Like any other application, Outlook also creates and stores cache files on your computer to speed up its operations. These files help the application to automatically complete certain operations and help to get to the required files faster than if there was no cache. However, sometimes you may need to clear the Outlook cache.
You will want to do this, especially when you notice a degradation in application performance, which is often the result of a large number of cache files created over a period of time. There are ways to delete various Outlook cache files as shown below.
Clear Outlook cache files with File Explorer
Using File Explorer to clear your Outlook cache is one of the easiest ways to accomplish this task. Since cache files are just like any other regular files on your computer, you can go to the folder they are in and get rid of them right away. When this is done, your Outlook cache will be deleted.
- If Outlook is open on your computer, you need to close it before you can delete the cache. Save any work you can do in it and exit the app.
- Press Windows + R at the same time to open the Run window. Enter the following path in the box and press Enter.
% localappdata% Microsoft Outlook
- A folder will open containing your Outlook profile and cache files. You want to find a folder labeled RoamCache and double click on it to open it.
- All the files you currently see on the screen are Outlook cache files. To get rid of these files, select them all by pressing Ctrl + A on your keyboard, right-click any file, and select the Delete option.
- You can empty the Trash to make your files disappear forever.
Although clearing Outlook cache files is usually not a problem, it is recommended that you back them up to a separate folder before deleting them. If something goes wrong, you can restore your files from backups.
Clear individual Outlook cache entries
The above method removes all Outlook cache files from your computer. If you only want to delete certain entries, such as certain email addresses that appear as suggestions, you can do so from within Outlook.
Only the entries that you have selected in the application are deleted.
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- Open the Outlook application on your computer.
- Click the New Email button to open the New Email window. You won’t actually write emails.
- In the To field on the screen, enter the entry that you want to remove from the Outlook cache.
- When an entry appears as a suggestion, hover your mouse over it and you’ll find an X next to the entry. Click this icon and the selected entry will be removed from the Outlook Caching Library.
- If you want to delete more than one entry, you will need to repeat the procedure for each entry.
Clear the Outlook AutoComplete cache
As you write new emails, you may have noticed that Outlook offers you autocomplete for certain things. He can do this because these items are stored in his cache library. However, if you are annoyed by this behavior of Outlook or you just do not want to receive such offers, you can delete this data from the application on your computer.
Disabling and clearing the AutoComplete cache in Outlook is pretty easy.
- Open Outlook on your computer and click the File tab at the top.
- Select Options from the left sidebar on the next screen. It opens the main Outlook settings menu.
- On the left sidebar of the screen, you will see several options. Find the one that says “Mail”, usually the second on the list, and click it to open it.
- Various mail-related options appear in the right pane. Scroll down this panel and find the section labeled Send Messages. Then find the option that says Use AutoComplete List to suggest names as you type To, Cc, and Bcc, and click the Clear AutoComplete List button next to it.
- A prompt will appear on your screen. Click Yes to get rid of the Outlook AutoComplete cache on your computer.
Clear Outlook form cache
If you are using any forms in Outlook on your computer, your computer may also have cache files for those forms. You also need to clear them to completely remove all Outlook cache files.
This can also be done from an application on your computer.
- Start Outlook on your computer, click the File tab at the top and select Options in the left sidebar.
- On the next screen, find the option labeled “Advanced” in the left sidebar and click it.
- Scroll down in the right sidebar until you see the Developers section. Find the Custom Forms button in this section and click on it to open it.
- A new window will open with a couple of buttons. Click the Manage Forms button to continue.
- On the next screen, you will find various buttons. Click on the one that says Clear Cache to delete Outlook Forms cache files. There won’t be any clues or anything like that.
- You can then close open screens when your task is complete.
If you have used any of these methods to clear the Outlook cache on your computer, we would like to know which method you used and why you chose to delete those cache files. Any specific reasons for this? Your response is expected in the comment section below.
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