The genuine outlook.exe file is a software component of Microsoft Office Outlook by Microsoft Corporation. "Outlook.exe" shows how a dangerous worm can use a well-known safe application's name to disguise itself. Although the program files folder, (by default, "C:\Program Files"), starts the path for either the genuine Microsoft Outlook personal information manager application from Microsoft Office or a self-copy dropped by the dangerous W32.Alcra.F worm, the default installation paths for all Outlook versions since Office XP include "\Microsoft Office\Officenn", while the worm uses "C:\Program Files\outlook\outlook.exe". The two-digit "nn" indicator started at "10" for Office XP and increases by 1 for each Office version, (skipping 13), reaching "16" for Office 2016. If installed via Click-to-Run, (available since Office 2010), "\Microsoft Office nn\ClientX64\root\Officenn" is used, (or "\ClientX86\" for 32-bit installations). Microsoft Outlook in business editions of Office can interface with Exchange Server or SharePoint Server when enterprises have these installed, enhancing sharing and collaboration. Consumer editions cannot.
outlook stands for Microsoft Office Outlook
The .exe extension on a filename indicates an executable file. Executable files may in some cases harm your computer. Therefore, please read below to decide for yourself whether the outlook.exe on your computer is a Trojan that you should remove, or whether it is a file belonging to the Windows operating system or to a trusted application.
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Description: Outlook.exe is not essential for the Windows OS and causes relatively few problems. Outlook.exe is located in a subfolder of "C:\Program Files (x86)" (in most cases C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\Office14\).
Known file sizes on Windows 10/11/7 are 13,179,660 bytes (90% of all occurrences), 196,440 bytes and 6 more variants.
It is the Windows Store app Microsoft Office Desktop with the full package name Microsoft.Office.Desktop_8wekyb3d8bbwe.
It is not a Windows core file. The file has a digital signature.
Outlook.exe is able to record keyboard and mouse inputs and monitor applications.
Therefore the technical security rating is 11% dangerous; but you should also compare this rating with the user reviews.
Uninstalling this variant:
You can uninstall Microsoft Office or Microsoft Office Enterprise, update it, or get help from the software vendor. Click on office.microsoft.com/en-us/downloads/ to update it, click on office.microsoft.com/en-us/support/ for support, or click on Microsoft Office or Microsoft Office Enterprise in Windows Control Panel (Software or Programs category) to uninstall it.
External information from Paul Collins: There are different files with the same name:
"outlook" definitely not required. Added by the SDBOT-RU WORM!
"system" definitely not required. Added by the MIMAIL.Q WORM! Note that Microsoft's outlook.exe resides in the Program Files sub-directory wheras this resides in C:\Windows or C:\Winnt
Important: Some malware camouflages itself as outlook.exe, particularly when located in the C:\Windows or C:\Windows\System32 folder. Therefore, you should check the outlook.exe process on your PC to see if it is a threat. We recommend Security Task Manager for verifying your computer's security. This was one of the Top Download Picks of The Washington Post and PC World.
Score
User Comments
Outlook.exe entry point not found in kernel. dll Walid kazzi
mail program part of office 2003
if the error occurs when you are shutting down, its your .pst files. Bryan - (answer 8) (further information)
application error
(Symatec Code: W32.Alcra.F) All Three of You are Incorrect. Outlook.exe, if located in C;/Program Files/outlook, is a worm, and drops a very dangerous and expansive worm along with it. The worm it drops is W32.Spybot.Worm. Visit the link for more details from symatec.com. Jared (further information)
Potentially dangerous suite of backdoors, get thunderbird instead. Cian
its part of office 2003
Program-1/micros-2/office 10/outlook.exe Anne Krueger
Summary: Average user rating of outlook.exe:
based on 21 votes with 9 user comments.
14 users think outlook.exe is essential for Windows or an installed application.
2 users think it's probably harmless.
One user thinks it's neither essential nor dangerous.
One user suspects danger.
3 users think outlook.exe is dangerous and recommend removing it.
4 users don't grade outlook.exe ("not sure about it").
Best practices for resolving outlook issues
A clean and tidy computer is the key requirement for avoiding problems with outlook. This means running a scan for malware, cleaning your hard drive using 1cleanmgr and 2sfc /scannow, 3uninstalling programs that you no longer need, checking for Autostart programs (using 4msconfig) and enabling Windows' 5Automatic Update. Always remember to perform periodic backups, or at least to set restore points.
Should you experience an actual problem, try to recall the last thing you did, or the last thing you installed before the problem appeared for the first time. Use the 6resmon command to identify the processes that are causing your problem. Even for serious problems, rather than reinstalling Windows, you are better off repairing of your installation or executing the 7DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth command. This allows you to repair the operating system without losing data.
To get your computer running as fast as it did on day one, you can 8reset your PC. Your personal files will remain intact, but any programs you installed will need to be reinstalled.
To help you analyze the outlook.exe process on your computer, the following programs have proven to be helpful: ASecurity Task Manager displays all running Windows tasks, including embedded hidden processes, such as keyboard and browser monitoring or Autostart entries. A unique security risk rating indicates the likelihood of the process being potential spyware, malware or a Trojan. A good Bantivirus software detects and removes sleeping spyware, adware, Trojans, keyloggers, malware and trackers from your hard drive.
Score
User Comments
Walid kazzi
Bryan - (answer 8) (further information)
Jared (further information)
Cian
Anne Krueger
(further information)
Summary: Average user rating of outlook.exe: based on 21 votes with 9 user comments. 14 users think outlook.exe is essential for Windows or an installed application. 2 users think it's probably harmless. One user thinks it's neither essential nor dangerous. One user suspects danger. 3 users think outlook.exe is dangerous and recommend removing it. 4 users don't grade outlook.exe ("not sure about it").