It’s a common situation where every Microsoft Outlook user might come across one or the other day. You have written an email, click the Send button and the email goes to Outbox folder. After a while, the email is sent from your account and disappear from the Outbox and you can find it in the Sent items folder.
But, only a few of us might go through the different case, where you encounter an error that states “Cannot open this item. Outlook has already begun transmitting this message” when you try to send or open the email present in the Outbox folder.
Typically, an email stuck in the Outbox due to numerous reasons like improper internet connection, an internal problem with the Microsoft Outlook application, the large size of the email, etc.
How to Fix “Cannot open this item. Outlook has already begun transmitting this message” Error?
However, you can try below troubleshooting techniques to resolve the error message “Cannot open this item. Outlook has already begun transmitting this message” in a quick way.
Step 1: Delete Email from the Outbox
Go to Outbox, double-click on the email. If it opens, delete it.
If the email fails to show up, either right-click on it and select Delete or drag it to the Draft folder. From the Draft folder, either Discard the email or try to send it again.
Step 2: Delete Email from Outbox in Offline Mode
In Microsoft Outlook 2007 or earlier versions:
- Go to File menu and select Work Offline
In Microsoft Outlook 2010 or later versions:
- Click on the Send / Receive tab from the top panel and select Work Offline
Now, try the #step 1 to delete/send the email from your Outbox folder in Offline Mode.
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Step 3: Try Safe Mode
If working in Offline Mode fails to help you in fixing the error “Cannot open this item. Outlook has already begun transmitting this message” then launch Outlook in Safe Mode and attempt to resolve the error.
To launch Outlook in Safe Mode;
- Hold down CTRL key and open Outlook app (by clicking the Outlook icon from Taskbar or Start menu)
- Click Yes when prompted “Do you want to start Outlook in safe mode?”
Now, you have opened the Outlook in Safe Mode, so follow the instructions mentioned in #step 1 and send the email. If not, delete it.
Step 4: Create New PST and Delete the Outbox Email
In MS Outlook 2007 and older editions:
Click File menu, select New and choose Outlook Data File…
In MS Outlook 2010 and newer editions:
- Select Account Settings from the File menu, choose Account Settings… and click Add…
- Give a name for the new Outlook Data File (PST) and click the OK button.
- Select the newly created Outlook data file (.pst) and choose “Set as Default” option.
- Click OK and close the Outlook.
- Restart the Outlook and go to the secondary Outbox folder (the one from your original .PST file).
- Move the email which is stuck at the Outbox to your Drafts folder then, try to send or delete (Discard) it.
- Now, set your original PST file (old one) as the default Outlook Data File and delete the newly created PST file. Restart the Outlook.