New Outlook will not open

Question

I installed the New Outlook for Windows. It will not open. The error message is "outlook.office.com's server IP address could not be found. Nothing is wrong with my internet connection. I already spoke with help, and they advised me to go to the startup, type in something I don't remember, and dump some files, then restart my computer. I did that, and it didn't fix it. Now what?

Answer 1

Hi BTU BLOCK AND CONCRETE Concrete, 

I understand how challenging this situation can be, especially when both the Classic and New Outlook apps suddenly stop working and you are getting server errors despite having a perfectly fine internet connection. 

Since you asked how to reach out to Microsoft Support directly, please follow these steps to connect with a live agent for assistance: 

• Go to the Microsoft Support page 
• Type Outlook won't open in the search box 
• Select Get Help 
• Scroll down and choose Contact Support 
• Under Products and services, select Microsoft 365 and Office 
• Under Category, choose Technical support 
• Click Confirm 
• Select Chat with a support agent in your web browser 

In the meantime, that specific error—server IP address could not be found—typically indicates a DNS/name resolution issue, even though your web browser is successfully bypassing the problem. Here are some steps you can try to fix it: 

Step 1: Reset your network cache 

• Click your Windows Start button 
• Type cmd 
• Right-click on Command Prompt 
• Select Run as administrator 
• Type ipconfig /flushdns and press Enter 
• Type netsh winsock reset and press Enter 
• Restart your computer completely and try opening New Outlook again 

Step 2: Check for VPN or Antivirus Blocks If the network reset didn't work, a security program on your computer is actively blocking the app from seeing the internet. 

• Temporarily disable any active VPN 
• Temporarily disable your third-party antivirus to test 

Step 3: Check your DNS server and testing/pinging it, and changing DNS if needed.

I hope these steps help you resolve the connection issue, and please let me know if you have any further questions! 

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Answer 2

The classic Outlook quit working for me today. That is why I tried to install the New Outlook. Now I am using the web based Outlook. The exact error text is outlook.office.com**’s server IP address could not be found. How do I contact microsoft support?**

Answer 3

Follow these steps in order, testing new Outlook after each step:

1. Fully close new Outlook and restart it
   • Right-click Start > Task Manager.
   • If Microsoft Outlook appears, select it and choose End task.
   • Close Task Manager and start new Outlook for Windows again from Start.
2. Reset new Outlook local state
   This clears the local cache/config for new Outlook and forces it to reinitialize.
   • Close Outlook and all other Microsoft apps.
   • Open Run (Windows key + R).
   • Run:
     olk.exe --clearLocalState
   • After it completes, start new Outlook for Windows again and sign in when prompted.
3. If new Outlook still will not open, reinstall it
   • From the Start menu, locate new Outlook for Windows.
   • Select the arrow to expand its options and choose Uninstall.
   • After uninstall completes, either:
     • Open classic Outlook for Windows and use the Try the new Outlook toggle to reinstall, or
     • Open the Microsoft Store app and use the Get new Outlook entry to install it again (Windows 10 version 17763.0 or later required).
4. If the issue persists after reset and reinstall
   • Use classic Outlook for Windows as a workaround and verify that mail works there.
   • If classic Outlook works but new Outlook still fails to open after olk.exe --clearLocalState and reinstall, collect the exact error text and contact Microsoft support, as the problem is likely account- or service-side rather than local connectivity.

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References:

• Troubleshoot Outlook for Windows issues
• New Outlook has stopped working, Fails when starting after 30 to 60 seconds - Microsoft Q&A