Emails are an important part of our lives, and even minor issues with them can bring your entire world crashing down. Consider not being able to send an email or sync your account for several days because you upgraded your system! Isn’t it frustrating?
With the latest Windows 10 upgrade, users have encountered a slew of issues that have yet to be resolved. One such issue is Outlook not working properly, which includes crashing after a Windows 10 upgrade.
Microsoft Office Outlook, which was working properly prior to the Windows 10 upgrade, now displays an error stating “Cannot start Microsoft Outlook.” “The Outlook window cannot be opened.” You no longer have access to your Outlook data file. What might have gone wrong with Outlook?
The error due to “Outlook Not Working After Windows 10 Upgrade” may seem somewhat like the below image:
If you find yourself in this situation with MS Outlook, here are the five methods for you to follow.
Reasons for Outlook not working after windows 10 upgrade
- Problems with the Add-ins
- Errors while Compressing PST Files
- Recovering PST Using Third party tool
How to Fix Outlook not working after Windows 10 upgrade?
1. Disable the Add-ins
- Open MS Outlook in safe mode by pressing the Windows + R key. The run box opens.
- Type the command: Outlook.exe / safe. Hit OK
- If you successfully launch MS Outlook, now you need to disable the add-ins.
- Select File. Go to Option > Add-ins > Manage: COM Add-ins.
- Click on the Go button. Click on the Add-ins check box to disable it.
2. Change File Permissions
Corruption of data due to the upgrade can result in such issues repeatedly. The error occurs in a way to inform you that it lacks the necessary permission to open the files. Here are the steps to follow for changing the file permissions:
- Open the Folder and click on Documents.
- Now open Outlook files (check for security permissions for them)
- Locate the .pst file for the email account in Outlook.
- In case the Home User permission is removed, Allow them.
- Restart your computer and your account would work fine.
3. Open Outlook in Safe Mode
- Open MS Outlook in safe mode by pressing the Windows + R key. The run box opens.
- Type the command: Outlook.exe / safe. Hit OK
If you successfully launch MS Outlook, now you need to disable the add-ins.
- Select File. Go to Option > Add-ins > Manage: COM Add-ins.
- Click on the Go button. Click on the Add-ins check in the box and you are done.
4. Clean Window Installations
If your system checker is not able to find the erroneous files, then perform a clean installation of windows. Ensure to have a backup of the data and important files to avoid getting them deleted in the process. Also, you can try re-installing Outlook to rectify the problem.
Pro Tip: If the issue is with your system or laptop, then try using software or tools that help repair PST files.
5. Revert Back to Previous Windows Version
Reverting to a previous build was another workaround we discovered for both cases of Outlook not working (including crashing and not initializing). If the current version isn’t working for you, going back to a previous version will definitely help.
- The twist here is to find the most recent stable Outlook version to which you can revert. Third-party websites such as Slipstick Outlook version history or Office 365 official version history can be used. Once you’ve determined the version number, you can use the command prompt below to return to it.
- Open the Command Prompt as an administrator by right-clicking on the Windows icon.
- To get to the required directory, use the following command: “c:\Program Files\Common Files\microsoft shared\ClickToRun”
- Now that we’re in the directory, run the command below to revert to the stable version.
- Replace the version number after ‘updatetoversion=’ with the correct version number. When Outlook started crashing after an update on July 16, 2020, this was the most stable version available.
- Lastly, remember to restart your computer, then open Outlook. It may ask you to enter your credentials again. Other than that, you are good to go.
Fix Outlook Error with Stellar Repair for Outlook
Stellar Repair for Outlook is useful for repairing Outlook data files that have stopped working after Windows updates.
The tool is a non-destructive read-only tool that extracts the content of a damaged Outlook data file without editing or causing damage to it, resulting in a healthy PST file in your Outlook profile.
This Outlook PST repair tool also aids in the resolution of Outlook search indexing and work offline issues. With the help of the simple too, you can fix the error- Outlook Not Working after Windows 10 Upgrade”.
Here are the steps you need to follow to use this software
- Launch Stellar Repair for Outlook. Click on Select Outlook data file and then click on the List profile option to add the PST file in the software.
- Select the desired PST file which you want to repair. And after that click on the repair button.
- The software will start scanning the corrupt PST file.
- Preview the PST file mailbox items and then click on save repaired file to save the PST file at desired location.
The Final Thoughts
Outlook not opening on Windows 10 is a fairly common error that can occur for a variety of reasons, including corrupted data files, profiles, and add-ins.
With simple solutions like restarting or using tools such as SCANPST may work in some cases, you need dependable tools such as Stellar Repair for Outlook to handle severe corruption and ensure that no data is lost.
Rely on Stellar Repair for the best way to handle issues with MS Outlook like “Outlook Not Working After Windows 10 Upgrade.”
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