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When clicking the X button or ALT+F4, how can I get Outlook to minimze to the tray instead of close?

Several programs have this behavior, and it's annoying that Outlook behaves different...

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I'm taking this issue to the next level here: stackoverflow.com/questions/3947038/… – Tom Wijsman Oct 16 '10 at 0:38
Still haven't developed that hook yet, perhaps I could look into writing an Outlook add-in as another option. Other solutions are still welcome though, I seem to become used to minimizing but still closing it instead with hot-keys would take less effort (unless I create one for minimizing)... :) – Tom Wijsman May 5 '11 at 7:13
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9 Answers

up vote 2 down vote accepted

keep outlook plugin worked for me on 64 bit machine, 32 bit outlook 2010. I had to run outlook as administrator to get the add-on to install.

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Will try this later, going with KCotreau's solution for the moment. – Tom Wijsman Jun 15 '11 at 23:14
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up vote 3 down vote

You'll have to use a third party tool like OLKeeper

alt text

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Is there a free alternative to this? :-( – Tom Wijsman Sep 17 '10 at 23:11
I doubt, let me check. – Sathya♦ Sep 17 '10 at 23:28
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Wow, that is so expensive for what it does. – paradroid Oct 4 '10 at 15:01
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up vote 3 down vote

You may use Minime at http://www.saphua.com/minime/minime.aspx. It's free & open source.

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But then opening it takes extra effort... :-( – Tom Wijsman Oct 4 '10 at 14:55
Right & agree! I myself dislike the way Minime to restore the apps. Prefer to see them in system tray - not in Minime menu :) – Nam G. VU Oct 4 '10 at 20:20
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up vote 3 down vote

I wrote a free plugin to minimize outlook instead of closing it. I only have outlook 2007 so that is all it has been tested with.

Anyone who wants to contribute to the project is free to do so

https://sourceforge.net/projects/keepoutlook/

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It worked for me though. Win7 SP1 32 bit + Outlook 2010 32 bit. Also I have checked "Hide When Minimized" options in tray icon. – Anindya Chatterjee Jan 4 at 20:54
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up vote 2 down vote

Hit ALT+Spacebar+N. I do that every day, and it is an easy combination.

This can work with, or without, the "Hide When Minimized" option selected.

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Interesting, I will probably map this under an easier to press combination. Perhaps ALT+F2 for minimize and ALT+F3 for maximize... – Tom Wijsman Jun 15 '11 at 23:15
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up vote 2 down vote

Successfull installation of keepoutlook on Outlook (64-bit, Office Professional 2010) on Windows 7 (64-bit):

  • Install Microsoft Visual C++ 2010 SP1 Redistributable Package (64-bit) (but I had the 32-bit version installed already, so that might be necessary too)
  • Start Outlook as Administrator
  • Go to File -> Options -> Add-Ins
  • At the bottom: Manage [COM-Addins] press [Go...]
  • [Add...] the dll file
  • Restart Outlook as a normal user
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up vote 1 down vote

Works for me in Outlook 2010 just fine on my Windows 7 64bit machine (Outlook 32)

Secret: Install the Microsoft Visual C++ 2010 SP1 Redistributable Package (x86) before you add it to the Trust Center. Once you have done that, it will recognize it. (note I am using 32 bit Outlook in my 64bit Windows 7 machine.)

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/en/details.aspx?FamilyID=c32f406a-f8fc-4164-b6eb-5328b8578f03

Fails on my Outlook 2010 Windows 7 32bit machine (Outlook 32)

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I already have that, and I'm running a 64 bit version. :-( – Tom Wijsman May 10 '11 at 14:50
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up vote 0 down vote

On 2007 and 2010 Outlook if you right click on the icon on the tray when it is open, then select the Hide when minimized option from the menu, that will place it in the tray when it is minimized.

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This question is not about minimizing Outlook, it's about overriding the close behavior to minimize it to the tray... – Tom Wijsman Oct 21 '11 at 0:25
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up vote 0 down vote

With "Hide when minimized" active (not hard to find, just right click on the "O" icon in the tray)

1: Open outlook

2: Minimize outlook

3: Open outlook again (not from the tray, just do it the way you did it in step 1)

You can close that window with alt+f4 or the X or whatever and outlook will still be in the tray.

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That does not mean "Hide when closed". Thus step 2 is invalid and your last sentence is false... – Tom Wijsman Oct 21 '11 at 0:31
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protected by Tom Wijsman Oct 21 '11 at 0:25

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