Are you missing important meeting reminders or skipping project notifications due to the “Outlook reminders not popping up” issue?
To fix the delay or failure in receiving these pop-ups, you must verify if Outlook notification and reminder settings (in Outlook) are enabled. Alternatively, you can force Outlook to re-create reminder table with /cleanreminders, disable faulty add-ins, and update or repair Outlook. Moving ahead with this blog, we will be discussing all these methods step by step.
Quick Fixes for Outlook Reminder Not Working
- Verify if Outlook app notification is enabled.
- Turn off Windows Focus Assist and the Do Not Disturb feature.
- Update Windows and Outlook to the latest version.
- Make sure Outlook is not in Offline mode. If it is, switch from Outlook Offline to Online mode.
- Check and update the system date and time. If a reminder is set for 10 AM and your system says 6 AM, then you will definitely miss the reminder.
- Restart Outlook to clear background glitches and re-establish a fresh connection with server.
- Sign out of other devices if you have logged in multiple platforms (mobile, PC, laptop, tablet).
Why are Outlook Reminders not Popping Up on Windows?
You can face this issue in any version of Outlook. The most common reasons are:
- Accidentally clicked on Dismiss All instead of Dismiss to hide a meeting notification.
- A recent software update can make Outlook calendar reminders not popping up.
- It can be due to a corrupt or damaged Outlook profile.
- Incorrect date and time on your computer.
- The Show reminders option might be turned off.
- Setting delivery location as ‘None.’
- The reminders are not set on the primary folder in your Outlook.
- Focus Assist or Do Not Disturb can trigger Outlook reminders not popping up on Windows 11 or 10.
How to Fix Outlook Reminder Not Working Problem?
Since there are multiple reasons for the problem, there are multiple solutions as well. Let’s see them all one by one, starting with the most common one.
Verify reminder status in Outlook
As I said above, a recent software update may reset various configurations of your Outlook. And may have turned off the meeting reminders in Outlook. It’s a simple fix, just turn it back on. If you don’t know how to set reminders in Outlook, follow these steps:
How to enable reminders in Outlook 365, 2021, 2019, & 2016?
Step 1: Start with clicking on the File tab.
Step 2: Click on the Options on the left side of the screen.
Step 3: In Outlook Options select Advanced. In the Reminders section, check the box ‘Show Reminders.’ Add the sound if required and click on Ok.
How to enable reminders in Outlook 2010?
Step 1: Open Outlook 2010 and click on the File button at the top.
Step 2: Select Options from the list on the left-hand side of the screen.
Step 3: Now, in the Outlook Options dialogue box, go to Calendar.
Step 4: Look for Show bell icon on the calendar for appointments and meetings with reminders and check the box next to it.
Step 5: Click on OK to proceed. Now, check if your Bell icon is visible again.
How toadd reminders in Outlook 2007?
Step 1: Open Outlook 2007 and start by clicking on the File button.
Step 2: Now, click on the New button and select Appointment.
Step 3: Now, double click and open an Appointment.
Step 4: Go to the Options menu in the Appointment tab.
Step 5: There you will see a Reminder list; select the time slot suitable to you.
Restart your Outlook after enabling reminders and check if the issues persist. If it does, please follow the next step.
Important Point - In my case, Outlook Reminders were enabled, but Windows notifications were the issue. I don’t know how or when, but the notifications for my Outlook app were turned off. I turned it back on, and the problem was solved. So, make sure to check the notifications settings.
Clear Reminders
It may be possible that the reminders are enabled, but the reminders folder itself is corrupt. In this case, we need to clean and reset the reminders folder.
Please follow the below steps:
Step 1: Close the Outlook application.
Step 2: Press Win+R on the keyboard to open the dialog box for ‘Run’.
Step 4: Once the Run window opens, next to the ‘Open’ field, type the command:
outlook /cleanreminders
Step 4: Press Enter or click on OK.
Start the Outlook application and check if the issue is fixed.
Create a new Outlook profile
An issue in the Outlook profile can also introduce issues like Outlook calendar reminders not popping up. Follow the below steps to create a new Outlook profile.
Step 1: Open Outlook.
Step 2: Click on File, then on Account Settings.
Step 3: Now, click on Manage Profiles.
Step 4: Choose the Show Profiles option and click on the Add button.
Step 5: A new box will appear. Input a name for the new profile in the Profile Name box and then click on OK.
This will create a new profile. Now, configure your Microsoft account in Outlook profile and check if the issue is now fixed.
Check & Disable Outlook Add-ins
If you have add-ins installed in your Outlook, it is possible that they are causing the problem with reminders. To check this, first, disable all add-ins and see if the issue persists. If it does not, then enable the add-ins one by one to identify the culprit.
To disable Outlook add-ins:
Step 1: Go to File > Options.
Step 2: In the Options window, select Add-Ins from the left sidebar.
Step 3: In the Manage dropdown at the bottom of the window, select COM Add-Ins and click Go.
Step 4: In the COM Add-Ins dialog box, uncheck all items and click OK.
Step 5: Restart Outlook. If the problem persists, try the next method. If the issue is fixed, enable the add-ins one by one to identify the culprit.
Modify the Windows Registry Key
If you are facing an Outlook reminder not working issue, then you should check your Windows Registry key. To do this, follow the steps given below:
Step 1: Press 'Windows+R'. Type 'regedit', press Enter to open the Registry Editor window.
Step 3: Type 'regedit' in the Run dialogue box and press Enter. This will open the Registry Editor window.
Step 3: In the Registry Editor window, go to the following path:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Office\x.0\Outlook\Preferences
Note: Replace x.0 with 16.0 for Outlook 365/2019/2016, 15.0 for 2013, or 14.0 for 2010Step 4: In the Preferences key, look for a DWORD (32-bit) Value named 'Enable Reminders.' If this value is not present, then you need to create it.
Step 5: To create the Enable Reminders value, right-click on the Preferences key and select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value. Name this new value as Enable Reminders.
Step 6: Double-click on the Enable Reminders value to open its properties window.
Step 7: In the Value data field, type 1 and click on OK. This will enable reminders in Microsoft Outlook.
Step 8: Exit the Registry Editor and restart your computer. Once your computer starts, open Microsoft Outlook and check if the issue has been resolved.
Repair MS Office
If modifying the Windows Registry key does not fix the Outlook reminder not working issue, then you can try repairing your Microsoft Office installation. To do this, follow the steps given below:
Step 1: Press 'Windows+R' keys together on your keyboard. This will open the Run dialogue box.
Step 2: Type 'appwiz.cpl' in the Run dialogue box and press Enter. This will open the Programs and Features window.
Step 3: In the Programs and Features window, find Microsoft Office in the list of installed programs and click on it. Then, click on Change.
Step 4: In the Microsoft Office Setup window, click on Repair and then click on Continue.
Step 5: Follow the instructions given on your screen to complete the repair process. Once the process is completed, restart your computer. After restarting, open Microsoft Outlook and check if the issue has been fixed.
How to Prevent ‘‘Outlook Reminders Not Popping Up Windows 11 or 10’’ Issue?
To make sure I never miss a calendar or meeting reminder in Outlook, I follow these simple tricks.
- Avoid Improper Outlook Exit: I have seen my colleagues doing this often. They shut down the system without closing Outlook properly. Doing it a few times won’t hurt. But in the long run, you can face issues.
- Monitor PST File Size: A large PST file is prone to corruption and errors. Keep track of its size. When it crosses the 20GB safe limit, archive Outlook PST file.
- Routine Maintenance: Always use the latest Outlook version and run the /cleanreminders command every few months.
Final Verdict: Taking Control of Your Outlook Reminders
Don’t miss any more deadlines. Fix and prevent the Outlook reminder not working issue with the troubleshoots given above. But if you are still not getting a reminder, then your Outlook date files are corrupt.
For a corrupt OST file, fix it by rebuilding it. And for a corrupt PST file, use ScanPST.exe. If ScanPST.exe fails (cannot fix major corruption), use our advanced Kernel for Outlook PST repair tool.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How to set reminders in Outlook for IMAP & POP accounts?
A: The process to add reminder in Outlook is the same whether you are using an IMAP or POP email account. You can follow the official documentation from Microsoft on how to add reminder to different item in Outlook.
Q: Why are reminders working on my phone but not on the PC?
A: It could be a sync issue, or your Outlook notifications are turned off. Moreover, Focus Assist mode on Windows can also cause “Outlook reminders not popping up” issue.
Q: Why Outlook reminders don't’ work for Shared Mailboxes?
A: By default, the reminder feature is only for the primary mailbox item. Outlook treats the shared mailbox as a secondary data store and will not show reminders for the calendar entries for it unless you have explicitly added reminders for shared mailbox.
