Microsoft 365 Outlook closing when minimized

Question

I press the minimize button and Outlook closes. I would like to know a fix for this.

Answer 1

Dear @Erik M. Tallackson, 

Thank you for reaching out. I understand how disruptive it can be when Outlook appears to close as soon as you click Minimize, especially when you expect it to keep running in the background. 

In many cases, Outlook is not actually closing. Instead, it is configured to hide from the taskbar when minimized and continue running only in the notification area near the system clock. When this setting is enabled, Outlook disappears from the taskbar and can easily look like it has closed. 

Please follow the steps below using Classic Outlook for windows: 

Please make sure your operating system and Classic Outlook application are fully updated before proceeding with any troubleshooting steps. You can check for updates by going to File > Office Account > Update Options > Update now.  

Step 1: Turn off “Hide When Minimized” 

Open Classic Outlook. 

On the Windows taskbar, click the up arrow to show hidden icons if needed. 

Look for the Outlook icon in the notification area near the clock. 

Right-click the Outlook icon. 

If “Hide When Minimized” is checked, click it once to turn it off. 

After this change, minimizing Outlook should keep it visible on the taskbar as a normal window instead of hiding it. 

If “Hide When Minimized” is checked:

Step 2: If Outlook is actually closing instead of hiding 

If Outlook disappears completely and doesn't remain running in Task Manager, the issue may be caused by an add in. The best way to test this is to start Outlook in Safe Mode, which loads Outlook without add ins. 

Press Windows + R on your keyboard. 

Type outlook.exe /safe 

Press Enter and select your profile if prompted. 

If Outlook behaves normally in Safe Mode, this indicates that an add-in is likely causing Outlook to exit when minimized. You can then disable add ins from within Outlook. 

Open Classic Outlook normally. 

Select File > Options > Add-ins. 

At the bottom, open COM Add-ins.  

Uncheck one add‑in at a time and restart Classic Outlook after each change.  

Note: Please keep the Microsoft Teams Meeting Add-in for Microsoft Office disabled. At this time, enabling this add-in may cause Classic Outlook to crash. Leaving it disabled will help ensure that Classic Outlook continues to run normally. 

Step 3: Repair or reinstall Outlook if the issue continues 

Right-click the Start menu and select Installed apps.  

Locate Outlook in the list.  

Click the three dots and select Advanced options.  

Select Repair first and test Outlook.  

If the issue continues, select Reset.  

Note: Resetting the Outlook app doesn't delete emails stored on the mail server. However, it will remove local app data, settings and account profiles, and you will need to sign in again.  

If repair does not resolve the behavior, reinstalling Microsoft 365 is recommended:  

Please uninstall Office apps, then reinstall them: Sign your work account at office.com > Apps > All apps > Install apps > Microsoft 365 apps > Apps & devices > Install Office.  

As community moderators, we kindly ask for your understanding that our access to internal development details is limited. Our primary role is to guide users toward the appropriate resources and support channels. While we may not have visibility into performing deeper backend analysis, we’ll continue doing our best to support you within the scope of our responsibilities.  

I hope this information is helpful. If you have any questions or need further support, please don’t hesitate to reach out at any time. 

Thank you for your patience and understanding. 

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