Right click on the file and choose Properties.Type outlook.exe in the search field or on the Start screen.Open the Start menu (in Windows 8, go to the Start screen).Microsoft Outlook has encountered a problem and needs to close. Contact your administrator if this condition persists. If Outlook is actually buggy, check the compatibility setting.Ĭannot start Microsoft Outlook. If you get any of the following error messages, you may have a compatibility setting checked. Any issues with older versions of Outlook on Windows 7/8 or Vista will not be solved by changing the compatibility mode. It is not necessary – Outlook 2003, 2007, 2010, and 2013 are fully compatible with Windows 7, 8 and Vista and the default compatibility setting (nothing checked) should be used.

When you right click on the application shortcut, one of the options is Troubleshoot compatibility.

I couldn't understand why users were even touching the compatibility mode settings until someone said they ran the Troubleshoot Compatibility utility in Windows and IT made the changes. We're seeing more and more errors caused by compatibility mode.

Optimize for compatibility in outlook