accounts have recently been affected by a known bug after Windows Update KB5074109, causing Outlook to freeze and re‑download the same emails. Before reinstalling Outlook, Microsoft recommends trying steps such as installing the latest updates, disabling problematic add‑ins, repairing Office, or creating a new Outlook profile, since these resolve most freezing and repeated‑download issues. If your device uses a POP account, Microsoft also confirms that moving PST files out of OneDrive or repairing them with ScanPST can temporarily fix the issue until an official patch is released. Reinstalling Outlook is possible, but usually not required unless repair steps fail; Outlook issues are more often tied to profile or data corruption rather than the application itself.

 

I hope this helps.

 

Best Regards,

Noel