How to Restart Outlook: 4 Quick Ways

Restarting Outlook is the first fix for most problems: frozen windows, stuck emails in the Outbox, calendar sync errors, or a search index that stopped working. A full restart closes every background process, clears temporary memory, and forces the program to reload its profile and connection settings. Before you begin, save any email you are typing and close other Office apps that might be holding Outlook files open. You do not need admin rights for the basic methods, but you will need them for the Task Manager approach if Outlook is running under another user account.

What You’ll Need

Access to your Windows desktop or Mac menu bar
Your Outlook sign-in credentials (in case the restart prompts a login)
Admin password if Outlook is running as a different user or if you need to use Task Manager’s “Run as administrator” option

Step-by-Step

Method 1: Standard Close and Reopen

Click the X (Close) button in the top-right corner of the Outlook window. On a Mac, click the red circle in the top-left.
Wait 10–15 seconds. This gives the program time to fully release its files and network connections.
Reopen Outlook from the Start menu (Windows) or the Dock/Applications folder (Mac).
If Outlook reopens but still shows the same problem, proceed to Method 2.

Method 2: Restart from the System Tray (Windows)

Look at the bottom-right corner of your screen near the clock. Click the small up arrow (^) to show hidden icons.
Right-click the Outlook icon (the envelope) in the system tray.
Select Exit or Quit. This closes Outlook completely, including the background process that keeps it running for faster startup.
Wait a few seconds, then launch Outlook again from the Start menu.

Method 3: Force Quit with Task Manager (Windows) or Activity Monitor (Mac)

Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager (Windows) or Cmd + Space, type “Activity Monitor”, and press Enter (Mac).
In the Processes tab, look for Microsoft Outlook (and sometimes Microsoft Outlook Helper or Outlook on Mac).
Select the Outlook process and click End Task (Windows) or the X button in the top-left of Activity Monitor (Mac).
Confirm if prompted. This kills the process even if it is not responding.
Wait 5 seconds, then reopen Outlook.

Method 4: Restart in Safe Mode (to Diagnose Add-ins)

Close Outlook completely (use Method 2 or 3).
Press Win + R to open the Run dialog (Windows). On a Mac, open Terminal.
Type outlook.exe /safe (Windows) or open -a "Microsoft Outlook" --args -safe (Mac) and press Enter.
If Outlook opens in Safe Mode (you’ll see “Safe Mode” in the title bar), the problem is likely caused by an add-in. Close Outlook and restart normally to confirm.

Common Mistakes

Clicking X but not actually closing: On Windows, the X button often just minimizes to the system tray. The program keeps running in the background, so a “restart” doesn’t happen. Always check the tray and use Exit.
Not waiting long enough: Restarting immediately after closing can leave old processes alive. Give it at least 10 seconds.
Only closing the window, not the process: If Outlook is frozen, the window may close but the process remains. Use Task Manager to end it.
Forgetting to save drafts: Unsent emails in the draft folder are usually saved, but a forced quit can lose the last few seconds of typing. Save before restarting.
Skipping Safe Mode when add-ins are the culprit: If you restart normally and the issue returns, you need to identify the add-in, not just restart again.

Tips

After a restart, check if the problem is gone before reinstalling or repairing Office. Most issues resolve with a clean restart.
If Outlook is slow to start, disable unnecessary add-ins: go to File > Options > Add-ins (Windows) or Outlook > Preferences > Add-ins (Mac).
Set Outlook to start in a specific folder or with a clean profile if you frequently need to restart. This doesn’t prevent restarts but makes them faster.
On Windows, you can create a desktop shortcut that runs outlook.exe /cleanreminders or other switches, but use them sparingly—they reset certain settings.
If you have multiple email accounts, a restart will reconnect them all. Wait a minute for all folders to sync.

Troubleshooting

Outlook won’t close at all: Use Task Manager (Ctrl+Shift+Esc) and end the process. If it still won’t end, try taskkill /f /im outlook.exe in Command Prompt (run as admin). On Mac, use Activity Monitor and Force Quit.

Outlook reopens but shows “Another instance is running”: This means a background process is still alive. Open Task Manager, end all Outlook-related processes (including “Microsoft Outlook Helper”), then try again.

Outlook opens in Safe Mode but not normally: This indicates an add-in is causing the crash. Go to File > Options > Add-ins (Windows) or Outlook > Preferences > Add-ins (Mac), disable all add-ins, restart normally, then re-enable them one by one to find the culprit.

After restart, Outlook asks for your password repeatedly: This can happen if the restart interrupted a connection. Enter your password, and if it persists, check your Windows Credential Manager (Windows) or Keychain (Mac) for outdated credentials.

Restart doesn’t fix the issue: The problem may be with your mail profile. Go to Control Panel > Mail > Show Profiles (Windows) and create a new profile, then set it as default. On Mac, delete the Outlook profile folder in ~/Library/Group Containers/ (backup first).

Outlook is stuck on “Loading Profile”: Close Outlook, then restart in Safe Mode (Method 4). If it loads, disable add-ins. If not, try repairing Office via Control Panel > Programs > Microsoft Office > Change > Quick Repair.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does restarting Outlook delete my emails?

No. Restarting only closes the program. Your emails, contacts, and calendar items are stored on the server or in your local data file (.pst/.ost on Windows, or on the Mac’s database) and remain intact.

Why does Outlook keep running after I close it?

Outlook is designed to stay in the system tray for faster startup and to handle email notifications. You need to use the Exit option in the tray icon to fully close it.

How often should I restart Outlook?

There’s no set schedule. Restart when you notice issues like slow performance, stuck emails, or sync errors. Some users restart daily to keep it fresh, but it’s not necessary.

Will restarting Outlook fix a frozen calendar?

Often yes. A frozen calendar is usually due to a temporary glitch or a stuck synchronization. A restart clears that. If it keeps happening, check your add-ins or calendar permissions.

Can I restart Outlook from the command line?

Yes. You can use taskkill /f /im outlook.exe to force close it, then start it again with start outlook. On Mac, use pkill -f "Microsoft Outlook" then reopen.

What if Outlook is not responding and Task Manager won’t open?

Try pressing Ctrl + Alt + Delete and selecting Task Manager from that screen. If that fails, restart your computer. That will close Outlook and all other programs.

General steps for current mainstream versions; menus can differ by device and version. See the disclaimer or report an error.

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