How to Fix Outlook Not Responding When Printing

Step 1: Remove the OutPrint Configuration File

To delete the OutPrint file, ensure that Outlook is closed. Follow these steps:

• Press Win + R to open the Run dialog.
• Type control folders and hit OK.
• Go to the View tab in the Folder Options window.
• Enable the option to Show hidden files, folders.
• Click Apply and then OK.
• Navigate to C:\Users\%username%\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Outlook using the File Explorer.
• Look for the OutPrint file and delete it.

Pro Tip: If the OutPrint file is missing, you can rename the Outlook folder to Outlook_old to force Outlook to recreate it.

Step 2: Quit and Relaunch Outlook

Sometimes a simple restart can resolve any glitches. Here’s how:

• Close Outlook completely.
• Right-click the Windows button and select Task Manager.
• In the search box, type Outlook to filter running processes.
• Select the Outlook process and click End Task.

Pro Tip: Ensure that no Outlook processes are still running before restarting.

Step 3: Designate Your Main Printer as Default

To minimize printing issues, ensure that your primary printer is set as the default:

• Open Settings on your device.
• Navigate to Devices > Printers & Scanners.
• Find your primary printer and click on it.
• Select the option to Set as default.

Pro Tip: After setting the default printer, try printing again to see if the issue persists.

Step 4: Convert Email Attachments to PDF

If direct printing fails, convert the document to PDF format:

• Open the email with the attachment.
• Select Save As and choose PDF as the format.
• Open the PDF using a PDF processor or a browser.
• Print the document from the PDF viewer.

Pro Tip: Always check if the converted PDF prints without issue before troubleshooting further.

Step 5: Use Outlook on the Web to Print

You can avoid desktop issues by printing through Outlook on the web:

• Open your web browser and navigate to Outlook on the web.
• Log in using your Microsoft account credentials.
• Locate and open the email you need.
• Hover over the attachment and click the Preview option.
• In the preview window, click Print to start printing.

Pro Tip: Using the web version may help confirm if the issue is with the desktop application.

Step 6: Eliminate Additional Printer Conflicts

To prevent printer selection confusion, remove extraneous printers:

• Search for Printers in the Settings search box.
• Open Printers & Scanners.
• Click on each printer in the list and select Remove, keeping only your primary printer.

Pro Tip: Reducing the number of printer options can often simplify the printing process for Outlook.

Why does Outlook freeze when I try to print?

How can I prevent Outlook from freezing while printing?