If you find that your Outlook has stopped working, is not responding, or freezes or frequently hangs on Windows 10/8/7, then this post suggests some troubleshooting steps you can try. While it is always a good idea to optimize & speed up Outlook from time to time, you may at some time face this issue.
  1. Outlook Stuck In Processing Windows 10
  2. Outlook 2013 Stuck On Processing

Outlook is not responding

1] Run Microsoft Outlook in Safe Mode, without add-ins. To do this, open Run box from the WinX Menu, type outlook /safe and hit Enter. If Outlook does not give you any problems, it is possible that one of its add-ins is creating problems. Take a look at your installed Outlook add-ins and disable them selectively, in order to find the offender.

Outlook Stuck In Processing Windows 10

2] Disable hardware graphics acceleration for Outlook and see if this helps. To do this, open Outlook program > File > Options > Mail > Compose messages > Editor Options button > Advanced.
Here under Display section, check the Disable hardware graphics acceleration box and click on OK/Apply and Exit. Restart your Outlook and see. If it makes the issue go away, then its probably some issue with your video driver. Update it and see.
Hardware Acceleration uses computer’s hardware for performing a certain task and function faster than would be possible using software. But this creates issues for some people. So turning it off is one thing you can try if you receive a Program not responding message.
One thing you want to know is that when you disable Hardware Acceleration for Outlook, it gets turned off for all Office programs.
3] At the time, your Outlook may be busy carrying out some other processes, like synchronizing your email, archiving old items, etc. At such times, Outlook may respond slowly. In such situations, it’s best to let Outlook complete its task.
4] If you have a huge Outlook data folder, then this can cause temporary freezes as Outlook takes time to open each email or data folder. These Outlook data files may be either personal folders (.pst) files or offline folder (.ost) files.
The expected behavior is as follows, depending on your .pst or .ost data file size.:
  • Up to 5 GB: Good user experience on most hardware.
  • 5 to 10 GB: If you have a fast hard disk and lots of RAM, your experience will good. On others, you may experience application pauses till the drives respond.
  • 10 to 25 GB: When the .ost file touched this figure, expect frequent pauses on most hard disks.
  • 25 GB or larger: If your .ost file crosses this size, pauses or freezes may be expected, especially while you are downloading new email messages or synchronizing many RSS feeds.
So if you can, delete your unwanted email to reduce the size and ensure that auto-archiving of old Outlook items is enabled.
5] There is one more thing you could do. Microsoft has provided Inbox Repair Tool as well as a Fix It, which lets you recover folders and items from corrupted Personal Folders or .pst files. It can even recover items from an offline folder or .ost files. The OST Integrity Check Tool will help you fix corrupted .ost files. Use the Inbox Repair Tool or Scanpst.exe to repair & optimize your Outlook data.
6] There are also a few command switches that can help you reset, restore or fix certain Outlook functions. Take a look at this post – Troubleshoot Microsoft Outlook problems, to learn more about this.
7] Use the Microsoft Office Configuration Analyzer Tool. It provides a detailed report of your installed Office programs and highlights known problems.
8] If you receive Outlook has encountered a problem and needs to close error, cleaning your Outlook Profile is an option you can consider.
9] This post will show you how to repair an Outlook account if your Outlook not syncing.
10] See this post receive Cannot start Microsoft Outlook, Cannot open the Outlook window message.
If nothing helps, well, the options remaining are to repair the Office program or create a new User profile and see.
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If your Outlook 2016 / 2013 hangs up when loading mail profile or receiving or sending e-mails, I offer a few tips in this article that will help you to fix this problem.

Run Outlook in the Safe Mode and disable Add-Ins

First of all, it is recommended to start Outlook in the Safe mode:
outlook /safe.
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In this mode, Outlook is loaded with plugins and extensions disabled.
If there are no problems in the safe mode, it is recommended to disable additional modules one at a time (Options -> Add-Ins -> COM Add-ins -> Go).

Disable hardware acceleration

Hardware graphics acceleration feature appeared in Office 2013. It is designed to improve the appearance, responsiveness and smoothness, as well as windows scaling in Office applications. By default, hardware graphics acceleration is enabled in Office 2013 / 2016, however sometimes it can have a reverse effect — Office applications (including Outlook) can hang when rendering windows with contents. As a rule these problems occur on computers with older or integrated graphic cards, when there are 2 or more GPU, or outdated video drivers are used.
In this case, it is recommended to disable hardware acceleration in MS Office. To do it, check the following in Outlook settings: Disable hardware graphics acceleration (Options-> Advanced -> Display)
Save the changes and close all Office applications
Tip. The hardware acceleration mode is applied immediately for all MS Office applications.
You can disable hardware acceleration using the registry as well. Just create a DWORD parameter DisableHardwareAcceleration with the value 1 in the following registry branch:
  1. For Office 2013 — HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftOffice15.0CommonGraphics
  2. For Office 2016 — HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftOffice16.0CommonGraphics
You can deploy this registry change to multiple domain computers using GPO.

PST and OST file size

Check the size of PST and OST files on your computer. If it exceeds 10-20 GB, there can be Outlook performance problems. It is not recommended to exceed these values.

Check PST file integrity with Scanpst.exe

Low Outlook performance may be a result of PST/OST file integrity or structure issues. It is recommended to check these files and repair any errors using the integrated tool — scanpst.exe (Inbox Repair Tool).

Recreate Outlook profile

If the methods described above did not help, remove the e-mail configuration profile in Outlook and create it again, or completely reinstall MS Office.

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Did you get an Outlook not responding error? Is Outlook stuck on a screen that simply says 'Processing'? Or does Outlook hang, freeze, or stop working when you're opening a file or sending an email message?

There are a number of possible reasons for Outlook to behave this way. We've presented the potential solutions in order from quickest to most time consuming.

Start Outlook in safe mode to fix 'Processing' screen

If Outlook stops responding at a screen that says 'Processing,' you can close Outlook, start it in safe mode, then close it and open it normally to fix the problem.

  1. Close Outlook.
  2. Launch Outlook in safe mode by choosing one of the following options.
    • In Windows 10, choose Start, type Outlook.exe /safe, and press Enter.
    • In Windows 7, choose Start, and in the Search programs and files box, type Outlook /safe, and then press Enter.
    • In Windows 8, on the Apps menu, choose Run, type Outlook /safe, and then choose OK.
  3. Close Outlook, and then open it normally.

If Outlook isn't stuck at a screen that says 'Processing,' or this didn't resolve your issue, continue to the steps below. If those steps don't work, see Need additional help? at the end of this article.

Step 1: Is there a dialog box open?

Some things you do in Outlook ask for confirmation. For example, the first time you try to Dismiss All on a list of reminders, Outlook asks you if you're sure you want to do that. If you don't choose an option on that dialog box, Outlook won't let you do anything else. Check for open dialog boxes. Pressing Alt+Tab will help you switch from window to window and help you see what dialog boxes might be stopping Outlook from responding.

If you can't find a dialog box open, move on to the next step.

Step 2: Make sure Outlook isn't working on a large or long process

If you try to delete or move a large number of messages at once, Outlook can appear to hang, but really, it's working behind the scenes. Check the status bar at the bottom of the screen. If Outlook is performing some operation on hundreds or thousands of messages at once, it might appear to be stuck. Give Outlook a few minutes to finish the process and it should start to work again.

If Outlook isn't working on a large or long process, move on to the next step.

Step 3: Install the latest Windows and Office updates

Outlook works best when it's up to date. We recommend setting Windows Update to automatically download and install recommended updates. Bug fixes, new features, and performance enhancements are released regularly.

If installing the latest updates didn't resolve your issue, move on to the next step.

Step 4: Repair your Office programs

Repairing your Office programs can resolve issues with Outlook not responding, hanging, or freezing. Errors in Office files are repaired automatically.

  1. Quit any Office programs that are running.
  2. In Control Panel, choose Programs and Features.
  3. In the list of installed programs, right-click Microsoft Office 2016 or Microsoft Office 2013, and then choose Change.

If repairing your Office programs didn't resolve your issue, move on to the next step.

Step 5: Repair your Outlook data files

When you install Office, an Inbox Repair Tool (SCANSPST.EXE) is also installed on your PC. The Inbox Repair Tool can resolve issues by scanning your Outlook data files and repairing errors.

If repairing your Outlook data files didn't resolve your issue, move on to the next step.

Step 6: Create a new user profile

Your profile stores a variety of settings that control how Outlook looks and feels. You can create a new profile and then add your email accounts to the new profile.

  1. Close Outlook.
  2. Choose one of the following:
  3. Choose Add, and in the Profile Name box, type a profile name, and then choose OK.
  4. Enter an email address and a password for the primary email account you use in Outlook and then walk through the steps to create the profile.
  5. Once the profile is created, on the Show Profiles dialog, choose Prompt for a profile to be used.
  6. Start Outlook and choose your new profile.

If creating a new profile solves your issue, you can return to the Show Profiles dialog and delete your old profile.

Need additional help?

If you're having issues with Outlook as part of an Office 365 for business subscription, we can diagnose and fix several common Outlook problems issues for you. If our automated tool can't fix your issue, you aren't using Office 365 for business, or you'd like to talk to support, you can contact the Answer Desk.

Let us fix your issue
Automatically diagnose and fix Outlook issues
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This article explains how to resolve problems with Microsoft Outlook hanging, freezing or crashing. Our 9 working solutions will help you fix the 'Outlook Not Responding' issue and bring your Outlook back to life. The solutions work for Outlook 2013, 2010, 2007 and earlier versions
Has it happened to you that you work with Microsoft Outlook as usual, click on a message to read or reply to it, or take some other action you performed hundreds of times in the past, and all of a sudden Outlook won't open and not responding?
In this article I will show you easy solutions, tested on my own experience (and working!), to fix issues with Outlook hanging, freezing or crashing. We'll start with very basic steps that address the most obvious reasons why Outlook stops working:

Remove hanging Outlook processes

2019
From time to time Microsoft Outlook adopts quite an annoying habit to hang around even if the user persistently attempts to shut it down. Technically, it means that one or more outlook.exe processes would stay in memory preventing the Outlook application from closing correctly and not letting us, users, start a new Outlook instance. This problem existed in earlier versions and it may occur with recent Outlook 2013 and 2010.
The first thing we need to do is kill all hanging Outlook processes. To do this, start up the Windows Task Manager either by pressing Ctrl + Alt + Del, or by right clicking the taskbar and choosing 'Start Task Manager'. Then switch to the Processes tab and find all OUTLOOK.EXE items in the list. Click on each OUTLOOK.EXE to select it and hit the 'End Process' button.

Start Outlook in Safe mode

When something goes wrong with Outlook, Microsoft recommends that we start it in Safe mode. What does it actually mean? Simply that Outlook will be loaded without your add-ins and customization files.
To start Outlook in Safe mode, click on its icon holding the Ctrl key, or enter outlook.exe /safe in the command line. You'll see a message asking you to confirm that you really want to start Outlook in Safe mode, click Yes.
Does this cure the problem? If it does and Outlook starts working properly, then most likely the problem is with one of your add-ins, which leads us to the next step.

Disable your Outlook add-ins

If the 'Outlook Not Responding' issue did not cause you troubles in the past, it stands to reason to turn off the recently installed add-ins. I usually disable them one-by-one, closing Outlook with each change. This helps to pin down the culprit that causes Outlook to freeze.
In Outlook 2007, go to the Tools menu, click 'Trust Center', then choose 'Add-ins' and click Go.
In Outlook 2010 and Outlook 2013, switch to the File tab, click 'Options', choose 'Add-ins' and click Go.
Now all you need to do is to untick the add-ins and close the dialog.

Close all open programs and applications

Outlook is one of the most complex applications of the Microsoft Office suite, which makes it extremely resource-hungry. Outlook may hang simply because it does not have enough memory to run or perform a required operation. This is often the case with outdated and low capacity PCs, however even modern and powerful ones cannot feel secured against this. Well, let's 'feed' it by closing all other programs that you don't need at the moment.

Repair your Outlook data files

Use the Inbox repair tool (Scanpst.exe), which is included with Outlook installation, to scan your Outlook data files (.pst or .ost) and automatically repair damaged parts and errors, if any are found.
First off, you need to close Outlook otherwise Inbox Repair won't start. Then open Windows Explorer and navigate to the C:Program FilesMicrosoft OfficeOFFICE14 folder if you are using Outlook 2010. If you have Outlook 2013 installed, it will be C:Program FilesMicrosoft OfficeOFFICE15.
Double-click Scanpst.exe and click 'Browse' to select the .pst or .ost file you want to check. Open the 'Options' dialog to choose the scan options and click 'Start' when you are done. If the Inbox repair tool spots any errors, it will prompt you to initiate the repair process to fix them.
If you need more detailed step-by-step instructions, Microsoft has them ready for you - Repair Outlook data files (.pst and .ost).

Reduce the size of your mailbox and Outlook data file

As we discussed a few paragraphs above, Microsoft Outlook requires quite a lot of resources to be able to operate smoothly. And if your Outlook data file (.pst) or even one particular folder has largely grown in size, this might be yet another reason that makes Outlook irresponsive. There are 3 simple ways to cope with this problem:
  1. Keep your emails in several subfolders instead of one folder. If you store all your messages in a single folder (most typically Inbox), Outlook may not have enough time to display all those items while you are navigating to another folder or trying to open a certain email. And voilà - Outlook is hanging and we are angrily staring at the screen and agitatedly hitting the buttons, which only adds to the trouble. The solution is simple - create a few subfolders and put your emails to them, above all this will make your work a bit more comfortable
  2. Compact the Outlook data file. Know that simply deleting unneeded messages does not make the size of your .pst file smaller, nor does it recover the space on your hard drive. You need to specially tell Outlook to compact your data files. Before you do this, remember to empty the Deleted items folder so that Outlook can compress your data file.
    In Outlook 2010, you will find the Compact option on the File tab, under Info > Accounts Settings > Data Files tab. Choose your Personal folder and then click Settings. Go to the General tab and click Compact Now.
    Alternatively, in Outlook 2013 and 2010, you can right click the Personal folder (such as Outlook or Archive), then select Data File Properties > Advanced > Compact Now.
    For other Outlook versions, please see Microsoft's instructions: How to compact PST and OST files.
  3. Archive your old items. One more way to reduce the size of your Outlook file is to archive older emails using the AutoArchive feature. If you need the detailed instructions, I'll refer you to Microsoft again: AutoArchive settings explained.

Let Outlook auto-archive or synchronize without interruption

Since we've started to talk about archiving, be aware that Outlook consumes even more resources than usually when it is archiving your emails or synchronizing messages and contacts with your mobile device, which results in a bigger response time. Don't push it and let it finish the job :) Usually, Outlook displays a special icon on its status bar or on the Windows system tray when auto-archiving or synchronization is in progress. Don't take any actions in Outlook during this period and you'll be safe.

Turn off your antivirus software

Sometimes outdated or over-protective anti-virus / anti-spam programs can conflict with Outlook or with one of your Outlook add-ins. As a result, the anti-virus blocks the add-in and prevents Outlook from functioning properly.
How do we deal with this? In the first place, check whether your antivirus is up-to-date. Reliable and trusted antivirus software vendors do care about compatibility with Microsoft Office applications, so there is a good chance that the issue is fixed in their latest update. (BTW, it's a good idea to check whether the latest updates and service packs are installed for your Microsoft Office as well.) Also, make sure that Outlook itself and your Outlook add-ins are added to the trusted applications list of your protection software. If the above does not help, turn off the antivirus and see if it brings Outlook back to life. If it does, the problem is definitely in your antivirus software. In this case, you can either contact its vendor for assistance or simply choose another protection program.

Repair your Office programs

If none of the above suggestions helped, try to repair your Office programs, as the last resort. Close all Office applications and open Control Panel. Find Microsoft Office in the list of installed programs (it is under 'Programs and Features' on Vista, Windows 7 or Windows 8, and under 'Add or Remove Programs' in earlier Windows versions) and right-click it. Select Change, then choose Repair and click the Continue button.

Outlook 2013 Stuck On Processing

If you have never repaired your Office programs before, simply follow Microsoft's instructions for your version of Windows: Repair Office programs.
That seems to be all, I hope this information will help you solve the 'Outlook not responding' problem efficiently. If you have any questions, drop me a comment and I will try to help.

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