Microsoft confirms Classic Outlook hangs during text copying and provides a workaround

Addressing the Classic Outlook Freezing Issue: What You Need to Know

While many users have welcomed the Classic Outlook app as a favorable alternative to the widely criticized new Outlook for Windows, it is not devoid of flaws. Recently, Microsoft acknowledged a peculiar issue causing the app to freeze during simple operations like copying text. This revelation has left many users frustrated and seeking solutions.

The Bug Explained

In a newly released support document, Microsoft identified that users operating certain versions of Office and specific language settings utilizing an Input Method Editor (IME) may encounter freezes when employing the Ctrl + C shortcut. Currently, the root cause of this anomaly remains unclear as Microsoft continues to investigate the matter.

Workarounds to Restore Functionality

Fortunately, users can implement two effective workarounds to restore functionality in Outlook until an official fix is released. These involve either reverting to an earlier version of the Input Method Editor or downgrading Outlook to a previous build.

Steps to Roll Back Microsoft IME

1. Open the taskbar search box, type Settings, and select it from the results or simply press Enter.
2. In the Settings search box, type IME settings, then select the appropriate IME settings for your language, such as Japanese IME Settings.
3. Navigate to General.
4. Enable the Use previous version of Microsoft IME option.

How to Downgrade Outlook

1. Launch a Command Prompt with Administrator privileges.
2. Enter the following commands into the Command Prompt, pressing Enter after each:

   cd %programfiles%\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\ClickToRun
         officec2rclient.exe /update user updatetoversion=16.0.17928.20156

For additional instructions, refer to the Update history for Microsoft 365 Apps.

Recent Developments

In related news, last month, Microsoft addressed a humorous yet troublesome bug affecting Word, which unintentionally deleted files when users tried to save recent changes. Thankfully, the company quickly remedied this situation with an updated version of their Office applications. As users await a solution for the Outlook freezing issue, it is hoped that a patch will be rolled out shortly.

For further insights and updates regarding this issue, please visit the source.