Outlook crashes

Question

Outlook classic crashes every time. Can it be reinstalled or stop the crashes another way.

Answer 1

Hi, I'm Bernard. I'm happy to help!

Kindly follow the steps provided by the AI answer. However, if the issue persists, I recommend reinstalling Office by following the steps below:

Press the Windows key + R, then type in:

 

appwiz.cpl

 

Then hit OK

 

Look for the Microsoft Office or Microsoft 365 app > Right-click, then select Uninstall

Follow the prompts to uninstall your Office app.

Then reinstall your Office app by following the steps from the link below:

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/download-install-or-reinstall-microsoft-365-or-office-2024-on-a-pc-or-mac-4414eaaf-0478-48be-9c42-23adc4716658

 

Note: This is a public forum. I may respond shortly, but I apologize in advance for any delays. I am simply a fellow user trying to provide helpful insights and information.

Answer 2

Use targeted troubleshooting first, then only reinstall if needed.

1. Try Outlook in Safe Mode to rule out add-ins
   1. Close Outlook.
   2. Press Windows logo key + R.
   3. Type Outlook /safe and select OK.
   4. If Outlook does not crash in Safe Mode:
      • Go to File > Options > Add-ins.
      • At the bottom, choose COM Add-ins > Go.
      • Clear all check boxes, select OK, and restart Outlook normally.
      • Re-enable add-ins one by one to find the one causing crashes.
2. Repair Office installation
   1. Open Control Panel.
   2. Select Programs > Uninstall a program.
   3. Right-click the Microsoft 365/Office installation > Change.
   4. Choose Online Repair and complete the repair.
3. Check for known crash issues and apply fixes/workarounds
   • If Outlook crashes when opening or starting a new email, it may be the Forms Library issue:
     1. Close Outlook and all Office apps.
     2. Press Windows logo key + R, type %localappdata%\Microsoft, select OK.
     3. In File Explorer, select New > Folder and name it FORMS2.
     4. Restart Outlook.
   • Ensure Outlook/Office is updated to a build that includes the fix for this issue. Fix builds are listed in the article “Classic Outlook crashes opening or starting a new email.”
   • If crashes started immediately after a specific Office build update (for example Version 2412 Build 18324.20168) and match the described behavior (crash on new, reply, or forward), revert to the previous version:
     1. Open Command Prompt as Administrator.
     2. Run:

                cd %programfiles%\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\ClickToRun
                officec2rclient.exe /update user updatetoversion=16.0.18227.20162
        

     3. In Outlook, go to File > Office Account > Update Options > Disable Updates to prevent auto-updating back to the problematic build.
4. Run Outlook diagnostics
   • Run the Classic Outlook Connectivity troubleshooter and, if needed, the Microsoft Support and Recovery Assistant as described in “How to troubleshoot issues that cause Outlook to crash or stop responding when used with Microsoft 365.” These tools can automatically detect and fix many crash conditions.
5. Reinstall classic Outlook only if the above fails
   • If Outlook still crashes after Safe Mode, disabling add-ins, repairing Office, and applying known fixes, reinstall classic Outlook:
     • Follow the steps in “Install or reinstall classic Outlook on a Windows PC” to download and reinstall classic Outlook, especially on devices that shipped with only the new Outlook.

If crashes persist even after reinstalling and running diagnostics, collect crash details from Windows Event Viewer (Application log, Event 1000/1001) and contact Microsoft Support with the faulting module and version/build information.

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References:

• How to troubleshoot issues that cause Outlook to crash or stop responding when used with Microsoft 365
• Classic Outlook crashes opening or starting a new email
• Classic Outlook crashes on reply and forward
• Fixes or workarounds for recent issues in classic Outlook for Windows
• Install or reinstall classic Outlook on a Windows PC