Outlook 365 Outlook



Outlook comes with lots of command line switches and parameters which can be very handy for troubleshooting and (limited) automation.

This guide contains an overview of all available command line switches per Outlook version and how they can be used.

Using command line switches

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You can directly execute command line switches in the following way:

  1. Open the Run command by pressing the Windows Logo + R on your keyboard.
    Alternative ways are:
    • Windows 7
      Open the Start Menu and use the Search field to type in for the next step.
    • Windows 8
      Open the Start Screen and directly start typing. This will automatically open the Search Pane which also allows for commands.
    • Windows 10
      Type in the Search field (Cortana) or open the Start Menu and directly start typing. This will automatically open the Search Pane which also allows for commands.
  2. In the box you opened in step 1, type; outlook.exe
  3. Press the SPACEBAR once, and then type a forward slash mark (/) followed by the switch you want to use (see the list below). For example, if you want to use the CleanReminders switch, the command you type in the Open box should look like this:
    outlook.exe /cleanreminders
  4. To run the command, click OK or press ENTER.


Starting Outlook with the cleanreminders switch in Windows 7.
(note the space in the command above).


Starting Outlook with the cleanreminders switch in Windows 10.

Tool Tip 1
To have easy access to all the “direct start” command line switches (the switches that do not require further variables), you can use HowTo-Outlook’s very own OutlookTools (free).

Tool Tip 2
Need more Outlook management options via the command line? ReliefJet Essentials Pro provides batch script and PowerShell support for over 150 of its utilities related to configuring, reporting, converting and exporting Outlook data.

Creating custom shortcuts with command line switches

You can also create a shortcut which includes one or more switches so you can automate tasks or start Outlook in a certain folder like the Calendar;

  1. Search for the location of outlook.exe:
    • Windows 7
      Open the Start Menu and in the Search field type: outlook.exe
    • Windows 8 and Windows 10
      Open the Start Screen and directly type: outlook.exe
    • All Windows versions
      You can also browse to the path of outlook.exe.
      Examples:
      • Outlook 2010 on a 32-bit version of Windows
        C:Program FilesMicrosoft OfficeOffice14Outlook.exe
      • Outlook 2013 32-bit on a 64-bit version of Windows
        C:Program Files (x86)Microsoft OfficeOffice15Outlook.exe
      • Outlook of Office 365 on any version of WindowsC:Program FilesMicrosoft Officerootoffice16Outlook.exe
  2. Right-click on Outlook.exe, and then on the shortcut menu point to Send To, and then click Desktop (create shortcut).
    • Windows 8 and Windows 10
      Right click on the outlook.exe search result and choose “Open File Location”. This will open a new Explorer window with outlook.exe highlighted. Right click on this file and choose: Send To-> Desktop (create shortcut).
  3. Go to the Desktop (keyboard shortcut Windows+D).
  4. Right-click the shortcut you just created, and from the shortcut menu click Properties.
  5. On the Shortcut tab, locate the Target box. It contains the path for outlook.exe.
  6. Press the SPACEBAR once to type a space after the path, and then type;
    /select outlook:calendar
    The full command should now look like this;
    'C:Program FilesMicrosoft Officerootoffice16Outlook.exe' /select outlook:calendar
  7. Click OK.
  8. On the desktop, double-click the Outlook shortcut you created.


Creating a custom shortcut with the command line to start
Outlook in the Calendar folder (click on the image to enlarge).

Tip 1!
To create a shortcut that creates a new message, follow the above instructions but instead of typing /select outlook:calendar use /c ipm.note.

Tip 2!
You can also create a Send To shortcut for Outlook which has the /a switch. This allows you to select files in Explorer and use the Send To-> Mail Recipient feature to create a new message with the selected files as attachments while also adding your signature and not blocking Outlook. For details see: Send To Mail Recipient in HTML and with Signature.

Command line switches overview

The overview of commands below are taken from various local and on-line help files of all Outlook versions and from KB articles discussing them. In the right column you’ll find to which Outlook version the command applies.

2010
SwitchDescriptionWorks in
/a path:<filename>Creates an item with the specified file as an attachment. Example:
'C:Program Files (x86)Microsoft OfficeOffice14Outlook.exe' /a 'C:My Documentslabels.doc'
If no item type is specified, IPM.Note is assumed. Cannot be used with message classes that aren’t based on Outlook.
2000, 2002/XP, 2003, 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 365
/altvba <otmfilename>Opens the VBA program specified in otmfilename, rather than
%appdata%MicrosoftOutlook
VbaProject.OTM.
2003, 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 365
/autorun macronameOpens Outlook and immediately runs the macro specified in macroname.
(no longer supported after Outlook 2003 SP2)
2003
/c <messageclass>
Creates a new item of the specified message class (Outlook forms or any other valid MAPI form).Examples:
  • /c ipm.activity
    creates a Journal entry
  • /c ipm.appointment
    creates an appointment
  • /c ipm.contact
    creates a contact
  • /c ipm.note
    creates an e-mail message
  • /c ipm.stickynote
    creates a note
  • /c ipm.task
    creates a task
2002/XP, 2003, 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 365
/checkclientPrompts for the default manager of e-mail, news, and contacts.2000, 2002/XP, 2003, 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 365
/cleanautocompletecacheRemoves all names and e-mail addresses from the AutoComplete list.2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 365
/cleancategoriesDeletes any custom category names that you have created. Restores categories to the default names.2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 365
/cleanclientrulesStarts Outlook and deletes client-based rules.2003, 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 365
/cleanconvongoingactionsDeletes the Conversations Actions Table (CAT). CAT entries for a conversation thread usually expire 30 days after no activity. The command-line switch clears all conversation tagging, ignore, and moving rules immediately stopping any additional actions.2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 365
/cleandmrecordsDeletes the logging records saved when a manager or a delegate declines a meeting.2003, 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 365
/cleanfindersRemoves Search Folders from the Microsoft Exchange server store.2000, 2002/XP, 2003, 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 365
/cleanfreebusyClears and regenerates free/busy information. This switch can only be used when you are able to connect to your Microsoft Exchange server.2000, 2002/XP, 2003, 2007, 2010
/cleanfromaddressRemoves all manually added From entries from the profile.2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 365
/cleanipsRestores receival of new messages in Exchange Cached mode (KB968773)2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 365
/cleanmailtipcacheRemoves all MailTips from the cache.2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 365
/cleanprofileRemoves invalid profile keys and recreates default registry keys where applicable.2003, 2007
/cleanpstLaunches Outlook with a clean Personal Folders file (.pst)2003
/cleanremindersClears and regenerates reminders.2000, 2002/XP, 2003, 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 365
/cleanroamedprefsAll previous roamed preferences are deleted and copied again from the local settings on the computer where this switch is used. This includes the roaming settings for reminders, free/busy grid, working hours, calendar publishing, and RSS rules.2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 365
/cleanrulesStarts Outlook and deletes client- and server-based rules.2003, 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 365
/cleanschedplusDeletes all Schedule+ data (free/busy, permissions, and .cal file) from the server and enables the free/busy information from the Outlook Calendar to be used and viewed by all Schedule+ 1.0 users.2000, 2002/XP, 2003
/cleanserverrulesStarts Outlook and deletes server-based rules.2003, 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 365
/cleansharingRemoves all RSS, Internet Calendar, and SharePoint subscriptions from Account Settings, but leaves all the previously downloaded content on your computer. This is useful if you cannot delete one of these subscriptions within Outlook 2010.2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 365
/cleansniffForce Outlook to reset the Sniffer Lock value to the computer on which the switch is used. The Sniffer Lock determines which of your computers processes the meeting items when you run Outlook on multiple computers a the same time. The lockout process helps prevent duplicate reminder messages.2003, 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 365
/cleansubscriptionsDeletes the subscription messages and properties for subscription features.2003, 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 365
/cleanweatherRemoves city locations added to the Weather Bar.2013, 2016, 2019, 365
/cleanviewsRestores default views. All custom views you created are lost.2000, 2002/XP, 2003, 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 365
/designerStarts Outlook without figuring out if Outlook should be the default client in the first run.2003
/embedding <msgfilename>Opens the specified message file (.msg) as an OLE embedding. Also used without command-line parameters for standard OLE co-create.2002/XP, 2003, 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 365
/explorerOpens the new window in “explorer” mode (link bar on).2000, 2002/XP, 2003, 2007
/f <msgfilename>Opens the specified message file (.msg) or Microsoft Office saved search (.oss).
(Support for oss-files has been dropped since Outlook 2003 SP2 due to security restrictions)
2002/XP, 2003, 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 365
/finderOpens the Advanced Find dialog box.2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 365
/firstrunStarts Outlook as if it were run for the first time.2003, 2007
/folderOpens a new window in “folder” mode (Navigation Pane off).2000, 2002/XP, 2003, 2007
/hol <holfilename.hol>Opens the specified .hol file.2003, 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 365
/ical <icsfilename>Opens the specified .ics file.2003, 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 365
/importNK2Imports the contents of an .nk2 file which contains the nickname list used by both the automatic name checking and Auto-Complete features. See: Import contacts from an nk2-file2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 365
/importprf path:<filename.prf>Launches Outlook and opens/imports the defined MAPI profile (*.prf). If Outlook is already open, queues the profile to be imported on the next clean launch.2002/XP, 2003, 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 365
/l <olkfilename>Opens the specified .olk file.2003
/launchtraininghelp assetidOpens a Help window with the Help topic specified in assetid.2003, 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 365
/m emailnameProvides a way for the user to add an e-mail name to the item. Only works in conjunction with the /c command-line parameter.
Example:
outlook.exe /c ipm.note /m emailname
2003, 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 365
/manageprofilesOpens the Mail Setup dialog to manage your Mail Profile and account settings outside of Outlook.2016, 2019, 365 (Build 1806 and later)
/nocustomizeStarts Outlook without loading outcmd.dat (customized toolbars) and *.fav file.2003, 2007
/noextensionsStarts Outlook with extensions turned off, but listed in the Add-In Manager.2003, 2007
/nopollmailStarts Outlook without checking mail at startup.2003
/nopreviewStarts Outlook with the Reading Pane off and removes the option from the View menu.2000, 2002/XP, 2003, 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 365
/p <msgfilename>Prints the specified message (.msg).
Prior to Outlook 2007, this does not work with HTML messages.
2002/XP, 2003, 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 365
/pim <profilename>Creates a new Mail Profile with the specified name but without an email account.
See: Using Outlook without an email account.
2016, 2019, 365
/profile <profilename>Loads the specified profile. If your profile name contains a space, enclose the profile name in quotation marks (“).2002/XP, 2003, 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 365
/profilesOpens the Choose Profile dialog box regardless of the Options setting on the Tools menu.2002/XP, 2003, 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 365
/promptimportprf path:<filename.prf>Same as /importprf except a prompt appears and the user can cancel the import.2002/XP, 2003, 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 365
/recycleStarts Outlook using an existing Outlook window, if one exists. Used in combination with /explorer or /folder.2000, 2002/XP, 2003, 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 365
/regserverRewrites all Outlook specific registry keys and re-associates file extensions without having to reinstall Outlook or run setup with the /y switch. The settings are stored in the Outlook.srg file located in the same folder as the Outlook program.2000, 2002/XP
/remigratecategoriesStarts Outlook and and initiates the following commands on the default mailbox:
  • Upgrades colored For Follow Up flags to Office Outlook 2007 color categories.
  • Upgrades calendar labels to Office Outlook 2007 color categories.
  • Adds all categories used on non-mail items into the Master Category List.

Auto tune download vs device. Note: This is the same command as Upgrade to Color Categories in each Outlook mailbox properties dialog box.

2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 365
/remigrateconversations2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 365
/resetfoldernamesResets default folder names (such as Inbox or Sent Items) to default names in the current Office user interface language.For example, if you first connect to your mailbox Outlook using a Russian user interface, the Russian default folder names cannot be renamed. To change the default folder names to another language such as Japanese or English, you can use this switch to reset the default folder names after changing the user interface language or installing a different language version of Outlook.2002/XP, 2003, 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 365
/resetfoldersRestores missing folders for the default delivery location.2000, 2002/XP, 2003, 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 365
/resetformregionsEmpties the form regions cache and reloads the form region definitions from the Windows registry.2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 365
/resetoutlookbarRebuilds the Outlook Bar.2000, 2002/XP
/resetnavpaneClears and regenerates the Navigation Pane for the current profile.2003, 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 365
/resetquickstepsRestores the default Quick Steps. All user-created Quick Steps are deleted.2010, 2013, 2016
/resetsearchcriteriaResets all Instant Search criteria so that the default set of criteria is shown in each module.2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 365
/resetsharedfoldersRemoves all shared folders from the Navigation Pane.2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 365
/resettodobarClears and regenerates the To-Do Bar task list for the current profile. The To-Do Bar search folder is deleted and re-created.2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 365
/restoreAttempts to open the same profile and folders that were open prior to an abnormal Outlook shutdown.2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 365
/rpcdiagOpens Outlook and displays the remote procedure call (RPC) connection status dialog.2003, 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 365
/rununittests2013, 2016, 2019, 365
/s <filename>Loads the specified shortcuts file (.fav).2002/XP, 2003
/safeStarts Outlook without extensions, Reading Pane, or toolbar customization.2000, 2002/XP, 2003, 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 365
/safe:1Starts Outlook with the Reading Pane off.2003, 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 365
/safe:2Starts Outlook without checking mail at startup.2003
/safe:3Starts Outlook with extensions turned off, but listed in the Add-In Manager.2003, 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 365
/safe:4Starts Outlook without loading Outcmd.dat (customized toolbars) and *.fav file.2003, 2007
/select foldernameStarts Outlook and opens the specified folder in a new window. For example, to open Outlook and display the default calendar use:
'C:Program Files (x86)Microsoft OfficeOffice14Outlook.exe' /select outlook:calendar
2002/XP, 2003, 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 365
/share feed://URL/filename
/sharestssync://URL
/shareweb://URL/filename
Specifies a sharing URL to connect to Outlook. For example, use stssync://URL to connect a Microsoft Windows SharePoint Services 3.0 list to Outlook.2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 365
/sniffStarts Outlook and forces a detection of new meeting requests in the Inbox, and then adds them to the calendar.2003, 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 365
/t <oftfilename>Opens the specified .oft file.2003, 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 365
/unregserverDeletes all registry keys and file associations for Outlook. Its actions are based on the Outlook.srg file located in the same folder as the Outlook application. Use the /regserver switch to rewrite the registry keys and file associations after using this switch.2000, 2002/XP
/v <vcffilename>Opens the specified .vcf file.2003, 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 365
/vcal <vcsfilename>Opens the specified .vcs file.2003, 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 365
/x <xnkfilename>Opens the specified .xnk file.2003, 2007
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Important

Effective October 1 2020, the legacy Dynamics 365 for Outlook (also referred to as Outlook COM add-in) is retired. Customers must transition to the modern Dynamics 365 App for Outlook at the earliest. Microsoft will not provide support or any further updates (including security and critical updates) to the Outlook COM Add-in.

Starting December 4, 2020 the legacy Dynamics 365 for Outlook (also referred to as Outlook COM add-in) will be removed and users will no longer be able to use Outlook COM add-in. This removal will happen by geographic location and follows the weekly release schedule.

For more information and steps to make a smooth transition, download Dynamics 365 for Outlook (COM add-in) Playbook.

  • For December 2016 Update for Dynamics 365 (online and on-premises) and later releases, the preferred way to use Microsoft Dynamics 365 together with Outlook is to use Dynamics 365 App for Outlook, a Microsoft Office add-in. More information: Dynamics 365 App for Outlook User's Guide.
  • Configuring Dynamics 365 App for Outlook and Dynamics 365 for Outlook for the same Dynamics 365 user is not supported.
  • When using Dynamics 365 online for Outlook version 9.0 in offline mode, attachments to synchronized records will not be available in offline mode. If there is an attachment to a record, the attachment will only be available when you are back online. If you added an attachment to a record in offline mode, the attachment will be synchronized to the server when you are back online. To use attachments in offline mode, consider saving the attachment your device.
  • The offline capability in Dynamics 365 for Outlook version 9.0 isn't available in Dynamics 365 Customer Engagement (on-premises).

Dynamics 365 for Outlook is retired and removed

Starting December 4, 2020 the legacy Dynamics 365 for Outlook (also referred to as Outlook COM add-in) will be removed and users will no longer be able to use Outlook COM add-in. This removal will happen by geographic location and follows the weekly release schedule.

Once the service is removed, users need to manually uninstall the add-in. Users will be able to launch the Outlook COM add-in, however none of any features will work.

Existing Outlook COM add-in users will experience the following behavior:

Outlook 365 Outlook 2016

  • Dynamics 365 ribbon is disabled.

  • Dynamics 365 org folders show empty pages.

  • You’ll not be able configure new mailboxes in Outlook COM add-in. Adding a Dynamics 365 Organization will show the below message:

Privacy notices

To use Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Outlook, you are required to sign in by using your credentials (an email address and password). You may choose to save this information locally so that you are not prompted for your credentials each time you open Outlook. If you do choose to save this information locally, Dynamics 365 for Outlook will automatically connect to Microsoft Dynamics 365 (online) every time you open Outlook.

After the first time you sign in and use Dynamics 365 for Outlook, the connection between your computer and Dynamics 365 (online) will always be open when you have access to the Internet. You may choose to turn off the connection between your computer and Dynamics 365 only by using a configuration setting, but if you do turn off the connection, Dynamics 365 for Outlook may exhibit decreased performance.

If you use Dynamics 365 for Outlook to track email, the email thread will be visible to users in your organization who have permission to view it.

For every email you receive, Dynamics 365 for Outlook will send Dynamics 365 (online) the sender’s email address, the recipient’s email address, and the subject line of the message. This allows Dynamics 365 (online) to validate whether or not a particular mail should be stored by the Dynamics 365 (online) service. When you track an item, a copy of that item will be maintained by the Dynamics 365 service and will be visible to other users in your organization who have the appropriate permissions. When you untrack an item, that copy is automatically deleted from Dynamics 365 (online) only if you own the item.

If you use Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Outlook, when you go offline, a copy of the data you are working on is created and stored on your local computer. The data is transferred from Dynamics 365 (online) to your computer by using a secure connection, and a link is maintained between the local copy and Dynamics 365 Online. The next time you sign in to Dynamics 365 (online), the local data will be synchronized with Dynamics 365 (online).

An administrator determines whether or not an organization’s users are permitted to go offline with Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Outlook by using security roles.

Users and administrators can configure which entities are downloaded via Offline Sync by using the Sync Filters setting in the Options dialog box. Alternatively, users and Administrators can configure which fields are downloaded (and uploaded) by using Advanced Options in the Sync Filters dialog box.

If you use Dynamics 365 (online), when you use the Sync to Outlook feature, the Dynamics 365 data you are syncing is “exported” to Outlook. A link is maintained between the information in Outlook and the information in Dynamics 365 (online) to ensure that the information remains current between the two. Outlook Sync downloads only the relevant Dynamics 365 record IDs to use when a user attempts to track and set regarding an Outlook item. The company data is not stored on the device.

365

An administrator determines whether your organization’s users are permitted to sync Dynamics 365 data to Outlook by using security roles.

Outlook 365 Outlook Owa

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