6 Fixes for “The Operation Failed” Error in Microsoft Outlook for Windows
Pankil is a Civil Engineer turned freelance writer. Since his arrival at Guiding Tech in 2021, he delves into the world of how-tos, and troubleshooting guides for Android, iOS, and Windows. Besides his new-found love for mechanical keyboards, he’s a disciplined footfall fan and loves international travel with his wife.
Fix 1: Open Outlook in Safe Mode
Running Office apps like Outlook in safe mode can help you determine if one of the add-ins is responsible for the issue. To do that, press and hold theCtrlkey on your keyboard and double-click the Outlook shortcut. Then, clickYesto confirm.
After opening Outlook in safe mode, try using it for some time. If it does not show any errors, one of your add-ins may be causing the problem. To identify the culprit, you will need to disable all the add-ins and re-enable them one at a time.
Step 1:In the Outlook app, click theFilemenu at the top.
Step 2:SelectOptionsfrom the left pane.
Step 3:In the Outlook Options window, switch to theAdd-instab. Use the drop-down menu next to Manage to selectCOM Add-insand click theGobutton.
Step 4:Uncheck the boxes to disable add-ins and clickOK.
Restart the Outlook app after this and enable your add-ins one by one. Test the app after enabling each add-in until the error appears again. Once you find the troublesome add-in, consider removing it.
Fix 2: Change the Default Email Format
Does Outlook only show “The operation failed”error when you attempt to send an emailor save it in the draft? If so, try changing the email format to HTML and see if that fixes the problem.
Step 1:Open the Outlook app on your PC and head toFile > Options.
Step 2:In the Outlook Options window, select theMailtab. Click the drop-down menu next toCompose messages in this formatto select HTML and clickOK.
Fix 3: Delete Conflicting Outlook Rules
Outlook rules can help you automate tasks and manage your emails more efficiently. However, if they are not set up correctly, they can create looping scenarios or conflict with each other, resulting in errors. To fix this, you need to delete any Outlook rules that may be causing the error.
Step 1:Open the Outlook app and click theFilemenu in the top left corner.
Step 2:Select theInfotab and click theManage Rules & Alertsbutton.
Step 3:Press and hold theCtrlkey and select the rules you want to remove. Then, click theDeleteoption at the top.
Fix 4: Repair Outlook Data File
Corrupted ordamaged data filescan also lead to issues with your Outlook emails or calendar. You can try running the Outlook Inbox Repair Tool to see if that resolves the issue.
Step 1:Press theWindows key + Ekeyboard shortcut to open File Explorer and navigate to the following folder.
Step 2:Double-click theSCANPST.EXEfile.
Step 3:ClickStartto initiate the scan.
Step 4:If the tool finds any issues, clickRepair.
Fix 5: Create a New Outlook Profile
Your Outlook profile on Windows saves your Outlook settings. If this profile has become corrupted, the Outlook app may misbehave. If the error “The operation failed” occurs due to a corrupted Outlook profile, you will need to create a new Outlook profile.
Step 1:Press theWindows key + Rkeyboard shortcut to open the Run dialog, type incontrol, and pressEnter.
Step 2:Click the view type menu to selectLarge iconsand then click onMail (Microsoft Outlook).
Step 3:Click theShow Profilesbutton.
Step 4:Click onAdd, enter a name for the new profile, and clickOK.
Step 5:In the Add Account window, enter your account details and hitNext.
Step 6:Select your new profile underWhen starting Microsoft Outlookand hitApply.
Fix 6: Run the Office Repair Tool
If Microsoft Outlook still displays the error “The operation failed” at this point, there may be an issue with some of the core app files. Microsoft includes a handy repair tool that automatically identifies and resolves issues with all Office apps, including Outlook. Here’s how to run it.
Step 1:Press theWindows key + Rto open the Run dialog box. In the Open field, typeappwiz.cpland pressEnter.
Step 2:In the Programs and Features window, locate the Microsoft Office suite or Microsoft 365. Right-click on it and selectChange.
Step 3:SelectOnline Repairand click theRepairbutton to continue.
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Last updated on 25 July, 2024
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