Forum Discussion
Outlook office 2021 problem with Windows 11 computer account
Hi
just installed Office 2021 on my wife's PC
Run Outlook classic and it will not run as it wants to use the pst and ost files on a second PC account she has but does not use. If I run as admin it opens with the old PC user ID and runs.
I copied the pst and ost to the new uesr ID but still refuses to run as it wats to use her old ID.
Any ideas gratefully recieved.
1 Reply
1. Restart Outlook
Close Outlook completely (end all Outlook processes via Task Manager)
Re-open for testing
2. Check account status
Open Outlook → File → Account Settings
Check that the account shows "Password Required" or "Disconnected"
Click on "Repair" or retype the password
3. Repair the Office installation
Control Panel → Programs and Features
Find Microsoft Office 2021 → click on "Change"
Select "Quick Fix" → wait for it to finish and restart your computer
4. Rebuild Windows credentials
Open Control Panel → Credentials Manager
Access Windows credentials
Delete all credentials related to Office/Outlook
Restart Outlook and log in again
5. Create a new Outlook Profile
Control Panel → Mail
Click on "Show Profile"
Select "Add" → Create new profile
Re-add mailbox account → Set as default
6. Check the account type
If it is an Exchange account:
Ensure that you are using the "Microsoft Exchange" connection method
It may be necessary to manually configure the server address
If it is IMAP/POP3:
Check if the server settings are correct
7. Windows 11 specific check
System compatibility check
Right-click Start Menu → Settings → System → About
Verify that Windows 11 version is 22H2 or newer
Check for Windows updates to be installed
12. Disable security software for temporary testing
Temporarily disable Windows Defender firewall/third-party antivirus
Testing Whether Outlook can connect properly
13. Completely reinstall Office 2021
Uninstall Office 2021 via Control Panel
Reinstall using installation media or official website
Run as administrator on first startup
