Does your Outlook freezes when sending email? Don’t worry, you’re not alone! Numerous users across the world experience Outlook hanging, becoming unresponsive, or lagging while sending emails or even while working normally. Therefore, in this guide, we will discuss the top reasons that trigger this issue and how to fix the “Outlook not responding while sending email messages” error using both manual and automated solutions effectively.

Why Does Outlook Freezes When Sending Email?

Before knowing the solutions, let’s first understand what several reasons cause the Outlook to hang or stop:

  1. Update your Outlook or Windows: if you’re using an outdated version, then it might not be compatible with new settings, thus creates a performance problem.
  2. Corrupt Data Files: If someone has oversized or damaged files, it will lead to errors in the performance of Outlook.
  3. Add-in Conflicts: If you’ve added or enabled any third-party plugin, then it may interfere with Outlook’s functionality.
  4. Damaged Profile: Any Outlook profile gets corrupted then which results in an error of Outlook not responding when sending emails.
  5. Unstable Internet Connectivity: A Weak network connection can also cause Outlook hangs when sending emails.
  6. Antivirus Interference: Any firewall or security apps may block or stop the responding emails.
  7. Large Mailbox Size: Yes, large Outlook mailbox size is another cause of this error.
  8. Large Attachments: Oversized attached files may cause delays or cause Outlook keeps freezing when sending emails.

You can fix these problems on by own or use these Quick solutions.

Instant Ways You Should Try

Here are some easy steps that you can use to solve “Outlook not responding” issue:

  • Share your email in Outlook’s safe mode (Outlook.exe).
  • Restart Outlook & your computer system.
  • Check your internet connectivity.
  • Turn off all the third-party add-ins to check if your Outlook works correctly.
  • Remove large attachments and try to send smaller files.

If this doesn’t work or you are unable to solve your issues properly, then try these troubleshooting methods.

8 Effective Solutions to Resolve Outlook Freezes When Sending Email

Now, let us move further in the article and explain each of these solutions in detail so you could choose whichever option best fits your requirements.

Repair Outlook Files

The main reason why your Outlook not responding when sending email is that your data file has been severely damaged. You can use the steps to repair by using ScanPST.exe (It’s the built-in Inbox Repair Tool).

  1. Quit your Outlook fully.
  2. Search for ScanPST.exe, which is usually in the installation folder.
  3. Launch the utility and uplaod your files.
  4. Press Start Button to detect the errors and repair them.

Note: If your Outlook file is large in size and gets corrupted, then it might not work. In that case, you can repair Outlook PST files without ScanPST, which ensures to repair your data is completely repaired.

Fix Outlook Not Responding by Updating Outlook & Windows

If you’re working on a outdated version of windows as well as your Outlook, then probably your Outlook freezes when sending emails. Here’s how you fix it:

  1. Navigate to File > Office Account > Update Option > Update Now.
  2. Make sure that your windows is updated before doing this step.

Reduce Attachments & Mailbox Size

Outlook running slow when sending emails issue appears when your mailbox with multiple unwanted or duplicated emails plays a crucial role.

Recommended: Use tools like SysTools Outlook Duplicate Remover, which can easily remove all redundant emails and ensure your mailbox is clutter-free.

Make A Fresh MS Outlook Profile

A damage Outlook account also target Outlook not responding issue when sending emails. Try to make new one which can seamlessly solve your issue.

  1. Run the Control Panel > Mail > Show Profile.
  2. Tap on Add and make a new profile.
  3. Configure your email again in new profile.

Turn Off Any Third-Party Add-ins

Remove & disable all the third-party add-ins, as they may cause Outlook freezes when sending emails. Here’s how to do it:

  1. Launch MS Outlook in safe mode. (outlook.exe / safe).

    safe

  2. Nav to File > Options > Add-ins.
  3. Choose COM Add-ins > Go.

    go

  4. Uncheck your important Add-ins and start Outlook again.

Check Network & Server Connection

If your internet connection is not stable, then there could be a chance that Outlook freezes when sending email.

  • Ensure your internet service provider (ISP) has no server issues.
  • Also, check your Outlook server settings of IMAP/SMTP for reliability.

Adjust Firewall & Antivirus to Fix Outlook Not Responding Issue

Sometimes, these antivirus or security apps might block or restrict the outgoing connectivity. Here’s how you can fix it.

  • Disable the antivirus for a short time period and and send the email again.
  • Whitelist Outlook in your selected antivirus system.
  • Check if it’s solved; if not, adjust the Security Settings according to yourself.

Oversized PST File Size

Large mailbox size is a common issue of Outlook not responding when sending email error. First, check Outlook mailbox size by choosing “File” tab >> “Info” >> “Mailbox Cleanup” >> “View Mailbox Size” and analyze the size.

If it’s full then delete unwanted data and clean your Trash and Spam folder. If you don’t want delete anything and wants to minimize your Outlook mailbox size, then download the SysTools PST Splitter Tool. It helps to divide your large PST file into smaller manageable parts by size, folder, year, date, email id, category, sender and subject.

This software is suitable for ANSI and UNICODE PST files exported from any Outlook version including corrupt, inaccessible and orphan files. Use free demo version to split limited data.

Expert Recommendation When Outlook Hangs When Sending Email Messages

If none of the above solutions can solve your issues, it means your data files are damaged. Microsoft offers built-in tool to repair only minorly damaged files. We recommend use SysTools PST Repair Tool, which effectively repairs your Outlook files and makes them free from corruption, supports both Windows & Mac.



In case, MS Outlook also creates OST file when connects with IMAP, or Exchange Account. In case, your OST file is damaged then use SysTools OST Recovery Tool. It helps to extract complete data from corrupt file into healthy format including emails, contacts, calendars, notes, journals, and deleted items. It works with inaccessible, damaged and orphan OST files easily.

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In such cases, this aforementioned tool comes in work as it can restore all the mailbox items, which include email, contacts, & other attachments while maintaining the data-structured folder intact. This efficiently fixes the “Outlook freezes when sending email” error.

Preventive Measures to Keep in Mind for Smooth Outlook Performance

Here are some extra beneficial measures which can help you avoid such errors:

  • Always keep your system as well as Outlook up to date.
  • Regularly scans your files for corruption.
  • Preferably, do not attach large files or for sharing can just use Google Drive.
  • Clean up your Outlook mailbox by using the archive method.
  • Always & only use reliable, secure add-ins to avoid issues.

Conclusion

Facing this “Outlook keeps freezing when sending email” issue is very frustrating. However, you can use these best troubleshooting steps to solve your errors efficiently. In this article, we’ve covered many fixes which will surely help to get rid of these problems. For severe damages, we suggest using an alternative software which ensures your Outlook remains responsive quickly, efficiently and reliably.