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Quick Answer

Start a new email, begin typing the incorrect name, and when the suggestion pops up, click the small X next to the name to delete it from the cache.

How to Fix Outlook AutoComplete Not Working or Suggesting Wrong Emails ​

Estimated Time to Fix: 3 minutes

Applies to: Microsoft 365, Outlook (Classic and New)
Article Type: Troubleshooting
Last Updated: 2026-07-20

Summary ​

This article guides you through fixing Outlook's AutoComplete list when it fails to suggest email addresses or suggests incorrect ones.

Symptoms ​

  • When you start typing an email address in the To, Cc, or Bcc fields, Outlook doesn't suggest any names.
  • Outlook suggests outdated or incorrect email addresses for people you email frequently.

Prerequisites ​

  • None required.

Instructions ​

1. Remove an Incorrect Suggestion ​

  1. Open Outlook and start a New Email.
  2. Begin typing the name or email address of the person in the To field.
  3. When the incorrect suggestion appears in the dropdown list, hover your mouse over it.
  4. Click the X icon next to the suggestion to remove it.
  5. Type the correct email address manually and send the email. Outlook will remember the correct one next time.

2. Enable the AutoComplete Feature ​

  1. Open Outlook and click on File in the top left corner.
  2. Click Options at the bottom left.
  3. Select Mail from the left menu.
  4. Scroll down to the Send messages section.
  5. Check the box for Use Auto-Complete List to suggest names when typing in the To, Cc, and Bcc lines.
  6. Click OK to save your changes.

3. Clear the Entire AutoComplete List ​

  1. Open Outlook and navigate to File > Options > Mail.
  2. Scroll down to the Send messages section.
  3. Click the Empty Auto-Complete List button.
  4. Click Yes to confirm. (Note: This will erase all saved suggestions. Outlook will rebuild the list as you send new emails).

4. Verify Success ​

  1. Start a new email and type a recipient's name. The correct suggestion should appear (or no suggestion if you cleared the list).

Troubleshooting ​

WARNING

If you use Outlook on the Web or the "New" Outlook, the AutoComplete list syncs with your Microsoft 365 account. If clearing it doesn't work, try signing out and signing back in.

Symptom / ErrorPotential CauseSolution
List empties every time you restart OutlookCorrupt Outlook profile or data fileHow to Submit an Effective IT Support Ticket
AutoComplete setting is greyed outOrganization policyYour company may have disabled this feature.