How to restart Outlook on Windows or Mac

Prepare Microsoft Outlook It's a widely used email and productivity application, but like any program, it can encounter issues or become unresponsive. In such cases, restarting Outlook is a common troubleshooting step. In this article, we'll explore how to restart Outlook on Windows and Mac. Before we dive into the steps, let's understand why you might want to restart Outlook.

Outlook may have become slow, unresponsive, or stopped syncing emails or other data correctly. Whatever the cause, it's relatively easy to fix the issues and maintain a smooth email and productivity experience. So, let's learn how to restart Outlook on Windows and Mac computers. Let's start with Windows first.

Note: There is no direct way to restart the Outlook email app on a Windows or Mac computer. You will have to end the task and restart the program.

How to Restart Email in Outlook on Windows Desktop

There are multiple ways to restart Microsoft Outlook on your Windows computer. We'll list all the possible methods, from native solutions to restarting Outlook using the command line. With that, let's get started.

Method 1: Use the original options

As the name suggests, this method is built into Microsoft Outlook to allow users to log out of the application at any time. Follow these steps.

Step 1: From the Outlook app, go to the menu "a file" in the toolbar.

Step 2: Now, click exit.

That's it. Outlook is now closed.

Step 3: Now, press the key. Windows On the keyboard, type Outlook, Then click open To restart.

If your Outlook is stuck, frozen, or you can't move the cursor, see the next method.

Method 2: Use Task Manager to restart Outlook email program

This is one of the most common methods used when an app isn't responding. Follow the instructions below.

Step 1: press the . key Windows On the keyboard, type Task Manager, then tap to open.

Note: Alternatively, you can press “Ctrl + Shift + Esc”.

Step 2: Under the tab "Operations", Locate Microsoft Outlook And right click on it.

Step 3: From the context menu, choose Finish the task.

As a result, Outlook will close immediately.

Step 4: To restart, press the key. Windows، And type Outlook, Then click to open.

There you go. You've restarted Outlook on your Windows machine.

Method 3: Use a Windows Terminal command to restart Outlook

In this method, we will use a Windows Terminal command to restart Outlook on your Windows 11 or 10 device. Follow the instructions below.

Step 1: press the . key Windows On the keyboard, type Terminal, Then click Open.

Step 2: Now, type the command below and press Enter.

taskkill /im outlook.exe

There you go. Outlook will close immediately. However, it won't restart automatically.

Step 3: To restart, press the Windows key on your keyboard, and type Outlook, Then click to open.

This way you have restarted Outlook without restarting your computer.

Method 4: Use the run command

Step 1: press the . key Windows On the keyboard, type Run, Then click Open.

Note: Alternatively, you can press “Windows key + R.”

Step 2: Type the command below in the text box and click OK.

outlook.exe / resetnavpane

That's it. You've successfully stopped the Outlook app on your Windows computer. Now it's time to restart it.

Step 3: press the . key Windows On the keyboard, type Outlook, Then click to open.

There you go. You've successfully restarted the Outlook email app on your Windows 11/10 device. If you encounter any issues using or restarting the Outlook app, read on.

Method 5: Restart Outlook in Safe Mode

There may be problems or errors preventing Outlook from working properly. You can troubleshoot these issues by restarting Outlook in Safe Mode.

But what is Safe Mode? Well, it's the mode that allows you to run Outlook with minimal add-ins and customizations, making it easier to identify and resolve any issues. Follow the instructions below.

Note: Safe mode is only available on Windows.

Step 1: press the . key Windows On the keyboard, type Run, Then click Open.

Note: Alternatively, you can press “Windows key + R.”

Step 2: Type the command below in the text box and click OK.

outlook.exe / safe

Step 3: A window will appear asking you: Select a profileSelect the default profile and click "OK".

With this, Outlook will launch in Safe Mode, which you can see in the title bar (it will be “Safe Mode”). Here are some Outlook errors we’ve covered;

• How to Fix Outlook Data File Cannot Be Accessed Error on Windows
• Fixes for Microsoft Outlook Out of Memory or System Resources Error on Windows
• Fix Microsoft Outlook Not Showing Email Content on Windows

Sometimes, clearing Outlook cache files can be an important troubleshooting step when you're experiencing issues with the app; read on.

How to clear Outlook cache files to fix app issues

Outlook cache files store various data to improve program performance, but they can sometimes become corrupted or outdated, leading to issues such as slow performance or synchronization problems. Follow these instructions.

Step 1: First, close the application. Microsoft Outlook on your computer.

Step 2: press the . key Windows On the keyboard, type Run, Then click Open.

Note: Alternatively, you can press “Windows key + R.”

Step 3: Type the command below in the text box and click OK.

%localappdata%\Microsoft\Outlook\Roamcache

This will open the Microsoft Outlook cache folder.

Step 4: Now, press Ctrl + A To select all Files.

Step 5: Finally, click on "delete" On the keyboard or right-click and choose “Delete” from the context menu.

That's it. By clearing cache files, you can resolve common application issues and ensure smoother performance. This was the case when you were running Microsoft Outlook on Windows 11 or 10. What if you're a Mac user and trying to restart the Outlook app? Read on.

How to restart Outlook on a Mac

As with Windows, there are several ways—two to be exact—to restart Outlook on a Mac. One uses the Force Quit option, and the other uses the command line. Let's start with the first method.

Method 1: Use the Termination Force

Step 1: from app Outlook On a Mac, click the icon Apple in the upper left corner.

Step 2: From the drop-down menu, choose Imposing termination.

That's all. Outlook will force close. Alternatively, you can force quit the application using a keyboard shortcut; continue.

Step 3: Click on Option + Command + Esc To open applications Force Quit.

Step 4: Locate Outlook From the list of running applications, click Imposing termination.

Now that you've closed the running Outlook application, it's time to restart it.

Step 5: Click on Command + Space To open a search Spotlight, And type Outlook, Then press Return To open Outlook.

That's it. You've successfully restarted the Outlook email app.

Method 2: Using the Terminal

Step 1: Click on Command + Space To open a search Spotlight, And type Terminal, Then press Return.

Step 2: Type the command below and press Return.

pkill -x "Microsoft Outlook"

After force-closing Outlook, you'll need to restart it.

Step 3: Click on Command + Space To open a search Spotlight, And type Outlook, Then press Return.

That's all. You've successfully used the Terminal command to restart Outlook on your Mac. If you have any questions we couldn't answer, check out the FAQ section below.

common questions:

Q1. Will I lose my email data when I restart Outlook?
The answer: No, restarting Outlook does not result in data loss. Email messages, contacts, and other data are stored on the email server or your computer. Restarting Outlook only affects the program itself.

Q2. Can restarting Outlook help resolve common issues?
The answer: Yes, restarting Outlook can often resolve common issues like freezing, slow performance, or synchronization issues. It's a quick and effective way to fix basic Outlook problems.

Fix your Outlook errors quickly

Whether you're dealing with performance issues, email synchronization problems, add-in conflicts, stuck processes, or the need to apply software updates, knowing how to quickly restart Outlook improves your daily workflow. You can also read How to Fix Outlook Mail Search Not Working on Mac.