If Outlook for Mac stops responding, hangs, freezes, closes unexpectedly, or will not work normally, try the following solutions in order. After completing each section, reopen Outlook and check whether the problem is resolved.
Note
If you use a work or school account and your Mac is managed by your organization, some updates or troubleshooting options might be controlled by your IT administrator.
If you're experiencing similar problems with Outlook for Windows, go to Outlook for Windows not responding, hangs, freezes, or stops working.
Check which version of Outlook you are running
Legacy Outlook for Mac uses Exchange Web Services (EWS) in Exchange Online to deliver your email. The Exchange Web Service (EWS) will be retired on October 1, 2026. This could lead to disruption of your email delivery and other problems if you are still using Legacy Outlook for Mac. To avoid these problems, you can turn off the Legacy Outlook switch when you are in Outlook for Mac. For more information, go to End of support for legacy Outlook for Mac
Check whether Outlook is busy with a background task
Outlook for Mac may pause briefly while syncing a large mailbox, downloading attachments, or updating search results. To determine if this is happening, look for status messages at the bottom of the Outlook window such as "Updating mailbox" or "Downloading" or "Syncing" which may indicate sync/download activity in Outlook. If you see any of this type of activity, wait 2 to 3 minutes, then try Outlook again.
Force Outlook to quit and restart it
Outlook for Mac may temporarily stop responding while opening a message, switching folders, synchronizing mailbox data, or completing another process. To force quit and restart it, do the following:
Press Option + Command + Esc
In the Force Quit Application window, select Microsoft Outlook.
Select Force Quit.
Reopen Outlook for Mac.
Check that both Outlook and the macOS is up to date
Older versions of Outlook for Mac or your macOS might contain problems that have already been corrected in an update.
To ensure your macOS is up to date, follow the steps in Upgrade macOS to continue receiving Microsoft 365 and Office for Mac updates.
To ensure Office for Mac is up to date, follow the steps in Update Office for Mac automatically.
Check whether an Outlook add-in is involved
An add-in might cause Outlook for Mac to hang or freeze while opening a message, composing email, scheduling a meeting, or performing another action. To test if an add-in is causing the problem, do the following:
Open Outlook for Mac.
On the menu bar, select Tools > Get Add-ins.
Open My add-ins.
Temporarily disable or remove recently installed third-party add-ins.
Quit and reopen Outlook.
Test to see if Outlook hangs or freezes.
If Outlook works after an add-in is disabled, check with the add-in provider for an updated version of the add-in before enabling it again.
Test Outlook with another macOS user account
Testing from another macOS user account can help determine whether the problem is associated with the current user's Outlook for Mac settings or is affecting Outlook more broadly.
In the Settings app, search for Users and Groups and select Add user.
Sign in to the new macOS account you created.
Open Outlook and add the affected email account.
If Outlook doesn't freeze, you may want to continue signing into the new macOS user account.
Reinstall Outlook
If damaged, missing, or incomplete application files are causing Outlook for Mac to crash, you may want to reinstall it on your device.
Before reinstalling Outlook for Mac, do the following:
Confirm that your important mailbox data is synchronized with the server.
Make sure you know the email address and password needed to add the account again.
If you use a work or school account, check whether Outlook for Mac is managed by your organization.
Follow these steps to uninstall and reinstall Outlook for Mac: Troubleshoot Office for Mac issues by completely uninstalling before you reinstall