73

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...

3
  • I'm taking this issue to the next level here: stackoverflow.com/questions/3947038/… Oct 16, 2010 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)... :) May 5, 2011 at 7:13
  • Tom, please see meta.superuser.com/questions/6723
    – Karan
    May 2, 2013 at 15:17

9 Answers 9

76

I wrote a free plugin to minimize outlook instead of closing it. I only have outlook 2007 (works on 2010/2013 version as well) 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/

Installation

  1. Install Microsoft Visual C++ 2010 SP1 Redistributable Package 32-bit and 64-bit (both required for x64 Windows)
  2. Download KeepOutlookRunning.dll
  3. Start Outlook as Administrator (right click on it in Start Menu)
  4. Go to File -> Options -> Add-Ins
  5. At the bottom: Manage [COM-Addins] press [Go...]
  6. [Add...] the KeepOutlookRunning.dll file downloaded in step 2
  7. Restart Outlook as a normal user
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  • 6
  • 2
    It worked for me though. Win7 SP1 32 bit + Outlook 2010 32 bit. Also I have checked "Hide When Minimized" options in tray icon. Jan 4, 2012 at 20:54
  • 2
    @TomWijsman, If I install the 32bit Visual C++ 2010 SP1 Redistributable package I don't get that error but it just returns to the dialog without adding it. I'm running 64bit.
    – Sam Hasler
    Jun 26, 2012 at 16:21
  • 6
    I know this is old, but it still works for Outlook 2016 x32 (Windows 10 Pro x64) and it also works for Outlook 2016 x64. Just make sure to use the 64-bit version of this add-in.
    – jgawrych
    Feb 14, 2016 at 23:57
  • 4
    Still works on Outlook 365. Let's hope MS builds this into Outlook before breaking the legacy add-in API.
    – SE is dead
    Oct 2, 2019 at 3:38
12

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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  • 5
    That does not mean "Hide when closed". Thus step 2 is invalid and your last sentence is false... Oct 21, 2011 at 0:31
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    Well, @Tom, after all these steps, it WILL be hidden on close. This solution works well for me, it is exactly what I wanted. Jun 21, 2012 at 12:55
  • 8
    @Shedal: This clearly reads hide when minimized and does not work when closing it. Jun 21, 2012 at 22:00
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    @Shedal This doesn't really allow Outlook to close to the tray, just keeps an extra copy running in the background. Hence, not really what the OP was after.
    – Hannele
    Jul 30, 2012 at 15:30
  • 1
    I prefer this one rather than installing any extra addins
    – Nam G VU
    Aug 15, 2013 at 5:20
6

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.

2
  • Interesting, I will probably map this under an easier to press combination. Perhaps ALT+F2 for minimize and ALT+F3 for maximize... Jun 15, 2011 at 23:15
  • 4
    Or Windows Key + Down Arrow under Windows 7. If it is Maximized, this will first Normalize it, second press Minimizes it. I keep my window Normalized but stretched right to the edges. Jul 5, 2013 at 18:30
2

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

alt text

5
  • Is there a free alternative to this? :-( Sep 17, 2010 at 23:11
  • I doubt, let me check.
    – Sathyajith Bhat
    Sep 17, 2010 at 23:28
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    Wow, that is so expensive for what it does.
    – paradroid
    Oct 4, 2010 at 15:01
  • 2
    Why pay for what you get with KeepOutlookRunning (Accepted answer) for free - which works with Outlook 2013? A menu to change the some minor options vs KORs lack of options... maybe worth a couple bucks, but 60?
    – WernerCD
    Feb 18, 2015 at 17:35
  • $59 just for this? Either me or the author is insane.
    – boris1993
    Mar 21, 2023 at 16:41
2

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

2
  • But then opening it takes extra effort... :-( Oct 4, 2010 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, 2010 at 20:20
1

Another two week trial add-in that does that (and more) is Quick Tweaks for Outlook. Just set the Minimize Outlook on close option. It is small and doesn't require any additional software/runtimes.

Please note that I recommend this add-in because I'm one of its developers.

2
  • Finally a solution for the Outlook in 2017
    – Varon
    Apr 11, 2017 at 23:37
  • 2
    Does not look free to me Apr 22, 2020 at 12:58
1

I didn't have administrator access on my work computer, so I needed to create a way to install Tim Eck's add-in without administrator privileges.

I took Tim Eck's answer here and created an installer for it that:

  1. Does not require administrator privileges
  2. Installs it in Outlook without having to use Outlook to install it

You can download it here: https://github.com/theduffster/KeepOutlookRunning/releases/tag/zip-release

Instructions to Install are:

  1. Extract contents of "KeepOutlookRunning.zip" anywhere
  2. CD to folder containing the contents you just extracted
  3. Run InstallKeepOutlookRunning.bat if you are running a 32 bit version of Outlook. Run InstallKeepOutlookRunning-64bit.bat if you are running a 64 bit version of Outlook
  4. Restart Outlook

Note: You may have to change some of the paths in the .reg file depending on your version of outlook

Hopefully this will also help those who are having trouble installing Eck's add-in even with administrator privileges

Full Credits and more Details here: https://github.com/theduffster/KeepOutlookRunning

0

If the Alt + spacebar + N doesn't work for your keyboard layout (turned out not to work with mine - Polish Programmer), try:

Alt + spacebar + M

0

I totally free and reliable option is the Autohotkey.

Here there script that also restores outlook when #o is pressed. First, you have to set the option in outlook setting to minimize on tray.

#IfWinActive, ahk_exe olk.exe
^F4::
WinMinimize, A
return
!F4::
WinMinimize, A
return
#IfWinActive
#If WinExist("ahk_exe olk.exe")
#o::
WinActivate, ahk_exe olk.exe
WinMaximize, ahk_exe olk.exe
return
#If

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