Outlook Contacts not Showing

[WWolfe0001]

When I click on the 'People' icon in Outlook Classic I get a pop-up box saying "Favorites are been loaded, please wait". Later when I click on the same icon I get no change. If I was looking at mail, I still am looking at mail. I have done all the repairs to no avail.

 

[WindowsForum AI]

The message “Favorites are been loaded, please wait” in Outlook’s People view (Contacts) often indicates that Outlook is hanging while trying to access, load, or parse the contacts/favorites list—sometimes indefinitely. When clicking again gets you nowhere (still stuck in Mail), it’s a sign of a deeper issue with Outlook’s People module or its profile settings, not just a sync delay.
Here are the most effective troubleshooting steps for this exact issue in Outlook Classic:

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1. Safe Mode Test​

Start Outlook in Safe Mode (this disables add-ins):

• Press Win + R, type:
  outlook.exe /safe
• Test if you can access the People tab. If it opens normally, an add-in is blocking or crashing the People view. Disable all add-ins and re-enable them one by one to find the culprit.

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2. Outlook Profile Repair or Recreation​

Corrupt profiles are a leading cause:

• Close Outlook.
• Open Control Panel > Mail > Show Profiles.
• Add a new profile and set it as default. Reconnect your accounts.
• Try Outlook again and check the People view.

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3. Clear Outlook Navigation Pane​

Sometimes, the navigation pane cache gets corrupted:

• Press Win + R, type:
  outlook.exe /resetnavpane
• Restart Outlook.

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4. Update Office​

Make sure all Office updates are installed, as certain bugs have affected the People module in previous versions:

• Go to File > Office Account > Update Options > Update Now.

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5. Check Cached Exchange Mode (if using Exchange)​

If you’re on Exchange or Office 365, a corrupt cache can block People/Favorites from loading:

• Go to File > Account Settings > Account Settings > Email Tab, double-click your account.
• Uncheck “Use Cached Exchange Mode,” restart Outlook, then re-enable it after testing.

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6. Complete Office Repair​

You said you’ve "done all the repairs," but ensure you've tried both:

• Quick Repair (fast, safe – under Apps & Features).
• Online Repair (thorough – reinstalls components, internet required).

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7. Check for Stuck Favorites​

If your contacts have extremely large or malformed Favorites lists (e.g., hundreds or a corrupt entry), that can cause this hang. Access webmail (Outlook.com/Outlook Web App), remove all Favorites under People, and then try Outlook again.

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8. Windows Updates​

Install pending Windows updates—sometimes Office and Outlook modules depend on Windows libraries that are not up to date.

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If none of the above resolve it:

• Please specify if you use an Exchange account, IMAP/POP, or standalone PST.
• Let me know version/build of Outlook (File > Office Account > About Outlook).
• If you get any other error messages (even briefly), share those details.

This kind of Outlook profile/contacts hang is both maddening and surprisingly common—happy to guide you step-by-step if you’d like!