outlook won't load

Question

I have just got a new PC and we had everything transferred over. The installer logged in to Microsoft under a different email of mine, and I can get the new Outlook to open and work but i prefer the old version. It opens but hangs. I have changed all the password aand re-added them all.....bar 1 that doesnt accept new password. The main issue is not being able to load old outlook. I have a number of email addresses in the system and it won't acceot the password for only one of the business emails

Answer 1

Hello. It happens when the profile is tied to the wrong Microsoft account after setup.

You can create a new Outlook profile and sign in with the correct account. Go to Control Panel, open Mail, create a new profile, add your email accounts again, then set it as default.

If one email still fails, sign in to its webmail first to confirm the password is correct, because Outlook only works if the server accepts those credentials.

Answer 2

Follow these steps to get classic Outlook working and address the one problem account.

1. Confirm classic Outlook is not frozen by add-ins
   1. Press Windows + R.
   2. Type outlook /safe and select OK.
   3. If classic Outlook opens in Safe Mode, disable add-ins:
      • Go to File > Options > Add-ins.
      • At the bottom, ensure Manage: COM Add-ins is selected, then choose Go.
      • Clear all check boxes, select OK, then close and reopen Outlook normally.
2. If Outlook still will not load, repair the Office/Outlook install
   • If classic Outlook continues to hang even in Safe Mode, use the standard Office repair from Apps & Features (not detailed in the context) or, if needed, fully uninstall and reinstall Office/Outlook. A full uninstall/reinstall has resolved similar “Outlook will not open” cases.
3. Fix the one business account that will not accept the password Since only one business email account is failing while others work:
   1. In classic Outlook, go to File > Account Settings > Account Settings….
   2. Select the problematic business account and choose Remove.
   3. Close Outlook.
   4. Open Control Panel → Mail → Email Accounts….
   5. On the Email tab, select New.
   6. Enter name, full email address for that business account, and the correct password in both password boxes, then select Next and complete setup.
   7. When finished, select Finish, then reopen Outlook and test send/receive for that account.
4. If Outlook hangs only when that account is present
   • Create a fresh Outlook profile so the migrated settings do not cause hangs:
     1. Close Outlook.
     2. Open Control Panel → Mail → Show Profiles….
     3. Add a new profile and re-add all accounts from scratch, including the problematic business account with the correct password.
     4. Set the new profile as the default and start Outlook with it.
5. If using IMAP for that business account
   • When editing/adding the account manually, ensure Require logon using Secure Password Authentication (SPA) is unchecked on the IMAP details page, then re-enter the correct password and save.

These steps address both the classic Outlook hanging issue (via Safe Mode/add-ins and profile reset) and the single account that is not accepting the password (via removal and clean re-add of that account).

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References:

• I can’t start Microsoft Outlook or receive the error “Cannot start Microsoft Outlook. Cannot open the Outlook Window”
• Troubleshoot Outlook email setup
• Troubleshoot Outlook for Windows issues
• Outlook for Windows not responding, hangs, freezes, or stops working
• What to do when Outlook will not open on my PC? - Microsoft Q&A
• Cant get into outlook - Microsoft Q&A