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Home » How do I remove Outlook?

How do I remove Outlook?

June 5, 2025 by TinyGrab Team Leave a Comment

Table of Contents

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  • How to Remove Outlook: A Comprehensive Guide
    • Uninstalling Outlook: A Step-by-Step Guide
      • Windows: The Control Panel Tango
      • macOS: Drag and Drop Doesn’t Always Cut It
    • Beyond the Uninstall: The Art of the Clean Sweep
      • Windows: Registry Diving (Use with Caution!)
      • macOS: Deeper Library Dive
    • Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How to Remove Outlook: A Comprehensive Guide

So, you’re looking to banish Outlook from your digital life? Whether it’s a move to a different email client, streamlining your workflow, or just simplifying things, removing Outlook requires a bit of finesse. Don’t worry, it’s not brain surgery, but following the right steps will ensure a clean and painless separation. Here’s the lowdown on how to do it right, covering everything from a simple uninstall to surgically removing every trace.

The short and sweet answer: To remove Outlook completely, you’ll generally need to uninstall it through your operating system’s control panel or settings menu. This process varies slightly depending on whether you’re using Windows or macOS. For Windows, navigate to “Apps & Features” in Settings, locate Outlook, and click “Uninstall.” For macOS, drag the Outlook application from your Applications folder to the Trash and then empty the Trash. However, for a truly complete removal, you may need to remove associated files and registry entries (Windows) or remove related folders from the Library (macOS).

Uninstalling Outlook: A Step-by-Step Guide

The core of removing Outlook lies in the uninstall process. Let’s break it down by operating system.

Windows: The Control Panel Tango

Windows offers a straightforward uninstall process, though it can be a bit hidden.

  1. Close Outlook: Before you begin, ensure Outlook is completely closed. Check the system tray (bottom right of your screen) for the Outlook icon and right-click to exit if necessary. Outlook stubbornly refuses to uninstall if it’s running in the background.
  2. Access Apps & Features: There are several ways to get here. You can search for “Apps & Features” in the Windows search bar, or you can go to “Settings” (Windows key + I), then click on “Apps” and then “Apps & Features.”
  3. Locate Outlook: Scroll through the list of installed applications until you find “Microsoft Outlook” or “Microsoft 365” (if Outlook is part of a larger Office suite).
  4. Uninstall: Click on the entry, and you should see an “Uninstall” button. Click it. You might be prompted to confirm your decision, and you might need administrator privileges.
  5. Follow the prompts: The uninstaller will guide you through the rest of the process. It might ask if you want to remove other Office applications if you’re uninstalling Microsoft 365. Choose carefully if you want to keep Word, Excel, or other programs.
  6. Restart your computer: Once the uninstall is complete, restart your computer to ensure all files are properly removed.

macOS: Drag and Drop Doesn’t Always Cut It

macOS seems simpler, but there’s more to it than meets the eye.

  1. Quit Outlook: Just like with Windows, ensure Outlook is completely closed. Use Command + Q to quit the application or right-click the Outlook icon in the Dock and select “Quit.”
  2. Drag to Trash: Open your Applications folder (Finder > Applications). Locate the Microsoft Outlook icon and drag it to the Trash (or right-click and select “Move to Trash”).
  3. Empty Trash: Right-click the Trash icon in the Dock and select “Empty Trash.” This permanently deletes the application.
  4. Remove Support Files (Important!): This is where it gets interesting. Outlook stores various support files in your Library folder. To access this:
    • Open Finder.
    • Click “Go” in the menu bar.
    • Hold down the “Option” (Alt) key. The “Library” folder will appear. Click it.
  5. Delete related folders: Within the Library folder, look for these folders and delete them (if they exist):
    • ~/Library/Containers/com.microsoft.Outlook
    • ~/Library/Group Containers/UBF8T346G9.Office
    • ~/Library/Application Support/Microsoft/Outlook
    • ~/Library/Preferences/com.microsoft.Outlook.plist (and any other com.microsoft.Outlook.*.plist files)
  6. Restart your computer: Restart to finalize the removal.

Beyond the Uninstall: The Art of the Clean Sweep

Simply uninstalling Outlook usually does the trick, but sometimes remnants linger. These remnants can cause issues if you plan to reinstall Outlook later or if you’re just a stickler for a clean system.

Windows: Registry Diving (Use with Caution!)

Warning: Editing the Windows Registry can be risky. Incorrect modifications can cause system instability. Back up your registry before proceeding!

  1. Open Registry Editor: Press Windows key + R, type regedit, and press Enter.
  2. Navigate to relevant keys: Look for the following keys and delete them if they exist (right-click and select “Delete”):
    • HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftOfficeOutlook
    • HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftOfficeOutlook
  3. Search for remnants: Press Ctrl + F and search for “Outlook.” Carefully review each result before deleting it. Only delete entries that are clearly related to Outlook.
  4. Restart: Restart your computer after making changes to the registry.

macOS: Deeper Library Dive

Even after the initial Library cleanup, some files might remain. Use Finder to search for any files or folders containing “Outlook” and delete them, but exercise caution and only remove files you are certain are related to Outlook.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Here are answers to common questions about removing Outlook, designed to address specific concerns and scenarios:

1. What happens to my email accounts and data when I uninstall Outlook?

Uninstalling Outlook does not automatically delete your email accounts or data stored on the email server. Your emails, contacts, and calendar events will remain accessible through webmail or another email client you configure. However, any data stored locally within Outlook (like archived emails or contacts stored only in Outlook) will be lost if you don’t back it up first. Backup your PST file (Outlook Data File) on Windows before uninstalling.

2. I’m using Microsoft 365. Will uninstalling Outlook affect my other Office apps?

If Outlook is installed as part of a Microsoft 365 suite, uninstalling it might affect other apps. The uninstaller might prompt you to remove the entire suite. If you only want to remove Outlook, look for an option to “customize” the uninstall and deselect Outlook while keeping the other apps installed.

3. How do I back up my Outlook data before uninstalling?

On Windows, Outlook typically stores its data in .pst files. The default location is usually in the DocumentsOutlook Files folder or in the AppDataLocalMicrosoftOutlook folder. Find these .pst files and copy them to a safe location (external drive, cloud storage, etc.). On macOS, Outlook data is stored in the “Outlook 15 Profiles” folder within the Library folder (see instructions above for accessing the Library).

4. Can I reinstall Outlook after uninstalling it?

Yes, absolutely! You can reinstall Outlook at any time, either by downloading it directly from Microsoft’s website or by reinstalling the entire Microsoft 365 suite.

5. I’m having trouble uninstalling Outlook. What could be the problem?

Several things could be preventing the uninstall:

  • Outlook is still running: Double-check the system tray (Windows) or Dock (macOS).
  • Insufficient permissions: Ensure you have administrator privileges.
  • Corrupted installation files: Try running the Microsoft Support and Recovery Assistant (SaRA) tool for Office, which can diagnose and fix common installation issues.
  • Conflicting software: Some security software can interfere with the uninstall process. Temporarily disable your antivirus or firewall to see if that resolves the issue.

6. Will uninstalling Outlook remove my email account from my computer entirely?

No, uninstalling Outlook only removes the application. Your email account is associated with the specific email provider (Gmail, Outlook.com, etc.) and the data remains on their servers. You will simply need to configure another email application or use webmail to access your account.

7. I deleted the Outlook application on macOS, but it’s still showing in the Dock. What do I do?

Sometimes, the Dock doesn’t refresh immediately. Try these steps:

  • Restart the Dock: Open Terminal (Applications > Utilities > Terminal) and type killall Dock and press Enter. The Dock will restart.
  • Manually remove the icon: Right-click the Outlook icon in the Dock and select “Options” > “Remove from Dock.”

8. How do I prevent Outlook from automatically starting when I turn on my computer?

  • Windows: Open Task Manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc), go to the “Startup” tab, find Outlook, and disable it.
  • macOS: Go to System Preferences > Users & Groups > Login Items. Find Outlook in the list and remove it.

9. What are the best alternative email clients to Outlook?

There are many excellent alternatives, depending on your needs:

  • Mozilla Thunderbird: A free and open-source email client with a wide range of features.
  • Gmail (webmail): A popular and feature-rich web-based email service.
  • Apple Mail (macOS): The built-in email client on macOS, known for its simplicity and integration with the Apple ecosystem.
  • ProtonMail: A security-focused email client with end-to-end encryption.

10. Is it safe to delete registry entries related to Outlook?

Deleting registry entries can be risky if you’re not careful. Incorrectly deleting entries can cause system instability. Always back up your registry before making any changes. Only delete entries that are clearly related to Outlook.

11. I can’t find the Library folder on my macOS. How do I access it?

The Library folder is hidden by default. To access it:

  • Open Finder.
  • Click “Go” in the menu bar.
  • Hold down the “Option” (Alt) key. The “Library” folder will appear.

12. After uninstalling Outlook, my computer is still running slowly. Could Outlook be the cause?

Unlikely, but not impossible. While Outlook itself shouldn’t significantly impact performance after uninstallation, residual files or corrupted system files could contribute to slowdowns. Consider running a system cleanup utility or checking your computer’s resource usage to identify potential bottlenecks.

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