Cant open outlook on my iMac

Question

I have a 2014 iMac running macOS Big Sur version 11.7.11 i need a link to a compatible Microsoft outlook legacy application, as my outlook is not opening.

Answer 1

Thanks for the information, I have actually decided to use the old iMac as a remote screen for my Mac book pro so I can use all the functionality of the latest computer… I have ordered a dongle to make the two versions compatible and hopefully this will work. Thanks for your help.

Answer 2

Hi Michael Hobbs

On a 2014 iMac running macOS Big Sur 11.7.11, Microsoft no longer provides a separate download for a standalone Legacy Outlook application. Legacy Outlook for Mac was included only in older Office builds and is not distributed independently.

For macOS Big Sur, the last officially compatible version is Office for Mac version 16.77, which includes a compatible Outlook client. Newer Outlook builds and the current New Outlook for Mac require a later macOS version and may fail to launch on Big Sur.

Please follow these recommended steps:

• Fully uninstall the current Outlook/Office installation.
• Reinstall Office for Mac version 16.77, which includes the supported Outlook version for Big Sur. You can obtain version 16.77 from Microsoft’s Office for Mac update history by scrolling down to the appropriate release. Microsoft does not recommend downloading installers from third‑party websites.
• Run the downloaded .pkg file and sign in with your Microsoft 365 work or school account to activate.
• After installation, open Outlook and go to Help > Check for Updates. In the Microsoft AutoUpdate window, uncheck Automatically keep Microsoft Apps up to date. If this remains enabled, Outlook may update itself to a newer, incompatible version.

Note: Because this version of macOS and Outlook is no longer supported by Apple or Microsoft, you will not receive new security updates or features. When possible, upgrading your hardware and macOS version is recommended to help protect your business data.

Please let me know how you get on, as your feedback is valuable to the community.

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Answer 3

On a 2014 iMac running macOS Big Sur 11.7.11, Outlook for Microsoft 365 for Mac is supported, but there are known issues that can prevent Outlook from working correctly.

Try these steps that apply to Big Sur and Outlook for Mac:

1. Update macOS to the latest 11.x
   • Big Sur search and stability issues were fixed in later 11.x updates (for example, 11.4 fixed major Outlook search issues). Use Apple’s instructions to update macOS: How to update the software on your Mac.
2. Make sure Outlook is fully updated
   • Open any Office app (if possible) and run Help > Check for Updates to get the latest Outlook build that supports Big Sur. Several Outlook for Mac issues (crashes, launch problems) are fixed in later builds such as 16.26 and 16.47.
3. If Outlook will not launch from the Dock
   • There is a known issue where Outlook for Mac does not launch from the Dock icon and is fixed in Outlook build 16.26 (19060901). If Outlook is installed but not opening from the Dock, update Outlook to at least this build.
4. If Outlook crashes on startup or during sync
   • Outlook for Mac can crash on startup or during mail synchronization due to a calendar event issue. This is fixed in Outlook version 16.47 or later. Install the latest Office updates to resolve this.
5. If Outlook and other Office apps quit unexpectedly on macOS
   • Fully remove and reinstall Office:
     1. Quit all Office apps.
     2. In Finder > Applications, Command+click all Microsoft 365 for Mac apps, then Ctrl+click > Move to Trash.
     3. In Finder, select Go > Go to Folder… and go to ~/Library/Containers/.
     4. Delete folders starting with:
        • com.microsoft.Word
        • com.microsoft.Excel
        • com.microsoft.Powerpoint
        • com.microsoft.Outlook
        • com.microsoft.OneNote
     5. Go back to the Library folder and open Group Containers.
     6. Move these (if present) to Trash:
        • UBF8T346G9.ms
        • UBF8T346G9.Office
     7. Reinstall Office/Outlook from the Microsoft account services page and sign in to activate.
6. If Outlook opens but search or Spotlight behavior is broken
   • On Big Sur, Outlook search issues were fixed in macOS 11.4, but if search is still limited:
     • Reassociate Outlook with Outlook email files by dragging an email to the Desktop, using Get Info > Open with > Microsoft Outlook, checking Always open with, and choosing Change All.
     • Reindex Outlook email files in Spotlight by adding and then removing the Outlook profile folder from System Preferences > Spotlight > Privacy using the path:
       • ~/Library/Group Containers/UBF8T346G9.Office/Outlook/Outlook 15 Profiles/

If Outlook still does not open after updating macOS and Office and reinstalling as above, use Outlook on the web or the new Outlook for Mac (if account type is supported) until the desktop issue is resolved.

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References:

• Search in Outlook for Mac returns limited or no results for macOS Big Sur
• Outlook for Mac not launching from the Outlook icon on the dock
• Outlook for Mac crashes unexpectedly on startup or during mail synchronization
• Microsoft Office apps for Mac quit unexpectedly - Microsoft Q&A