How to Clear Your Outlook Cache

Note: This blog was last reviewed 2/2022. We do our best to keep all of our blogs up to date to offer you the best, most accurate guidance possible. If you notice otherwise, please drop a comment so we can update the blog. Thank you!

Everyone loves a speedy email experience, right? Of course. There's nothing worse than watching your email update or waiting for messages to load. Cache files to the rescue! Sort of...Outlook creates and saves cache files to your computer in order to create a speedy service. However, these saved files aren't always speed demons, in fact, sometimes they step on the brakes. How? Read along to find out why you might want to clear your Outlook cache and most importantly, how to do it!

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What is a Cache?

Cache files help Outlook to retrieve files and complete actions quickly. Microsoft Outlook stores files you use so they are easily accessible. Sounds great, right? Mostly. However, just like anything in life, there can be too much of a good thing. If you've noticed a slowdown in your Outlook performance or if old data comes up in autocomplete, it might mean your cache stash is getting a little too large. Time to do some cleanup!

Lucky for you, our BEMO team has the steps to clear it, right here.

Removing the cache in Outlook doesn't delete emails, contacts, or other useful information.

Outlook automatically makes new cache files when you open Outlook.

Need help? Click the chat in the lower right-hand corner of your screen 

If you only want to clear the auto-complete cache, either turn off auto-complete so the cached data doesn't display or delete the auto-complete cache completely.

In the Outlook Options dialog box, select OK.

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Outlook Web App: Deleting an Auto-Complete Address

You've probably noticed the Auto-Complete List while using your Outlook without even giving it much thought. If you want to send an email to Dave (Hey, Dave! 🙋‍♀️), you simply start typing his name. D...A...V...and then ugh! That OTHER Dave keeps popping up. You know, that Dave that you deleted from your Contacts months ago but keeps popping up. So annoying (kind of like THAT Dave), right?!

What's happening? The first time you enter a person’s name when addressing an email, Outlook searches for that person’s address from the contacts list. After the first email is sent to that person, their name will be saved so it can be found quickly the next time you email them. Super helpful! Until the Dave situation. So, sometimes you will have an old email address in the Auto-Complete that you will want to delete. Here's how to do it:

1. Open a new email, and start to type the email address or contact name you would like to delete.
   
   
2. When the email address you want to delete appears in the list, mouse over the address you would like to delete. Click the X button to delete the address.