Clear Autocomplete Email Cache in Outlook - Easy Guide

Resolving Incorrect Autocomplete Entries in Outlook 2003

Outlook 2003 offers an automatic email address completion function when composing messages in the To or CC fields. This functionality operates independently of your established contacts or address book.

It remembers any address you've previously entered, even those not saved in your contact list. However, this can lead to issues when an incorrect address is initially typed.

Subsequently, the erroneous address persistently appears in the autocomplete suggestions as you begin typing. Fortunately, there are two methods to rectify this situation.

Method 1: Deleting from the Autocomplete List

This is the simpler approach to removing unwanted entries. Follow these steps:

• Begin typing the problematic email address.
• Press the Down arrow key to highlight the incorrect autocomplete suggestion.
• Press the Delete key to remove the entry from the autocomplete list.

This will prevent the incorrect address from appearing in future suggestions.

Method 2: Deleting the .NK2 File

Alternatively, you can clear the entire autocomplete cache by deleting the Outlook.NK2 file. This method requires accessing the Outlook profile folder.

• Open Windows Explorer.
• Paste the following path into the address bar:
  %APPDATA%\Microsoft\Outlook
• Locate and delete the Outlook.NK2 file within this folder.

Deleting the .NK2 file will reset the autocomplete list, removing all previously stored addresses. You will need to re-enter frequently used addresses.

By utilizing either of these methods, you can effectively manage and correct inaccurate autocomplete entries in Outlook 2003, ensuring accurate email addressing.