Outlook is very slow to load; takes long time to start

Outlook is very slow to load; takes long time to start taking a long time to load, it could be because of the UE-V Sync. This process can lengthen the startup time for Outlook, and eventually cause it to time out. To fix this issue, follow the steps below.

Outlook is very slow to load

One by one, follow the methods below and check if the issue gets resolved.

  1. Change User Experience Virtualization (UE-V) Sync Method
  2. Large PST File
  3. Check for non-essential add-ins
  4. Check if App Data folder is redirected to a network location
  5. Windows Search Indexing Outlook
  6. Create a new Outlook profile

One of the reasons Outlook gets slow is because of recent feature updates.

1] Change User Experience Virtualization (UE-V) Sync Method

related Post: Microsoft Outlook stuck on Loading Profile or Processing screen

The Many people who have installed the recent feature update or Microsoft Outlook 2016 CA WinXX.xml UE-V template have discovered that the Sync Method is set to None. This can cause problems if you rely on synchronization between your computer and the UE-V server.

Change Sync method: When none is set as the sync method, Windows ignores the synchronize timeout. This timeout is set to two seconds by default, which results in UE-V timing out after one minute. Change the default sync method to Sync Provider. None is specific to a workstation that has a permanent network connection to the Settings Storage Path, according to Microsoft.

Make changes to the template: Use the Template Catalog path that is defined in the UEV Configuration settings located here:

%ProgramData%\Microsoft\UEV\InboxTemplates\MicrosoftOutlook2016CAWinXX.xml

Change Version to 3 and Asynchronous to true.

We’re sorry, Office 2019 and Office 2016 are no longer available.

2] Large PST File

Outlook stores all the data in large PST files, which can slow down the loading process. In addition, large PST files can increase the time it takes to read, move, and delete email messages. To reduce lag, it is a good idea to delete emails or find a way to split PST files.

3] Check for non-essential add-ins

The majority of add-ins for Outlook load when the program is started. If there are a lot of outdated or unnecessary plugins, it’s a good idea to get rid of them. You can find them in the Office Add-ins section or just click on the Get Add-ins button and switch to the My Add-ins section.

Below is a list of all the available add-ins. If there are any that you don’t use anymore, uninstall them. If you see any that need an update, make sure to do so. Another approach would be to disable all the add-ins and then enable them one by one to find out which one is causing the problem.

4] Check if App Data folder is redirected to a network location

The App Data folder is one place where Outlook stores some data. If App Data is set to a network location and there are network problems, Outlook will take a long time to load. Always set App Data to a local folder on the same computer.

Open Registry Editor by typing Reged it in the Run prompt and pressing Enter.
Please navigate to the following path:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Current Version\Explorer\User Shell Folders

Find the App Data entry and double-click to edit it.
To get the best performance, set it to the following path.

%USERPROFILE%\App Data\Roaming

The next time you open Outlook, it will load faster than before.

5] Windows Search Indexing Outlook

It would be best to make sure the Windows search runs the indexer during off time or keep it running at night, so the indexing completes the job. To check if the indexing is still left follow this process.

  • Open Outlook and click on the Search tab.
  • You can check the indexing status of your search under Options. To do this, click Search Tools, and then select Indexing Status.
  • Use the Indexing Status dialog box to see how many items still need to be indexed.

It should give you a clear idea of how many are left. If there are too many, keep the operation running until it completes.

6] Create a New Outlook Profile

The best idea if nothing else is working is to create a new Outlook profile. If the profile is misconfigured for some reason and you can’t repair it, creating a new one will help.

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