New Outlook: Troubleshooting Guide

The "New Outlook" for Windows has had its share of criticisms, and rightly so. Microsoft's rollout of the New Outlook was less than ideal. However, since its release in September 2023, a lot of bugs have been resolved and features added, making it a viable option compared to Classic Outlook. It is quite easy to troubleshoot compared to Classic Outlook because it is essentially a glorified website wrapped in Edge WebView2. Here is how to fix issues with the New Outlook.

Syncing/Sign-In Issues with O365/Microsoft Exchange and IMAP/Pop Email Accounts

If email is not syncing correctly or at all, or if you are experiencing authentication errors, follow these steps to resolve the issue.

Update Microsoft Edge The first step is to confirm that Microsoft Edge is up to date. Since the New Outlook is based on WebView2, it relies on Microsoft Edge updates. Check for updates within the Edge settings, or run a repair of Microsoft Edge via Settings or Control Panel > Programs and Features.

Reset the New Outlook Cache If updating Edge does not resolve the issue, reset the New Outlook cache; this fixes 99% of problems.

Option A (Recommended): Use this batch script to automate the reset process: https://github.com/jaylintech/Reset-New-Outlook. (Note: You will need to add/sign-in to all your email accounts again after running this.)

Option B (Manual): If you prefer not to use the script, you can delete the "EBWebView" folder and the "UserSettings.json" file located in %LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft\Olk. Alternatively, you can simply delete the entire %LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft\Olk folder.

Unlink Accounts If issues persist, unlink any 365 accounts under Access work or school in your Windows settings. Additionally, check Accounts > Your info and remove any accounts listed there if they are present.

Syncing/Sign-in Issues with OAuth Email accounts

The troubleshooting steps that apply to Microsoft 365 and IMAP accounts also work for OAuth accounts. However, accounts using OAuth sometimes persist with issues even after those steps are followed. I have found that even if the authentication tokens are deleted from the PC, syncing issues may remain. I have encountered this with Gmail accounts, and while I have not experienced it with iCloud, I presume this fix may also work for iCloud since it uses the OAuth protocol as well.

If your email is not syncing, follow these steps:

Go to Settings > Accounts > Your Accounts.

Select Manage on your Gmail account.

Click Remove, and ensure you select Remove from all devices (this step is critical).

By choosing "all devices," you properly revoke the OAuth tokens. You will then be able to successfully add the email account back into the New Outlook, and the syncing issues should be resolved.