How to Fix Outlook Not Responding Error

Microsoft Outlook is usually a very stable software program. It can be used for sending and receiving emails. However, there are some instances when even this email client program can encounter issues and stop responding. When this happens, MS Outlook tends to generate the error message ‘Outlook Not Responding’. You can fix this error message by many manual methods as well as a third-party repair tool.

• Part 1: Some of the Common Causes of “Outlook Not Responding” Error
• Part 2: How to Manually Fix Outlook Not Responding Error
• Part 3: How to Fix Outlook Not Responding Error with Utility

Part 1: Some of the Common Causes of “Outlook Not Responding” Error

Before you attempt to fix Outlook Not Responding error, it is important to learn why it is appearing on your screen. The Outlook Not Responding error can be caused due to a lot of different reasons. The following are some factors that can lead to the generation of this error message.

• You have an obsolete version of MS Outlook
• Multiple processes are using the MS Outlook
• Clashes with the Outlook add-ins
• Oversized mailbox
• Office program issues
• Damaged or corrupted Outlook PST files
• Clashes in between MS Outlook and antivirus program
• Your user profile is corrupted
• Clashes in between MS Outlook and other programs

Part 2: How to Manually Fix Outlook Not Responding Error

Methods 1: Shutdown the Process Outlook.exe

If more than one process is using Outlook then you should try killing the process that is causing the issue to fix Outlook Not Responding error. Follow these steps to perform this task.

1. Right click on the taskbar to launch the Windows Task Manager. You can also choose to do this by clicking Ctrl + Alt + Del.
2. Select ‘Start Task Manager’
3. Shift to the Processes menu
4. Click on the OUTLOOK.EXE to select it
5. Click the button labeled ‘End Process’

Methods 2: Launch MS Outlook in Safe mode

Another method that can be used to fix Outlook Not Responding error is to launch the software in safe mode. In the safe mode, Outlook starts without any customization files or add-ins. Follow these steps to perform this task.

1. Go to the command line and enter ‘outlook.exe/safe’. You can also do this by clicking on Outlook’s icon while holding down the Ctrl key.
2. To confirm the launching of the Outlook software in the Safe mode, press the ‘Yes’ button.
3. The issue was associated with the add-ins if the above-mentioned method fixes your problem.

Methods 3: Turn-off the Add-ins in Outlook

Try disabling the add-ins that you have installed in Outlook individually if you are encountering the ‘Outlook Not Responding’ error for the very first time. Follow these steps for disabling the Outlook 2007 add-ins:

1. Select the menu labeled ‘Tools’
2. Select ‘Add-ins’ after pressing the ‘Trust Center’ button
3. Press the ‘Go’ button

Follow these steps if you are using Outlook 2010 and 2013.

1. Shift to the File menu
2. Press the ‘Option’ button
3. Select ‘Add-ins’
4. Press the ‘Go’ button

Lastly, close the menu after un-checking the add-ins.

Methods 4: Shutdown all open Applications and Programs

A number of resources are required by Outlook as it is a very sophisticated software program. If there isn’t enough memory available for Outlook to perform some of its functions then it might generate the error message ‘Outlook Not Responding’. Shutting down all unnecessary programs and applications can prove to be an easy fix for this error message.

Methods 5: Fix Outlook PST files

A lot of the problems encountered in Outlook can be resolved by using the utility that has been inbuilt into the software. There is an effective repair tool that is embedded in Outlook, which can scan and repair corrupt Outlook PST file automatically. You will have to follow these steps if you want to utilize this repair utility.

1. Shutdown Outlook.
2. Find your way to the OFFICE15 folder if you are using Outlook 2013 or OFFICE14 if you have Outlook 2010.
3. Find the Scanpst.exe and double-click on it.
4. Select the PST file by clicking ‘Browse’.
5. Open the dialog box labeled ‘Options’ and from it select the scan options.
6. When completed, click on the ‘Start’ button.
7. Start the repair procedure if any errors are spotted by the tool.

However, this built-in repair tool isn’t so reliable and doesn’t always work. So, repairing PST files with it isn’t possible. When faced with such circumstances, using Stellar Phoenix Outlook PST Repair remains the only available solution.

Part 3: How to Fix Outlook Not Responding Error with Utility

If you are unable to fix Outlook Not Responding error by any of the above-mentioned methods then you can always try to use the Outlook PST Repair tool for this purpose. It is one of the best utilities available for repairing corrupt Outlook PST files and has all the features present in it that can help in fixing any error messages that are generated by Microsoft Outlook.

The following is a step-by-step instruction manual that has been devised to provide the Outlook PST Repair users the chance to understand how to use this tool to repair corrupt Outlook PST file.

Step 1 Click the ‘Find Outlook File’ button, select the drive in which you think the corrupted Outlook PST file is located and then click the ‘Look In’ button.

Step 2 Select all corrupt PST files and click the ‘Scan Now’ button to start repairing process.

Step 3 Double-clicking the items that are present in the family tree located towards the screen’s left to preview the repaired Outlook PST file.

Step 3 Click the ‘Save Repaired File’ button, pick the file format and the destination path for the repaired Outlook PST file and then click the ‘OK’ button.

In short, Outlook Not Responding error is not a good sign for an Outlook user. This error message can appear because of a number of reasons. You can use a lot of different manual methods to fix Outlook Not Responding error. If the manual methods fail to deliver the desired results then using the Stellar Phoenix Outlook PST Repair is the best solution available to you.