What will you do if the troubleshooter itself falls in trouble? Yes, you heard it right!
That will be the exact scenario when you see this message “Outlook failed to launch in Safe Mode. Do you want to start repair?”
The thing is, we launch Outlook in Safe mode to troubleshoot issues with Outlook. But when it refuses to launch in Safe mode, how to fix THAT?
Let me show you how to do that through this fixing guide. So, let’s begin!
Why isn’t Outlook Opening in Safe Mode?
Outlook might not launch in Safe mode after improper upgradation of the Office version. Sometimes problems with the Office application can lead to such issues. Other reasons, like a corrupted Outlook profile or wrong app configuration, can block Outlook from launching in Safe mode.
If you have recently upgraded your Office application and Outlook isn’t launching in safe mode, there might be an issue with the upgraded files. So, check for it to solve the problem.
And corrupted Outlook profile is second on the suspect list. When the profile itself gets corrupted, Outlook won’t be able to load up anything because it needs the profile data.
Sometimes damaged data files (.ost/.pst) can halt the Outlook launching process in both standard & Safe modes. Besides these mentioned reasons, there are other reasons behind this issue. So, despite all the causes, let’s dive into the fixing part.
Apart from this, there are several ways to launch Outlook in Safe mode rather than using the Run dialog. So, before going to the fixing part and if you know only one way to launch it in the Safe mode, try other ways.
How to Fix Outlook Not Opening in Safe Mode
When Outlook doesn’t launch in safe mode, you must update the Office to the latest version. Updating to the latest version will solve the issue if there is a fault in the previous updates. You can also create a new Outlook profile to avoid issues from a damaged one.
Furthermore, disable add-ins to fix this issue. Corrupted add-ins can stop Outlook from launching in safe or regular mode.
Damaged Outlook data files are another reason, so repairing those files is a must to resolve Outlook launching issue. So, in this guide, I have given solutions for both who can launch Outlook in normal mode but not in Safe mode, and Outlook isn’t launching at all in any mode.
Now, let’s get into those methods individually with the proper steps.
1. Update the Office Suite
There might be a problem with the Microsoft Office Suite. If you have already updated the Office Suite, corrupted update files are the main reason behind this issue. So, update the Office app once again. But this time, update to the latest version.
Suppose you have updated from Office 2013 to 2016. To fix this issue, you must update it to the 2021 version. Let’s see how to do it.
- Open Microsoft Office Suite from your desktop.
- Click on the File tab from the ribbon.
- Select the Office account option.
- Click the Update Options down arrow icon.
- Choose the Update Now button.
Now, Office Suite will start looking for new updates. Once it finds the latest update, it’ll automatically download & install the updates. After installing the updates, try to launch Outlook in normal mode. If it launches in the regular mode without any issue, it will also launch in the Safe mode.
Alternative way: If you can’t update it from the Outlook or Office suite, try to update the Windows. Updating the Windows will also update the Office Suite to the latest version. To update, go to Windows Settings > Windows Update and click the Check for updates button.
2. Repair MS Office
If you can’t access the Office Suite app, it’s time to repair the MS Office app. Repairing the Office will fix major issues, including Outlook not opening in Safe mode. Let’s take a look at the steps to repair MS Office.
For Windows 10 & 11
- Press the Windows logo key + I to launch the Settings app.
- Go to Apps > Apps & features.
- Look for Microsoft Office Suite and click on the three dots from the right side.
- Select Modify option.
- Click on Yes from the prompt.
- Select the Online repair option, and hit the Repair button.
This repairing process will take some time, so wait a bit. After completing the repair process restart the PC. Then launch the Outlook app and check whether the problem still exists.
Speaking of opening Outlook in Safe mode, you can also launch Outlook in administrator mode to fix prevent many bugs and glitches.
3. Repair Outlook Data File Using Scanpst.exe
There is a built-in data repair tool in Outlook, and it’s located within the setup files. Scanpst.exe will scan for corrupted .pst files in Outlook and repair them when found. The PST file is mainly responsible for storing mailbox data. So, anything wrong with it can trigger issues.
Let me show you how to repair the Outlook data file with scanpst.exe.
- Locate the scanpst.exe files from the following location:
Microsoft 365, Outlook 2021, Outlook 2019 & Outlook 2016
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\root\Office16
Outlook 2016 (MSI-based Volume License installation) (64-bit Outlook)
C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\Office16
Outlook 2013 (64-bit Outlook)
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office15
Outlook 2010 (64-bit Outlook)
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office14
Outlook 2007 (64-bit Outlook)
C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\Office12
For 32-bit Outlook files, follow the below path to locate the scanpst.exe app.
Outlook 2016 (MSI-based Volume License installation) (32-bit)
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office16
Outlook 2013 (32-bit)
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office15
Outlook 2010 (32-bit)
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office14
Outlook 2007 (32-bit)
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office12
- Double-click on the scanpst.exe to run it.
- Click the Browse button and select the .pst file you want to scan.
- Hit the Start button to initiate the scanning process.
Once the scanning is finished, the output result will show the corrupted files if there are damaged data files. After that, hit the Repair button to repair the corrupted files.
Now, launch the Outlook app first in normal mode. If it launches successfully, then launch it in the Safe mode. I bet it won’t fail to open this time.
Moreover, for some particular reasons, data files become inaccessible. But you can fix Outlook’s inaccessible data files by applying some proper methods.
4. Disable Outlook Add-ins
When you open Outlook in Safe mode, it just opens without the add-ins. But surprisingly, some add-ins might be responsible for not launching Outlook in Safe mode. The fact is when add-ins get corrupted; they can prevent Outlook from opening in Safe mode.
Note: If you can launch Outlook in normal mode but not in Safe mode, try to disable add-ins first. After that, launch Outlook in Safe mode.
So, you must disable or remove all add-ins at once. Let me show you the steps for that real quick.
- Go to the File tab from the ribbon.
- Click on Options from the left pane.
- Select Add-ins from left side options.
- Go to the bottom and click the Manage options drop-down icon.
- Select COM Add-ins and hit Go.
- Uncheck all the add-ins and click OK.
Now, close Outlook and launch again in Safe mode. I bet you can launch Outlook in Safe mode now if Add-ins are the main culprit.
If you can launch Outlook in normal mode, you can remove Add-ins from the store. So, launch Outlook in the usual way and follow the below steps.
- Click on the Get Add-ins button from the top ribbon.
- Select the My Add-ins tab from the left pane.
- Click on the three dots from the add-ins and select the Remove button.
After that, the selected add-in will remove automatically.
5. Create a New Outlook Profile
Sometimes Outlook profile gets corrupted due to missing data or other faults in the account settings. That’s why you must create a new profile and try launching Outlook in Safe mode to solve this problem.
According to my test, creating a new profile did solve the issue with Outlook for me, and others also gave positive feedback. So, try this method by applying the following steps.
- Press the Windows logo key + R to launch the Run dialog.
- Type in control panel and hit Enter.
- Click on the View by and select Category.
- Select User Accounts > Mail (Microsoft Outlook).
- Click on the Show Profiles button.
- Select the Add button.
- Type a profile name in the name field, and hit OK. After that, an Add Account window will pop up.
- Type your name, Microsoft email address, and password in the exact field.
- Click on the Next button.
- Select the Finish button to finish the add profile process.
- Click on Always use this profile and select the created profile.
- Hit Apply > OK.
After that, launch Outlook in Safe mode and select the newly created profile. I bet Outlook will launch now if the corrupted profile is blocking the way.
Additionally, you can also create a new Outlook profile with Gmail too. Those who already have a profile with a Microsoft account can use their Gmail to add another account as a profile in Outlook.
6. Uninstall & Reinstall Microsoft Office
If the above method fails to resolve the issue, uninstall and reinstall the MS Office. It’s the last method you must apply to fix the problem.
Sometimes updating the Office to the latest version won’t solve the issue because previous files might still be in the system. And those corrupted files can cause trouble. You can uninstall Microsoft Office using the Microsoft Support and Recovery Assistant tool.
So, launch the browser and download the tool from the official website. Then install the program, and follow the instructions below to uninstall the Office app.
- Launch the installed Microsoft Support and Recovery Assistant tool.
- Click on the Office & Office Apps option, and click Next.
- Select the I have Office installed, but I’m having trouble uninstalling it option.
- Click Next again.
- Select the Yes radio button and click Next.
- Tick mark the box for Microsoft Office products and select the Next button.
- Check the box to confirm that you have saved your files, close all Office apps, and click Next.
- Start the process by clicking the Restart button. This will restart the tool.
- Click Yes from the prompt to run the Windows host process.
After that, the tool will detect the Microsoft Office installation files and start the uninstalling process. Then the tool will ask you to restart the computer, so hit the Restart button.
Install the Microsoft Office app after booting up, and try launching Outlook in Safe mode. After this, I bet you won’t face any issues anymore.
Final Words
Launching Outlook in safe mode is a great way to troubleshoot certain issues with Outlook. Safe mode only allows the essentials files without other services and Add-ins. You can change Outlook preferences and troubleshoot Outlook repeatedly crashing issues.
But sometimes, for certain reasons, Outlook fails to open in this Safe mode. In this article, I have explained why this happens and how to overcome this problem. I believe you already solve the problem by applying the methods from this guide.
Still, if you need further help regarding Outlook, comment below. Good luck!
