Banner Ads - Top            

Using Command line switches

When you're having problems with Outlook you may be told to start Outlook using a specific command line switch. 

To do this:

Close Outlook.

At the Start menu, Run command (or open the Run command by pressing Windows Key (Windows Key icon) + R) type:

Outlook /switch

Then click OK to start Outlook.

This screenshot shows how you enter it, using the /cleanreminders switch as an example.

 

 

 

Occasionally you'll need to use the full path to Outlook, then the command line looks like this:

"C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office11\Outlook.exe" /switch

Notes:

Before using a command line switch, you need to close Outlook and verify it's closed in Task Manager's Processes tab.

Paths that include spaces between words must be enclosed in quotation marks (") and are case sensitive.

If you use Vista or Windows 7, you can type the command line in the Start Search field on the Start menu or type Run to open the Run dialog. The Windows key+R will also open the Run dialog in Windows XP, Vista, and Win7.

You'll need the full path if you  want to create desktop shortcuts using a switch, such as to open Outlook to a specific folder:

"C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office11\Outlook.exe" /select outlook:calendar

 

Some of the more useful switches for beginners include:

/cleanreminders

Clears and regenerates reminders.

/cleanviews

Restores default views. Use with care as all custom views you created are lost.

/nopollmail

Starts Outlook without checking mail at startup.

/nopreview

Starts Outlook with the Reading Pane or Preview pane off (and removes the option from the View menu for Outlook 2002 and older).

/profile profilename

Loads the specified profile. If your profile name contains a space, enclose the profile name in quotation marks.

Using the default profile name Outlook uses when you use the wizard to create a profile:

outlook /profile Outlook

Create desktop shortcuts to load a specific profile (such as when two users share the same Windows logon) - use the following command line in the shortcut, replacing my name with your profile name:

"C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office11\Outlook.exe" /profile "Diane Poremsky"

/profiles

Opens the Choose Profile dialog box regardless of the Options setting on the Tools menu.

/recycle

Starts Outlook using an existing Outlook window, if one exists. Can be used in combination with /explorer or /folder. The Outlook shortcut in the Quick Launch bar uses the /recycle switch.

The following are useful when troubleshooting problems in Outlook:

/safe

Starts Outlook without extensions, Reading Pane, or toolbar customization. Works with all versions.

/safe:1

Starts Outlook with the Reading Pane off. Outlook 2003 only.

/safe:2

Starts Outlook without checking mail at startup. Outlook 2003 only.

/safe:3

Starts Outlook with extensions turned off, but listed in the Add-In Manager. Outlook 2003 only.

/safe:4

Starts Outlook without loading Outcmd.dat (customized toolbars) and *.fav file. Outlook 2003 only.

 

To see all of the command line switches Outlook supports, see Using Command lines

Updated Sunday January 31 2010