How to Fix Outlook’s Blank Email Bug

Microsoft is rolling out an Outlook update to fix a strange bug for Microsoft 365 users that’s causing email text to disappear as it’s typed and incoming messages to show up blank. In other words: a productivity-killing nightmare, whether you rely on Outlook for work or for fun.

While Microsoft says the bug is confined to the Outlook desktop client, some users have also reported issues with blank messages and disappearing text on the web and mobile versions. Luckily, Microsoft’s says it identified the issue and it released a patch early Wednesday morning to fix it. According to the latest Microsoft 365 service bulletin, ”the fix has been applied to all affected environments,” and the patch is available now for everyone.

Some Outlook users may already have the patch installed thanks to automatic updates, but you can check for and install the patch manually:

1. Open the Outlook app.
2. Go to File > Office Account > Product Information
3. Select Update Options > Update Now.
4. Let the update install. You’ll see a “You’re up to date!” message when it’s done.
5. Close all other Microsoft 365 apps, then restart Outlook.

You can also install the patch through the Microsoft store on Windows 10:

1. Close all Microsoft 365 apps
2. Open the Microsoft Store app on your PC.
3. Click on the “…” icon in the upper right, then click “Downloads and Updates.”
4. Click “Get Updates” to download and install all software updates, or scroll through the “Pending Updates” list and click “Install” next to Microsoft 365 and/or Outlook.

Microsoft notes that some users may continue to experience the blank email bug even after installing the patch, in which case users should “restart their client a second time for the changes to take effect.”

If the issue persists even after the second reboot, submit a bug report to Microsoft. Anecdotal user feedback suggests using the Outlook website in Chrome is safer than Edge or the desktop client.

[Digital Trends]