How to Open Outlook in Safe Mode (Quick Guide)

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  • Published on May 16th, 2024

  • Updated on July 22, 2024

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Are you having trouble with Windows 10 after updating? The biggest headache is Outlook not letting you use spell check and other features, running in safe mode. You’re stumped on fixing to open Outlook in safe mode and don’t know how to go back to the old system without losing your stuff. Any tips to get Outlook working as it should? Windows 10 is really getting on your nerves!

Here’s an easy way to open MS Outlook in a safe mode if it’s acting up or particular parts aren’t working right. Safe mode can help if your settings freeze, you think a new add-on might have malware, or things seem weird in Outlook. These steps work for Outlook 2019-2021.

Also Read: Outlook Signature Not Showing

Understanding Safe Mode:

Safe mode is a special mode that computers and software use when something goes wrong, like crashing unexpectedly. It’s not fixing the problem directly but trying to figure out what’s causing it. For Microsoft Outlook, safe mode is a way to start the program without all the extra bells and whistles like add-ons. If Outlook works fine in this basic mode, the issue is probably with one of those extras, not the main program itself, which helps narrow down the problem.

Top 4 Methods to Open Outlook in Safe Mode on Windows

You can start Outlook in Safe Mode using different methods. Here, we will discuss several ways. First, we will elaborate on the running command. After that, we will perform using the Ctrl Key and the command prompt. Along with that, we will introduce you to a shortcut method.

Method 1: Starting Outlook in Safe Mode Using the Run Command

  • First, click Start on your computer or press the Windows key + R shortcut.
  • After that, type “outlook.exe /safe” in the Run window.
  • Lastly, click OK to launch Outlook in safe mode.

The above section has gone through the manual steps to open Outlook in safe mode.

Method 2: Running Outlook in Safe Mode Using the Ctrl Key

  • Foremost, press and hold the Ctrl key on your keyboard.
  • Afterwards, double-click the Outlook shortcut on your desktop.
  • Keep holding Ctrl until a message pops up asking if you want to start Outlook in Safe Mode.
  • At last, click Yes to confirm and start Outlook in safe mode.

If Outlook won’t open in safe mode by using the Ctrl key, follow the upcoming section.

Method 3: Launching Outlook in Safe Mode Using Command Prompt

  • First, open Command Prompt on your computer.
  • After that, type the location of the Outlook program file. You can find this by going to where Outlook is installed on your computer.
  • After the location, type “/safe” to run Outlook in Safe Mode.

Here are the commands for different versions of Outlook:

  • For Outlook 2019 and 2016:
    • 32-bit: “C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\Office16\outlook.exe” /safe
    • 32-bit (alternative): “C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\root\Office16\outlook.exe” /safe
    • 64-bit: “C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office16\outlook.exe” /safe
  • For Outlook 2013:
    • 32-bit: “C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\Office15\outlook.exe” /safe
    • 64-bit: “C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office15\outlook.exe” /safe
  • For Outlook 2010:
    • 32-bit: “C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\Office14\outlook.exe” /safe
    • 64-bit: “C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office14\outlook.exe” /safe”

These commands will open Outlook in Safe Mode directly from the Command Prompt.

Method 4: Create a Shortcut to Run Outlook in Safe Mode:

  • First, right-click on a space on your desktop.
  • After that, select “New” and then “Shortcut”.
  • In the wizard that appears, paste the file path of the Outlook program followed by “/safe”. Click Next.
  • Then, give your shortcut a name and complete the setup.
  • Now, whenever you use this shortcut, Outlook will open directly in Safe Mode.

If you’ve tried all these methods and your Outlook PST file is still not working right, don’t worry. You might need some extra help to open Outlook in safe mode without losing any data. We suggest using the Cigati PST Repair Tool for this job. It can repair your PST file without losing any of your important data. Once your PST file is fixed, if you need to convert it to another format, you can use the Cigati PST Converter. This tool makes it easy to move your data without losing anything necessary.

Concluding Words

To sum it up, using Safe Mode in Outlook can be a real help when things go wrong like freezing or strange behavior. The methods we’ve talked about, like using shortcuts or keyboard tricks, give you choices in how you access Safe Mode. But if your PST file still gives you trouble even after trying to open Outlook in Safe Mode, repair your damaged PST file.

You May Also Read: Microsoft Outlook Not Opening

About The Author:

Rohan Wiese works as Technical Content Writer at Cigati Solutions. He writes technical blogs, articles, newsgroups, etc. on Database Recovery, Email Backup & Migration for Cloud and Webmail Email Clients. He has almost two years of writing experience and has written about many Technologies such as Cloud Computing, Intelligence, IoT, and Email Management.

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