Office Settings & Configuration

Fix Microsoft 365 and Outlook Settings Disappearing After Restart

Chanuka Geekiyanage Sep 27, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user needs to stop Microsoft 365 application defaults and new Outlook personalization settings from being erased or reset every time they shut down or sign out of their computer.

Fix Microsoft 365 and Outlook Settings Disappearing After Restart

Product: Microsoft 365 and Outlook
Device & OS: Windows
Scenario: Signing out of the Windows user account or restarting the computer.
Observed behavior: All Microsoft 365 application defaults, sign-in states, and new Outlook personalization settings are completely lost and reset to factory defaults upon startup.

Before you start

Before troubleshooting, verify whether your computer is managed by a workplace or school IT administrator, and ensure you have your correct Microsoft account credentials handy for re-authentication.

Solution 1Recommended

Verify and Fix Temporary Windows User Profiles

A temporary Windows profile will discard all user changes, including Office preferences and settings, upon logoff. Resolving the temporary profile lock fixes the root cause of disappearing settings.

When Windows fails to load your actual user profile, it logs you into a temporary profile. This environment feels like a fresh installation, and absolutely nothing you configure (like Outlook signatures, themes, or Microsoft 365 sign-in states) is saved to the hard drive once you shut down.

Check for temporary profile notifications

Look at the right side of your Windows taskbar. Click the Action Center or Notifications icon. Look for a system message stating 'You've been signed in with a temporary profile'.

Verify profile path via Command Prompt

Press the Windows key, type 'cmd', and press Enter. In the Command Prompt window, type 'whoami' and press Enter. If the output shows a path like 'C:\Users\TEMP', you are in a temporary profile.

Restart to clear the profile lock

Restart your computer (do not just shut down, select Restart). Often, a simple restart allows Windows to release the locked files and successfully load your actual, permanent user profile.

Verify and Fix Temporary Windows User Profiles

Data Loss Warning: Do not save any important documents to the desktop or Documents folder while logged into a temporary profile, as they will be permanently deleted when you restart.

Solution 2

Confirm Office Account Sync and Sign-in

Ensure your Microsoft 365 apps are correctly syncing personalization data to the active Microsoft account rather than relying solely on local cache.

Solution 3

Review Organizational Group Policies

If you are using a device provided by an employer or school, strict group policies might be intentionally wiping user profiles or application data upon shutdown.

Free Microsoft Office alternative

Try WPS Office for a Stable, Hassle-Free Experience

If persistent Microsoft 365 profile sync issues and disappearing Outlook settings are slowing you down, consider switching to WPS Office. It provides a lightweight, highly compatible alternative that saves your preferences locally and securely without relying on complex, error-prone Windows roaming profiles.

1. Download the installer: Visit the official WPS Office website and click the free download button.
2. Install WPS Office: Run the downloaded installer and follow the simple on-screen instructions to set up the software.
3. Set as default: Open WPS Office and follow the prompt to set it as your default application for opening Office document formats.

Lightweight application that saves local settings reliably without complex Windows profile syncingFully compatible with Microsoft Office formats including DOCX, XLSX, and PPTXAll-in-one workspace featuring a familiar tabbed interface for seamless task switchingFree to download and use with comprehensive document management tools

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does the new Outlook keep asking me to sign in after restarting?

The new Outlook application may lose its credential cache if your Windows account is stuck in a temporary profile, or if a third-party security software/cleaner is aggressively clearing the Windows Credential Manager data upon restart.

How do I backup my Office and Outlook settings?

While Microsoft 365 normally syncs personalization to the cloud automatically, you can manually back up classic Outlook settings by saving your OST/PST data files. However, the 'new' Outlook relies entirely on cloud synchronization and cannot be backed up locally.

Does creating a new Windows user fix disappearing settings?

Yes. If your current Windows user profile registry is corrupted—causing the system to fail at saving changes—creating a brand-new local user profile in Windows Settings will often permanently resolve the application sync and save errors.

Office App Problems