Microsoft Outlook 2016 Wont Open On

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Jul 02, 2021 NOTE: There is little difference between Outlook 2013 and Outlook 2016, most settings and screenshots will be the same. Outlook will not open When the Outlook program itself will not open, it can be caused by several issues.

  1. Microsoft Office Outlook Won't Open
  2. Microsoft Outlook 2016 Won't Open Windows 10
  3. Microsoft Outlook 2016 Won't Open On Windows 7
  4. Microsoft Outlook 2016 Wont Open On Windows

When Microsoft Office 365, 2016 or 2013 stops working or won't open on your PC, you can directly try an Office repair to get the problem fixed in Windows 10/8/7: 1. Click 'Start' 'Control Panel' Select 'Programs' 'Programs and Features'; 2. Right-click on Office 365, Office 2016 or Office 2013 Select 'Change'; 3. When Office 365 users try to open or view attachments in email messages in Outlook Web App, they experience the following symptoms: In Office 365, the attachment isn't displayed in the message. Instead, a generic placeholder, such as '1 Attachment' is displayed, and this can't be opened.

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Original KB number: 3188434

Symptoms

You start Microsoft Outlook 2016, and it hangs at the Processing stage on the startup screen. Outlook never fully starts.

Resolution

This issue was fixed in the following updates:

  • Office build 16.0.7369.2015 for Office 2016 Click-to-Run editions.
  • March 2017 update for Microsoft Installer (.msi)-based edition of Office 2016.

Workaround Method 1 - Manually configure Outlook 2016 to always run maximized

  1. Exit Outlook 2016.

  2. Determine which icon you use to start Outlook, and access the Properties for that shortcut:

    • Icon on the Desktop

      • Right-click the Outlook icon on the Desktop, and then select Properties.

    • Icon pinned to the taskbar

      1. Right-click the Outlook icon on the taskbar, right-click Outlook 2016, and then select Properties.

    • Icon pinned to the Start menu

      1. Right-click the Outlook tile pinned to the Start menu, point to More, and then select Open file location.

      2. Right-click Outlook 2016 in the File Explorer window that opens, and then select Properties.

  3. In the Outlook 2016 Properties dialog box, select Maximized for Run.

  4. Select OK.

Workaround Method 2 - Use Group Policy to configure Outlook 2016 to always run maximized

  1. Start the Group Policy Management Console.

    Note

    Because you may be applying the policy setting to an organizational unit and not to the whole domain, the steps may also vary in this aspect of applying a policy setting. Therefore, check your Windows documentation for more information.

  2. In the Group Policy Management Console, under User Configuration, expand Preferences, expand Windows Settings, and then select Shortcuts.

  3. Create a new shortcut with the following properties:

    Name: Outlook 2016
    Location: All Users Desktop
    Target path: <path of Outlook.exe>
    Arguments: /recycle
    Start in: <path of Outlook.exe>
    Run: Maximized
    Icon file path: <path of Outlook.exe>

    Note

    The path of Outlook.exe may vary, depending on the Office installation type and bitness of Windows and Office, as follows.

    Office installation typeBitness of Windows and OfficeDefault path of Office
    Click-to-RunSameC:Program FilesMicrosoft OfficerootOffice16|
    Click-to-RunDifferentC:Program Files (x86)Microsoft OfficerootOffice16|
    MSISameC:Program FilesMicrosoft OfficeOffice16|
    MSIDifferentC:Programs Files (x86)Microsoft OfficeOffice16|

    Same Bitness: Office 32-bit running on Windows 32-bit or Office 64-bit running on Windows 64-bit
    Different Bitness: Office 32-bit running on Windows 64-bit

  4. Copy the shortcut that you created, and then paste it to duplicate it.

  5. Double-click the shortcut that you pasted, and then change the Location to All Users Start Menu. Select OK.

  6. Copy the shortcut that you created, and then paste it to duplicate it.

  7. Double-click the shortcut that you pasted, and then change the Location to All Users Programs. Select OK.

Note

If a user has an Outlook 2016 shortcut pinned to their taskbar, this will not replace it. The user can unpin the shortcut from their taskbar and then re-pin it from one of the other locations after the policy is in effect.

Workaround Method 3 - Manually delete the Outlook Frame value from the registry

Important

Follow the steps in this section carefully. Serious problems might occur if you modify the registry incorrectly. Before you modify it, back up the registry for restoration in case problems occur.

  1. Exit Outlook 2016.

  2. Use one of the following procedures to start Registry Editor.

    • Windows 10, Windows 8.1, and Windows 8: Press Windows Key+R to open a Run dialog box. Type regedit.exe, and then select OK.
    • Windows 7: Select Start, type regedit.exe in the search box, and then press Enter.

  3. In Registry Editor, locate and then select the following subkey in the registry:

    HKEY_CURRENT_USERSOFTWAREMicrosoftOffice16.0OutlookOffice Explorer

  4. In the details pane, select the Frame value.

  5. On the Edit menu, select Delete.

  6. Select Yes to confirm that you want to delete this value.

  7. Exit Registry Editor.

  8. Start Outlook 2016.

Note

You may have to follow these steps again if the issue occurs repeatedly. If you find the issue occurs frequently, it might be better to use a different method to work around the issue.

Workaround Method 4 - Create a .reg file to reset the Outlook Frame value in the registry

Outlook

Important

Microsoft

Follow the steps in this section carefully. Serious problems might occur if you modify the registry incorrectly. Before you modify it, back up the registry for restoration in case problems occur.

Microsoft Office Outlook Won't Open

  1. Start Notepad.

  2. Copy the following text and paste it into Notepad:

    Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
    [HKEY_CURRENT_USERSOFTWAREMicrosoftOffice16.0OutlookOffice Explorer]
    'Frame'=hex:

  3. On the File menu, select Save As.

  4. Browse to a convenient location to create the .reg file, such as the Desktop.

  5. For Save as type, select All Files (.).

  6. Enter a file name and the file name extension .reg, such as Reset Outlook Frame.reg.

  7. Select Save.

  8. When the issue occurs, exit Outlook and then double-click the .reg file to reset the Outlook Frame value to work around the issue.

Workaround Method 5 - Use Group Policy to delete the Outlook Frame value from the registry

Microsoft Outlook 2016 Won't Open Windows 10

Important

Follow the steps in this section carefully. Serious problems might occur if you modify the registry incorrectly. Before you modify it, back up the registry for restoration in case problems occur.

  1. Start the Group Policy Management Console.

    Note

    Because you may be applying the policy setting to an organizational unit and not to the whole domain, the steps may vary in this aspect of applying a policy setting. Check your Windows documentation for more information.

  2. In the Group Policy Management Console, under User Configuration, expand Preferences, expand Windows Settings, and then select Registry.

  3. Create a registry item that has the following properties:

    Action: DeleteHive: HKEY_CURRENT_USERKey Path: SOFTWAREMicrosoftOffice16.0OutlookOffice ExplorerValue Name: Frame

  4. Select OK.

Workaround Method 6 - Use a logon script to delete the Outlook Frame value from the registry

Important

Microsoft Outlook 2016 Won't Open On Windows 7

Windows

Microsoft Outlook 2016 Wont Open On Windows

Follow the steps in this section carefully. Serious problems might occur if you modify the registry incorrectly. Before you modify it, back up the registry for restoration in case problems occur.

Include the following PowerShell command in your logon script: