How to Fix High Memory Usage in New Outlook? – Tips & Solutions
For many users in the constantly changing world of email clients, Microsoft Outlook has been a vital component of business communication. Outlook Classic, the classic desktop program, has been the standard for years because of its extensive feature set, powerful tools, and dependable offline functionality.
However, Microsoft has announced a phased End of Life (EOL) for Outlook Classic, set for Q2 of 2029. As a result, users are gradually transitioning to the New Outlook. Designed to offer enhanced security, seamless cloud integration, and a modern user experience, the New Outlook brings many benefits—but it also introduces some technical challenges, including issues with high memory usage and unexpected restarts.
In this blog, we’ll dive into the role of Outlook Classic, examine the pros and cons of the New Outlook, and provide a detailed comparison of memory usage between the two. Plus, you’ll find practical tips to effectively manage and reduce high RAM usage in Microsoft Outlook to keep your system running smoothly.
Knowing the Real Veteran: A Classic Outlook
The traditional desktop program, Outlook Classic, has been a mainstay of Microsoft Office since 1997. Beyond simple email management, it provides a rich set of utilities, such as sophisticated rules, VBA scripting, plugin support, and facilities for organizing contacts, calendars, and tasks. It developed into a dependable and well-known option for many users throughout time.
However, Outlook Classic began to exhibit various restrictions as technology advanced, posing technical difficulties for users.
| Benefits | Drawbacks |
| Offers features like calendar, email, tasks, contacts, journals, notes, and more | Older versions often suffer from disorganized profiles, resulting in high memory usage and slower performance |
| Provides offline access to mailboxes via PST/OST files | Requires regular system and security updates |
| A user-friendly interface that many users are accustomed to | Overwhelming and outdated for new users due to the sheer number of options |
| Allows extensive personalization of views, settings, and rules | Launch speed decreases as the mailbox file size grows |
| Offers consistent integration with Windows for a reliable experience | Lacks modern AI-driven features like meeting insights and suggested replies found in newer email clients |
New Outlook for the Modern World
The goal of the New Outlook is to provide a cohesive user experience with a modern, streamlined interface that works on both Windows and the web. With its greater connection with Microsoft 365, it offers improved productivity and collaboration tools. High memory use has been noted by numerous users who are switching to or are already using the New Outlook.
This issue shows up as slow system performance, frequent application crashes, sluggish responsiveness, and unexpected restarts brought on by high RAM usage. When the application uses a lot of system resources, these performance issues might have a big effect on productivity.
A Comparison of New Outlook with Outlook Classic High Memory Usage
Outlook Classic is noted for its comparatively constant memory consumption, with an average idle RAM utilization of about 200 MB. Its architecture does not rely substantially on web technologies, which helps to maintain relatively constant memory use, even though it can become resource-intensive with very large mailboxes or many add-ins.
Many users, however, claim that the New Outlook uses a lot more memory. Typically, memory usage is between 600 and 750 MB at baseline, but during periods of high usage, it can rise sharply to 2 GB, 4 GB, or even 7 GB. The main cause of this high memory use problem is that New Outlook depends on WebView2, a tool that incorporates web technologies into the Windows program.
Resolving High Memory Usage Issues with Microsoft Outlook
Try the following useful suggestions to lower resource consumption and boost performance if the New Outlook is using a lot of memory:
- Restart Outlook or your PC, as a simple reboot can clear temporary memory and reset unnecessary memory allocation, helping reduce high memory usage in New Outlook.
- Close any unnecessary applications running in the background to free up system resources and allow Outlook to function more efficiently.
- Delete or archive old and unused emails, attachments, and calendar entries to take full advantage of Outlook’s mailbox cleanup tools and keep your mailbox size manageable.
- Check your internet connection, as poor network stability can cause syncing issues in Outlook, which may lead to excessive memory consumption.
- Regularly update both your operating system and Outlook to ensure you’re using the latest performance and memory optimization improvements provided by Microsoft.
A Trustworthy Fix for Microsoft Outlook’s High Memory Use
CubexSoft OST Converter is a useful and reliable solution for users moving from Outlook (Classic) or experiencing performance problems in the New Outlook due to excessive memory utilization. It allows users to convert OST data into PST format, which can then be imported into any version of Microsoft Outlook. This includes data from out-of-date or inaccessible Outlook profiles.
This application is particularly useful for managing broken, damaged, or orphaned OST files, guaranteeing that crucial information like tasks, calendars, contacts, and emails is accessible and undamaged. Users can avoid data loss due to system instability or memory-related crashes by converting and protecting this data.
Conclusion
The New Outlook high memory usage issue is more than a minor inconvenience; it’s a significant performance hurdle. Users frequently encounter memory usage alerts, sudden memory spikes, sluggish behavior, and unexpected restarts, all of which can disrupt workflow and reduce productivity.
As Microsoft continues to evolve and refine the New Outlook experience, it becomes increasingly important for users to safeguard their data. One effective way to do this is by backing up or converting OST files to PST, ensuring data remains secure and accessible, even in the face of software limitations or instability.
By using a reliable tool like our OST File to PST Converter, users can maintain uninterrupted access to vital emails, contacts, calendars, and other data. It’s a proactive step toward staying productive and protected in an ever-changing Outlook environment.
