Outlook disabled on 3/12/26.

Question

My Classic Outlook stopped receiving emails as of 3/12/26. I receive message that Add-ins delayed Outlook and shut down. I've disabled and enabled the 2 Add-ins, but nothing works. Can you help to enable my Outlook?

Answer 1

Hi Linda Groves,

Welcome to the Microsoft Q&A forum.

I understand how disruptive this is, especially since Classic Outlook stopped receiving mail and you are seeing the message indicating add-ins delayed Outlook and contributed to shutdown behavior.

I see there is already a Q&A Assist answer above, and the approach there is generally correct for isolating add-in-related slowdowns in classic Outlook. Before adding anything further, did you have a chance to try opening Outlook in Safe Mode (Outlook.exe /safe), and if so, does Outlook send/receive normally in Safe Mode?

One additional detail that may help explain what you are seeing is that Outlook can mark an add-in as “unhealthy” and manage it separately from the standard COM Add-ins list. In classic Outlook, those items can appear under File > Slow and Disabled COM Add-ins (or via the “View Disabled Add-ins” prompt), which can make it look like everything is enabled even when Outlook is still limiting a problematic add-in. Reference: Outlook add-in warnings - Microsoft Support 

If Safe Mode works but normal mode does not, that strongly suggests an add-in is still being flagged, and the next step would be to review the “Slow and Disabled COM Add-ins” list and re-enable add-ins one at a time (as outlined in the Q&A Assist steps) to identify which one triggers the issue again.

I hope this helps narrow it down.

Answer 2

Follow these steps to get classic Outlook working again and isolate the add-in problem:

1. Start Outlook in safe mode (no add-ins)
   1. Close Outlook.
   2. Press Windows key + R.
   3. Type:

            outlook.exe /safe
      

      and select OK.
   4. If prompted, accept the default profile and sign in.
   If Outlook can send/receive mail in safe mode, the issue is almost certainly an add-in.
2. Disable all COM add-ins
   1. While Outlook is running in safe mode, go to File > Options > Add-ins.
   2. At the bottom, next to Manage, select COM Add-ins, then Go.
   3. Clear all check boxes to disable every add-in, then select OK.
   4. Close Outlook.
3. Test Outlook normally
   1. Start Outlook normally (without /safe).
   2. Check if new mail is received and Outlook no longer reports that add-ins delayed shutdown.
   • If Outlook now works, one of the add-ins is the cause.
4. Find the problematic add-in
   1. Go back to File > Options > Add-ins > COM Add-ins > Go.
   2. Enable one add-in, select OK, then restart Outlook and test send/receive.
   3. Repeat, enabling one add-in at a time and restarting Outlook after each change.
   4. When Outlook starts failing again (or shows the “add-ins delayed Outlook and shut down” message), the last add-in enabled is the problem. Leave that add-in disabled.
5. If Outlook still does not receive mail in safe mode If Outlook cannot send/receive even in safe mode (with all add-ins disabled), use these steps:
   • Repair Outlook: follow the steps in Repair an Office application.
   • Repair or recreate the Outlook profile: see Fix your Outlook email connection by repairing your profile.
6. Optional: permanently allow a slow add-in (if Outlook works but keeps disabling one add-in) When Outlook disables an add-in for performance, a notification appears with View Disabled Add-ins and an Always enable this add-in option. Selecting Always enable this add-in will:
   • Re-enable the add-in.
   • Add it to the DoNotDisableAddinList registry key so Outlook does not auto-disable it again, even if it is slow.
   Note: Re-enabling a known slow add-in can cause Outlook to start or shut down slowly again.

If these steps are followed, Outlook should be re-enabled for normal mail flow, and any problematic add-in can be identified and left disabled.

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References:

• Outlook for Windows not responding, hangs, freezes, or stops working
• Troubleshoot Outlook for Windows issues
• I can't send or receive messages in Outlook
• Add-ins are user re-enabled after being disabled by Office programs
• Turn an add-in on in Outlook for Windows