Outlook Stuck at Loading Profile? 14 Tips to Fix It

Microsoft Outlook is a powerful email client that many Windows 10 users rely on for their communication needs. However, like any software, it can sometimes encounter issues. One such problem is when Outlook gets stuck at the “Loading Profile” stage during startup. This issue can be frustrating and prevent you from accessing your emails and other important data. In this guide, we’ll explore the reasons behind this problem and provide you with effective solutions to get your Outlook working smoothly on Windows 10 once again. Say goodbye to the loading screen frustration and hello to a productive email experience.

Fix Outlook Stuck at Loading Profile on Windows 10

Fix Outlook Stuck at Loading Profile on Windows 10

Method 1: Basic Troubleshooting Methods

You should perform the methods given below before moving to other complex methods. They might fix the problem.

1. Restart PC: Restarting your PC can fix many System related bugs and other minor issues. It is often the first thing advised when facing any PC related issues. It might resolve the issue at hand. Follow our guide on How to Restart or Reboot Windows PC to restart your PC.

Click on restart

2. End Microsoft processes: Many users have reported that they were able to resolve this issue by closing Microsoft processes like Word, Excel etc. Try to close all Microsoft apps and processes including Outlook and reopen Outlook to check if Outlook 2016 stuck on loading profile issue persists. You can follow our guide on How to End Task in Windows 10 to end tasks related to Microsoft.

Click on End Task

3. Enable Airplane mode: It is possible that some signal or Network is interfering with Outlook and causing the issue. You can enable Airplane mode to resolve this. Go to bottom right corner of your screen and click on notification icon or box, inside Manage Notifications pane you will see Airplane mode tile. Click on it to enable it and after that check if you can open Outlook.

turn on airplane mode

Method 2: Run Outlook As Administrator

In some cases, programs like Outlook may require additional privileges to work properly. Some functions of Outlook may only work when Admin access is granted. Without adequate permissions, Outlook stuck at loading profile issue may occur. To resolve this, you can run Outlook as an Administrator. To do that, follow the steps below.

1. Locate Outlook shortcut on your PC or wherever you have installed Outlook and right-click on outlook.exe

Note: By default, Outlook gets installed in this path C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\root\OfficeX where X represents the version of your MS Office.

2. Select Run as administrator option.

run as administrator

Also Read: Fix Outlook App Won’t Open in Windows 10

Method 3: Run Program Compatibility Troubleshooter

If you are using an Outlook version which is not compatible with your Windows PC then you might face Outlook stuck at loading profile issue. To fix this, you can run Outlook in compatibility mode and run compatibility troubleshooter to check for further issues. It might fix Outlook 2016 stuck on loading profile problem. You can do that by following the given steps to run program compatibility troubleshooter on Outlook.

1. Right-click on the Outlook shortcut and select the Properties option, as depicted below.

right click on Outlook app and select Properties

2. Switch to the Compatibility tab in the Outlook Properties window.

3. Uncheck the Run this program in compatibility mode for option and click on Apply > OK.

Uncheck the box next to Run this program in compatibility mode for and click on Apply. Fix Outlook Stuck at Loading Profile on Windows 10

4. Right-click on Outlook App and choose to Troubleshoot compatibility, as shown.

right click on Outlook and select Troubleshoot Compatibility

5. Now, the Program Compatibility Troubleshooter will try to detect any potential issues.

Outlook Program Compatibility Troubleshooter. Fix Outlook Stuck at Loading Profile on Windows 10

6. Click Try recommended settings

Click Try recommended settings

Method 4: Start Outlook In Safe Mode & Disable Add-Ins

Outlook offers many types of Add-ins to enhance user experience and increase productivity. However, these Add-ins can cause Outlook to malfunction resulting in issues like Outlook stuck at loading profile. You can check if Add-ins are causing this problem by running Outlook in safe mode. It will open Outlook without any Add-ins. If it is working, then you can disable problematic Add-ins later. Following are the steps to Start Outlook in Safe Mode & Disable Add-Ins.

1. Press the Windows key + R keys simultaneously to open Run dialog box.

2. Type outlook.exe /safe and hit Enter key to launch Outlook in Safe Mode.

Type outlook.exe or safe and hit Enter to launch Outlook. Fix Outlook Stuck at Loading Profile on Windows 10

3. A pop-up requesting you to choose a profile will appear. Open the drop-down list and choose the Outlook option and hit the Enter key.

Open the dropdown list and choose Outlook option and hit Enter

Note: Some users may not be able to launch Outlook in safe mode using the above method. In this case, read our guide on How to Start Outlook in Safe Mode.

If you were successful in launching Outlook in safe mode, rest assured that the problem indeed lies with one of the add-ins. Hence, uninstall or disable these as follows:

4. Hit the Windows key, type Outlook, and click on Open.

search outlook in windows search bar and click on open

5. Click on File tab.

click on File menu in the Outlook application. Fix Outlook Stuck at Loading Profile on Windows 10

6. Select Options as highlighted below.

select or click on options in File menu in outlook

7. Go to Add-ins tab in the left and then click on GO… button next to Manage: COM Add-ins, as shown.

select Add ins menu option and click on GO button in Outlook Options

8A. Here, click on the Remove button to remove the desired Add-ins.

select Remove in COM Add ins to delete add ins in Outlook options. Fix Outlook Stuck at Loading Profile on Windows 10

8B. Alternatively, check the box for Desired Add-in and click OK to disable it.

ucheck all COM add ins and click OK

Also Read: Fix Outlook Password Prompt Reappearing

Method 5: Delete LocalAppData Folder

Most apps store temporary files in AppData folder. Sometimes this folder can get corrupted and cause issues in the app. If AppData folder of Outlook is corrupted then you may encounter the issue at hand. To resolve this, you can simply delete Outlook AppData folder by following the steps listed below.

1. Open the Run dialog box by hitting the Windows + R keys simultaneously.

2. Type %localappdata% and hit Enter to open the required folder.

Note: Alternately, follow the folder path C:\Users\username\AppData\Local in File Explorer.

Type localappdata and hit Enter to open the required folder. Fix Outlook Stuck at Loading Profile on Windows 10

3. Go to the Microsoft folder. Right-click Outlook folder and choose Delete, as depicted below.

go to Microsoft localappdata folder and delete the Outlook folder

4. Finally, restart your PC once and then try to open Outlook.

Method 6: Reset Outlook Navigation Pane

Outlook navigation pane is used to access emails, contacts, tasks etc. quickly. However, it can malfunction due to some glitch or other issues. This can cause Outlook to get stuck. You can resolve this by resetting Oulook Navigation Pane. It might fix Outlook 2016 stuck on loading profile issue. Here are the steps to reset Outlook navigation pane.

1. Launch the Run dialog box.

2. Type outlook.exe /resetnavpane and hit Enter key to reset Outlook navigation pane.

Type outlook.exe resetnavpane and hit Enter key to execute the Run command. Fix Outlook Stuck at Loading Profile on Windows 10

Also Read: How to Recover Outlook Password

Method 7: Repair MS Outlook

You might be facing Outlook stuck at loading profile issue if Outlook is damaged. It can be because of any System issue, virus attack or missed updated. You can repair Outlook application to resolve this problem. To do that follow these steps below.

1. Hit the Windows key, type Control Panel and click on Open.

Type Control Panel in the Windows search bar

2. Set View by > Large icons and click on Programs and Features from the given options.

choose Programs and Features from the list

3. Locate the MS Office Suite installed on your PC, right-click on it and click Change, as shown.

right click on Microsoft Office and select Change option in Programs and Features

4. Choose Quick Repair and click on the Repair button to continue, as shown highlighted.

Choose Quick Repair and click on the Repair button to continue. Fix Outlook Stuck at Loading Profile on Windows 10

5. Click on Yes in the User Account Control pop-up that appears.

6. Follow the on-screen instructions to finish the repair process.

Method 8: Repair Outlook Profile

In some cases, your Outlook profile can get corrupted due to minor errors or glitches. It can result in Outlook getting stuck. Outlook has in-built repair option which you can use to repair your profile. Follow the steps listed below to repair Outlook profile.

1. Launch Outlook in Safe Mode.

Note: If you are signed into multiple accounts, choose the problematic account from the drop-down list first.

2. Go to File > Account Settings and choose Account Settings… from the menu, as depicted.

Click on Account Settings and choose Account Settings…

3. Then, in the Email tab, click the Repair… option, as shown.

Go to Email tab and click Repair option

4. A repair Window will appear. Follow the on-screen prompts to fix your account.

Also Read: How to Turn Outlook Email Read Receipt On Off

Method 9: Repair PST & OST Files

Outlook uses PST and OST files to store data. PST saves data in the local disk of client while OST manages data for offline use. Sometimes these data files can get corrupted causing Outlook to get stuck. However, you can repair them and resolve this problem by following our guide on How to Fix Corrupted Outlook .ost and .pst Data Files.

repair microsoft outlook inbox repair tool

Method 10: Uninstall Microsoft NET Framework Updates

Some user reports have suggested that the latest Microsoft .NET Framework updates are hindering Outlook and causing it to malfunction. Uninstalling these updates might fix Outlook stuck at loading profile issue and you can do that by following these steps.

1. Hit the Windows key, type control panel and hit the Enter key.

open Control Panel. Fix Outlook Stuck at Loading Profile on Windows 10

2. Set View by > Category, then select Uninstall a program option.

click on the option Uninstall a program in the Programs category

3. Now, select Microsoft .NET Framework.

4. Right-click on the program and select the Uninstall option.

uninstall program

After uninstalling all the updates check if Outlook 2016 stuck on loading profile issue is resolved.

Also Read: How to Sync Google Calendar with Outlook

Method 11: Delete Outlook Profile

It is possible that the reason behind Outlook getting stuck is corrupt user profiles in Outlook. They can stop Outlook from loading properly. You can remove these profiles and it might resolve the issue. Follow the steps below to do the same.

1. Press the Windows key, type control panel and hit the Enter key.

open Control Panel. Fix Outlook Stuck at Loading Profile on Windows 10

2. Set View by > Large icons and click on Mail option.

Open Mail option in Control Panel

3. Now, click on Show profiles… option shown highlighted.

click on Show Profiles… button. Fix Outlook Stuck at Loading Profile on Windows 10

4. One by one select all profiles and click on Remove button. After you are done click on OK.

5. Press Window + R keys together to open Run dialog box.

6. Type regedit and click OK to open Registry Editor.

type regedit

7. Go to the following path in Registry Editor.

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Office\X\Profiles

Note: Here X will vary depending on MS Office version you are using.

go to office profiles key folder location in Registry Editor

8. Now, delete all profiles located here. Open Outlook and check if Outlook 2016 stuck on loading profile issue persists.

Method 12: Modify ipconfig

Some Users have discovered a trick using which Outlook stuck at loading profile issue has been resolved. It involves releasing IP when the issue occurs and then renewing it. It might fix the issue. You can do that by following these steps.

1. Open Outlook and wait for loading screen message to appear.

2. Hit the Windows key, type command prompt and click on Run as administrator.

Launch command prompt. Fix Outlook Stuck at Loading Profile on Windows 10

3. Type the ipconfig/ release command and hit Enter key. Do this while Outlook is stuck at loading screen.

Command prompt running ipconfig release

4. If Outlook screen start working then type the ipconfig/ renew command and press Enter key.

Command prompt running ipconfig renew

5. Select Send/Receive All Folders option in Outlook.

Method 13: Delete Office Key

If you have updated Outlook recently then it is possible that some keys might have remained from the previous version. These keys can sometimes cause issues in Outlook and may even stop it from loading. Removing these keys might resolve Outlook 2016 stuck on loading profile issue and you can do that by following these steps.

1. Launch the Registry Editor through the Run dialog box as depicted below.

type regedit. Fix Outlook Stuck at Loading Profile on Windows 10

2. Navigate to the given key folder path in Registry Editor.

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Office

office key folder in registry editor

3. Locate Keys from previous version of Office and delete them by right-click and select the Delete option.

Also Read: Fix Outlook Password Prompt Reappearing

Method 14: Create New Profile

This method is the last resort, if none of the methods work then you can try to create a new profile on Outlook and it will definitely resolve the issue. You can create a new profile by following the given steps.

1. Launch the Control Panel from Start menu.

2. Set View by > Large icons and click on Mail (Microsoft Outlook).

Open Mail option in Control Panel. Fix Outlook Stuck at Loading Profile on Windows 10

3. Now, click on Show profiles… option shown highlighted.

click on Show Profiles… button. Fix Outlook Stuck at Loading Profile on Windows 10

4. Then, click Add button in General tab.

Click on Add… to start creating a new profile

5. Next, type the Profile Name and click OK.

OK. Fix Outlook Stuck at Loading Profile on Windows 10

6. Then, enter desired details (Your Name, Email Address, Password & Retype Password) in the Email Account section. Then, click on Next > Finish.

name

7. Again, repeat Steps 1-4 and click your New account from the list.

8. Then, check Always use this profile option.

click on your new account and select always use this profile option. Fix Outlook Stuck at Loading Profile on Windows 10

9. Click Apply > OK to save these changes.

Recommended: Top 24 Best Outlook Alternatives

We hope that this guide was helpful and you were able to fix Outlook stuck at loading profile issue. Let us know which method worked for you the best. If you have any queries or suggestions then feel free to drop them in the comments section.

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