Starting Outlook automatically in Windows 10

Question

How can I get Outlook to start whenever I start my Windows 10 computer?

Answer 1

You should be able to add a link to Outlook in the Startup folder. To open the Startup folder:

Using the Run dialog:

• Bring up Run dialog Win+R

• Type shell:startup

  

Copy the shortcut to Outlook to the Startup folder:

1. Right click on the Outlook shortcut from your start menu
2. Select Open file location
3. Copy the shortcut for Outlook to the Startup folder

Answer 2

On Windows 10: 1. Go to Start 2. Scroll down until you find Outlook 3. Right-click on Outlook 4. Click "More" then click "Go to File Location" 5. Copy the shortcut 6. Past the shortcut into the Startup folder: Users\me\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs 7. That's it.

Answer 3

To build on @Glenn's answer for Win7+Outlook 2010:

As easy as this is supposed to be, I tried various other methods (Windows 7); stupid MS removed the ability to set this from within Outlook (2010); and the shortcuts in Start menu did not have the 'open file location' option, even the one under 'All Programs/MS Office' - it was only after I did a "search" for outlook by clicking Start and typing in search window, that it showed this option ! What a harrowing hour for a measly shortcut !!

Answer 4

On my build of Win 10 the shell:startup shortcut doesn't work and other sites, saying the Start Menu folder was in \users\username\APPDATA\Microsoft ... also wrong. (Edit: Whoops - no idea how I missed it but there IS a "Startup" folder there - but it was pretty much empty. Just one file which was a shortcut to an application I uninstalled a long time ago! So not really helpful!)

I found what looks like the old "all users" start menu in C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu

Still looking for my user one! (But not too hard because I'm the only one that uses this machine so the folder above will do for now!) :)

Answer 5

In order to add any program to startup when Windows starts simply copy the Shortcut to the Startup Folder

Open the command window (Win+R) and enter

%AppData%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup

This will open the Startup location in the File Explorer. Next from the Start Menu right click the program you want to have startup (Outlook in this case) and select More->Open File Location this will open the location of the program Shortcut. Finally copy and paste the shortcut into the Startup Folder.

Copied from Microsoft's article here

Answer 6

You can use this to start Outlook when Windows starts, and even in minimized state:

To successfully configure Outlook to run in a minimized state, all of the following conditions must be true:

• Outlook is currently running.
• Outlook is not configured to open to an Outlook Today view by default.
• Outlook is not maximized.

NOTE: If Outlook is running in a maximized state, right-click the Outlook task on your Windows task bar, and then click Restore.

To create a customized Outlook shortcut, follow these steps:

1. Quit Outlook.
2. Right-click the Outlook icon on the desktop, and then click Create Shortcut.
3. Right-click the shortcut, and then click Properties.
4. On the Shortcut tab, click Minimized in the Run list, click Apply, and then click OK.

To start Outlook in a minimized state when Windows starts, copy the shortcut to the Startup folder and leave a copy on the desktop.

To do this, follow these steps:

1. Right-click the shortcut created in the previous steps, and then click Copy.
2. Right-click Start, and then click Explore, to open Windows Explorer at the Start Menu folder.
3. Click the plus sign next to the Programs folder, and then click the Startup folder.
4. Right-click in the right pane in Windows Explorer, and then click Paste Shortcut. When you restart Windows, Outlook runs in a minimized state.

NOTE: Some Outlook configurations may interrupt running in the minimized state. Outlook may prompt you for a password or for a profile. Once you respond, Outlook is minimized. Reminders for tasks and appointments and the Outlook product banner appear normally.

Source: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/251340/how-to-start-outlook-in-a-minimized-state

And this if you want to minimize it to tray (notification area):

You have to modify the register. After you have created a system restore point, open regedit (Run command) to open the Registry Editor, and navigate to the following key:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\16\Outlook\Preference

(The number 16 may differ depending on your Office version)

In the right pane, give MinToTray DWord (create it if you can't find it, Right click on empty space at right > New DWORD 32bits), a value as follows:

0 : Will minimize Outlook to the Taskbar 1 : Will minimize Outlook to the System Tray

Source: http://www.thewindowsclub.com/minimize-outlook-to-system-tray