Outlook Reset to Factory Settings: Full Guide

Resetting Microsoft Outlook to its factory settings restores the app to its original out-of-the-box state, clearing all customizations, accounts, and local data. This guide explains what a factory reset does, when you should do it, and the exact steps to perform one safely on Windows and Mac.

What “Factory Settings” Means for Outlook

Unlike a web browser, Outlook does not have a single “reset” button that wipes everything. A factory reset in Outlook means deleting or recreating the profile that stores your email accounts, data files, and settings. It does not touch your actual emails on the server—those remain intact unless you also delete the local data files. The reset affects:

• Email accounts (POP, IMAP, Exchange, Microsoft 365)
• Data files (.pst and .ost files) that store emails, contacts, and calendar items locally
• Custom views, rules, signatures, and quick steps
• Add-ins and toolbar customizations
• Navigation pane layout and reading pane settings

After a reset, Outlook opens like the first time you ran it, asking you to set up a new account and reconfigure everything.

Why You Might Want to Reset Outlook

Resetting is a common troubleshooting step for persistent issues that do not resolve with simpler fixes. Typical reasons include:

• Outlook crashes repeatedly or freezes on startup
• Search returns no results or incomplete results
• Email accounts keep disconnecting or asking for passwords
• Calendar or contacts fail to sync
• Add-ins cause errors that cannot be disabled
• You are selling or giving away a computer and want to remove all personal data

Before resetting, try less drastic steps like repairing the Office installation, running the built-in Inbox Repair Tool (scanpst.exe) for .pst files, or creating a new Outlook profile. A full reset is the last resort because it is time-consuming to reconfigure everything.

How to Reset Outlook on Windows

On Windows, the cleanest way to reset Outlook is to delete your profile through the Mail control panel app. This removes the profile and its associated data files from Outlook’s view, but does not delete the actual .pst/.ost files from disk. You can then recreate a profile and re-add your accounts.

1. Close Outlook completely.
2. Open the Control Panel and search for “Mail” (or “Mail (32-bit)”).
3. Click “Show Profiles”.
4. Select the profile you want to reset (usually named “Outlook” or your email address).
5. Click “Remove” and confirm. This does not delete your data files, only the profile.
6. Click “Add” to create a new profile, or simply reopen Outlook—it will prompt you to set up a new one.

If you want a truly clean slate, you should also delete the data files manually. Look in %LocalAppData%\Microsoft\Outlook for .ost files and %UserProfile%\Documents\Outlook Files for .pst files. Delete them only if you have backups or you are sure you do not need the local data (emails stored on the server will re-download).

How to Reset Outlook on Mac

Outlook for Mac stores its data in a different location. Resetting it involves deleting the Outlook folder in your user Library, which contains all accounts, settings, and local data. This is a more complete reset—it removes everything, so back up any important local items first.

1. Quit Outlook.
2. Open Finder and press Cmd+Shift+G.
3. Type ~/Library/Group Containers/UBF8T346G9.Office and press Enter.
4. Look for a folder named Outlook (or Outlook for Mac).
5. Move that folder to the Trash. You may also want to delete ~/Library/Preferences/com.microsoft.Outlook.plist to reset preferences.
6. Empty the Trash and restart Outlook. It will start as if newly installed.

Note: the folder name may vary slightly between versions. If you cannot find it, search for “Outlook” in your Library folder.

What Happens to Your Emails and Data?

The most common misconception is that resetting Outlook deletes your emails forever. In most cases, your emails are stored on the mail server (Exchange, Microsoft 365, IMAP) and will re-download when you re-add your account. However, there are exceptions:

• POP3 accounts: emails are typically downloaded to your computer and removed from the server. If you delete the local .pst file, those emails are gone unless you have a backup.
• Offline folders (.ost) for Exchange/IMAP: these are cached copies. Deleting them is safe—Outlook will rebuild them from the server.
• Local folders and archives: any .pst files you created manually (e.g., archive.pst) are not deleted by a profile reset, but they are deleted if you manually delete the files.

To be safe, export your data to a .pst backup file before resetting. In Outlook, go to File > Open & Export > Import/Export > Export to a file > Outlook Data File (.pst). Store the backup somewhere safe.

Alternative: Create a New Profile Instead of Full Reset

If your goal is to fix a corrupted profile, you do not need to delete everything. Creating a new profile and pointing it to your existing data files is often enough and preserves your local data.

1. Open Control Panel > Mail > Show Profiles.
2. Click “Add” and give the new profile a name.
3. Set up your email account(s) again.
4. In Outlook, go to File > Account Settings > Manage Profiles and select “Always use this profile”—choose the new one.
5. Restart Outlook. Your emails will re-sync from the server. If you have existing .pst files, you can attach them via File > Open & Export > Open Outlook Data File.

This method is less disruptive and is often the recommended first step before a full reset.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will resetting Outlook delete my emails?

Not if your emails are stored on the server (IMAP, Exchange, Microsoft 365). They will re-download when you re-add your account. For POP3 accounts, emails are usually removed from the server, so you could lose them if you delete the local data file. Always back up your .pst files first.

How do I back up Outlook before resetting?

Use the built-in export feature: File > Open & Export > Import/Export > Export to a file > Outlook Data File (.pst). Choose the folders you want to back up and save the .pst to a safe location. You can also copy the entire .pst/.ost files from the folders mentioned above.

Does resetting Outlook remove my accounts from the server?

No. Resetting only affects the local Outlook configuration. Your accounts remain active on the server. You will need to re-add them to Outlook, but the server-side data (emails, contacts, calendar) stays intact.

Can I reset Outlook without losing my signatures and rules?

No, a full reset removes all customizations, including signatures, rules, and quick steps. To preserve them, you can export your settings using the “Manage Profiles” option or manually copy the signature files (usually in %AppData%\Microsoft\Signatures on Windows). Rules are harder to back up; you may need to recreate them.

Why does Outlook keep asking for my password after reset?

This usually happens if you did not remove the old credentials from Windows Credential Manager. Go to Control Panel > Credential Manager > Windows Credentials and delete any entries related to Outlook or your email server. Then restart Outlook and enter your password again.

Is there a command-line switch to reset Outlook?

Yes, you can run outlook.exe /resetnavpane to reset the navigation pane, or outlook.exe /cleanprofile to create a new profile. However, these switches do not perform a full factory reset—they only reset specific components. For a complete reset, use the profile removal method described above.

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