Outlook "Can't Open Item" Error? 9 Fixes That Actually Work!

Do you search for a way to fix the “Sorry, we’re having trouble opening this item. This could be temporary, but if you see it again, you might want to restart Outlook” error? When this error occurs, users won’t be able to view or read any item in the Outlook email client. The error message also suggests if you see this issue again, you need to restart your Outlook. This technical blog will explain some helpful solutions that you can implement to fix the “Outlook, sorry we’re having trouble opening this item” error.

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Reasons behind this error:

Users can face this issue if they work with an outdated Outlook client.
When the Outlook profile is damaged or corrupted.
A poor internet connection can also cause this error in Outlook.
This issue can arise if users configure incorrect settings in the Microsoft Outlook program.
Corruption in the Outlook data file (PST) can be one of the reasons behind this Outlook error.
Virus or malware attacks on Outlook cache files can also lead to errors when opening Outlook items.

Ways to resolve the “Outlook, sorry we’re having trouble opening this item” error

This Outlook issue is temporary and can be quickly fixed using a few simple solutions. For this, we have various tricks that users can execute to tackle the “Microsoft Outlook, sorry we’re having trouble opening this item” issue.

1. Restarting Outlook and running it in safe mode:

To tackle this error, restart your Outlook and run it in safe mode. The instructions to run Outlook in safe mode are as follows:

Close Outlook on your device.
Press the Windows + R keys to open the Run box.
Type Outlook.exe /safe in the Run box, click OK, or press Enter.

Now, Outlook will open in safe mode. Here, check if the error in opening Outlook items is resolved.

2. Check Internet Connection:

Ensure you have a proper internet connection, as a bad internet connection can also cause this problem. If you find the internet connection in a good state, proceed further and try the following solution to fix the “Outlook, sorry, we’re having trouble opening this item” error.

3. Repair Microsoft Office on your PC:

The other solution that users can use to resolve the “Outlook, sorry we’re having trouble opening this item” error is repairing Microsoft Office.

Open the Control panel on your device.
Then, click the Programs and Features option.
Look for Microsoft Office in the list and tap on it.
After that, hit the Change button.
Choose the Quick or Online Repair option to your liking and click the Repair button.

4. Change Outlook View Settings:

Improper Outlook view settings need to be reset to fix this issue in the Outlook email client. Let us see how to do it.

Open the Run box by pressing the Windows + R keys.
Enter Outlook.exe /cleanviews in the Run box and click the OK button.
After that, the view settings will be clean.
Again, type Outlook.exe /resetnavpane in the Run box and click OK or press Enter.
Now, the view settings will be reset.
Restart your device and open Outlook.

5. Removing Outlook cache files:

This error can be caused by various Outlook cache files. So, users must delete Outlook cache files to fix it.

Tap the Windows + R keys to open the Run box.
Type %LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft\Outlook\ and click Ok or hit the Enter key.
Then, open the RoamCache folder and delete all cache files.

These steps will help you delete Outlook cache files and fix the “Sorry, we’re having trouble opening this item” error in Outlook.

6. Remove Outlook Faulty Add-Ins:

First of all, find your Outlook has any faulty Add-Ins and remove them to fix this Outlook error.

Open the Outlook client and go to the File tab.
After that, click the Options button.
Now, select the Add-Ins option from the left pane.
Then, find the COM Add-Ins and click the GO button.
Uncheck all Add-Ins and click the Remove button.

That’s how you can delete Outlook faulty Add-Ins and fix the “Sorry, we’re having trouble opening this item’ error in Outlook.

7. Repair Damaged Outlook Profile:

Sometimes, a corrupted or damaged Outlook profile can cause this error. Therefore, users should look into repairing their Outlook profile and fixing the issue.

Open the Control panel on your PC and click the Mail option.
Then, tap E-mail Accounts and choose your email account.
After selecting the account, hit the Repair button.
Go through the repair process, and lastly, click the Finish button.
Open Outlook and see if the issue has been fixed. If the problem persists, kindly create a new Outlook profile to avoid the “Sorry, we’re having trouble opening this item” error.

Create a New Outlook Profile:

Go to the Control panel, go to Mail and click the Show Profiles option.
Tap the Add button, enter a name for the new profile and click the Ok button.
Select the Add account, and provide your email address and password. Then, tap the Next button.
After selecting the new profile, tick the “Always use this profile” or “Prompt for a profile to be used” checkbox and hit the Ok button.
Finally, restart Microsoft Outlook.

8. Update Microsoft Outlook:

This issue might be due to an Outdated Outlook version. Follow the steps below to update the Microsoft Outlook program.

Launch Outlook, move to File, Office Account and click the Update Options.
Select Update Now from the options, and Outlook will start downloading the new version.
Once done, restart Microsoft Outlook and check if the issue has been resolved.

9. Repair corrupted Outlook data file:

Corruption in the Outlook data file or OST file can lead to this issue, and users need to repair the file to get rid of Outlook errors. The Shoviv OST Recovery Tool is the picture-perfect solution that users can use to recover corrupted data from the OST file. After recovering, the users can quickly fix the “Outlook, sorry we’re having trouble opening this item” error. Moreover, this software can add several OST files at once and repair them concurrently.

Users can save the recovered OST file data in PST, EML, MSG, and other file formats.
This software is easy to use; every user can easily handle and recover their Outlook OST file data.
It also allows users to move OST files directly into the Live Exchange Server and Office 365 mailboxes.
This tool keeps the folder hierarchy and meta properties of the OST file data when processing.

Let’s Conclude It!

By executing the above solutions, you can fix the “Sorry, we’re having trouble opening this item. This could be temporary, but if you see it again, you might want to restart Outlook” error. However, if the traditional methods do not work for you, kindly use the Shoviv OST Recovery Tool to fix this error by repairing the OST file data. Also, you can download its free demo version on your system to process the first 50 items from each folder of the OST file to the target.

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Vishesh Kumar

Vishesh Kumar is working as a technical content writer with Shoviv Software. He has a degree in Mass Communication with years of experience in creating engaging and informative content. Vishesh likes looking into a variety of subjects, from technology to lifestyle and making complex topics easy. He keeps updated on the latest on-going trends and enjoys new experiences when not writing.