OL97: How to Remove a Fax That Is Stuck in the Outbox

When you use Microsoft Fax, and you try to send a fax, the fax may not be sent; it may remain in the Outbox folder. This article describes how to remove a fax that is stuck in the Outbox folder.

When Outlook starts, faxes in the Outbox are automatically processed. It may be difficult to locate and delete a fax in the Outbox before the it is sent; you must quit Outlook before you attempt to remove the fax.

You can remove the fax items in one of two ways.

Delete the Fax

This method is preferred. To delete the fax without modifying your Outlook profile, follow these steps:

1. Quit Outlook.
2. Right-click My Computer and click Explore. Navigate to the Fax folder. The default location is C:\Windows\Spool\Fax.
3. Move all of the files in this folder to your Temp folder (for example, C:\Temp).
4. Restart your computer.
5. Start Outlook and, if the fax message is still in your Outbox, delete the fax message.

Remove the Fax Service from Your Profile

In this method, you will remove the Fax service from your Outlook profile, delete the fax from Outlook, and then add the Fax service back to your profile.

1. Quit Outlook.
2. Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.
3. Double-click the Mail icon or Mail and Fax icon.
4. Click Microsoft Fax, and then click Properties. Make note of all the settings for the fax service.
5. With Microsoft Fax still selected, click Remove. Click Yes in the warning box, and then click OK.
6. Start Outlook, delete the fax items from the Outbox, and then quit Outlook.
7. Repeat steps 1-2, and then click Add. Click Microsoft Fax.
8. Click OK, and then follow the on-screen instructions; you will be prompted to enter the information you wrote down in step 3.