Outlook will not open, freezes, or stops sending and receiving email

Use this guide when: Outlook will not open, freezes, closes unexpectedly, or stops receiving or sending email. If Microsoft says your account is blocked, use the blocked-account guidance instead.

1. Check work email in your browser

1. Open Outlook on the web and sign in with your People Incorporated Microsoft account.
2. If it works, you can use web email while the desktop app is checked. Send one harmless test message to a colleague who agrees to help and ask them to reply.
3. If web email fails too, record the exact Microsoft message. A blocked account or verification problem needs IT assistance; restarting Outlook does not repair the account.
4. If other websites also fail, report a connectivity issue and whether other employees are affected.

2. Restart the desktop app

1. Save or copy any unfinished message text if you can. Close Outlook normally and reopen it.
2. If it will not close, press Ctrl + Shift + Esc on Windows, find Outlook or Microsoft Outlook in Task Manager, select it, and choose End task. An unsaved draft may be lost.
3. Reopen Outlook. If it still fails, save your other work and restart the computer once.

3. Check whether the app is offline

In classic Outlook, look near the bottom for “Working Offline,” “Disconnected,” or “Trying to connect.” If you intentionally switched on Work Offline, open Send/Receive and turn Work Offline off. Then choose Send/Receive All Folders.

New Outlook has different controls: use its Sync control if available. Do not search for classic Outlook menus if they are not on your screen.

4. Stop if a repair is needed

A documented People Incorporated case required IT to repair Outlook, then verify that email sent successfully. If browser email works but the app keeps failing, report the test results. Do not delete your profile, remove your work account, uninstall software, or change attachment/security settings as a troubleshooting shortcut.

Check the result

Confirm that a test message sends and a reply arrives. Tell IT if the problem returns later in the day rather than assuming that opening the app once proves it is fixed.

Still need help?

Submit an IT support ticket and include your device name, exact error or screenshot, whether web email works, Outlook version if known, when the failure starts, and whether Word or Excel also fail. If a previous ticket is resolved or closed, start a new ticket and mention its number.