The best way to send email is via Microsoft Outlook. In this post, we are going to focus on clearing the cache in Outlook. This is important, because the program stores files for easier access, but there might come a time when these same files are the cause of slowdowns.
Deleting the cache also removes auto-complete data among other things, therefore, one should always consider cleaning the cache at least once per month if Outlook is used on the regular. Doing this task is quite simple, at least from our point of view.
But worry not, we will no doubt simplify everything for all to make the guide super easy to understand for even the most novice of readers.
How to clear Outlook cache in Windows 11/10
Here is the procedure to completely delete or clear the Outlook cache files from their location, and reset it. This includes auto-complete data as well as other temporary files.
- Launch Outlook
- Find the Outlook cache location
- Delete cached files in Outlook
- Remove auto-complete cache in Outlook
- Restart Outlook
Find the Outlook cache location
The first step is to find the location of the cache, which is quite easy if you ask us. Before moving forward, please save whatever you’ve been doing, then press the Windows key + R to launch the dialog box.
Copy and paste %localappdata%\Microsoft\Outlook into the field and hit Enter on the keyboard.
Finally, navigate to the folder known as RoamCache to view all the files.
Delete cached files in Outlook
OK, so its time to remove all cache files from Outlook now that we have found the location of these files. To get it done, open the RoamCache folder, select all files from within this folder, then right-click and hit the Delete option.
Alternatively, you could hold the Shift key to select all, then press the Delete key on your keyboard to get rid of the files.
Remove auto-complete cache in Outlook
Sometimes the auto-complete option can be a huge problem, especially when we’ve made simple mistakes and the tool decides to save it. The best option, then, is to clear the auto-complete cache, a task that requires the opening of Outlook itself.
When you open Outlook, click on File, then Options. From there, navigate to the Mail section, and from there, you should see Send Messages. Under that option, click on Empty Auto-Complete List to get rid of everything all at once.
Finally, hit the OK button at the very bottom to complete the task 100 percent.
What happens if I clear my Outlook cache?
When you do this, the temporary files that are required by Microsoft Outlook get deleted. Any corruptions or issues being caused by them also get removed and you start fresh. Removing Outlook cache doesn’t delete emails, contacts, etc.
How to remove Microsoft respects your privacy notice
If you’re getting the “Microsoft respects your privacy” notice whenever you launch Outlook, we suggest following the above guide to get rid of it. The notice should only come up once and then go away forever, but in some cases, this is not the case.
We believe it is being stored in the Outlook cache, and only clearing the cache is the only option to stop it at this time.
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