Clear Outlook Global Address List Cache in Outlook

To clear the Global Address List (GAL) cache in classic Outlook for Windows, open Send/Receive > Send/Receive Groups > Download Address Book, select the Global Address List, clear Download changes since last Send/Receive, and choose OK. This forces Outlook to download a fresh Offline Address Book; it does not erase email or change the organization’s directory.

What the Global Address List cache is

The GAL is an organization’s directory of people and other mail-enabled objects, such as shared mailboxes and distribution lists. For a Microsoft Exchange or Microsoft 365 work account, the directory is maintained by the organization’s messaging service and administrators. Outlook may keep a local copy, called the Offline Address Book (OAB), so you can look up recipients while working offline or when a connection is unavailable.

That local copy can lag behind a directory change. For example, a colleague’s new display name or email address may already appear in Outlook on the web but not in classic Outlook on a laptop using Cached Exchange Mode. Refreshing the OAB replaces or updates the local directory data; it does not make a change to the underlying GAL. If the directory itself has not yet been updated, downloading it again cannot make the new information appear.

Not every Outlook address suggestion comes from the GAL. The Auto-Complete list, which offers suggestions as you type in the To, Cc, or Bcc field, is a separate cache of recipients you have used. Contacts saved in your own mailbox or contact folders are separate too. Knowing which source is stale helps you choose the right fix.

Refresh the address book in classic Outlook for Windows

Use these steps in classic Outlook for Microsoft 365 on Windows when your account is connected to Exchange or Microsoft 365. Connect to the internet first; Outlook needs a connection to retrieve an updated address book. Depending on the organization and Outlook build, the dialog may show more than one address list.

Open Outlook and select the Send/Receive tab.
Select Send/Receive Groups, then Download Address Book. In some layouts, the command appears directly on the Send/Receive tab.
In the Offline Address Book dialog, select the Global Address List or the appropriate address book.
Clear the checkbox labeled Download changes since last Send/Receive. Leaving it selected requests only incremental changes; clearing it requests a fuller download.
Select OK, wait for the download to finish, and then search the directory again. Restart Outlook if the result still appears unchanged.

The dialog can take a little while to complete, especially on a slow connection or when the address book is large. Avoid repeatedly starting downloads while one is still running. If the command is unavailable, confirm that you are using classic Outlook and an Exchange account; POP or IMAP accounts do not use an Exchange GAL in the same way. Outlook may also be configured to connect to Exchange online rather than use a downloaded OAB, in which case this specific cache-refresh procedure may not apply.

Rebuild the local Offline Address Book files

If a full download does not resolve a persistent problem, you can make Outlook recreate its local OAB files. This is a more hands-on troubleshooting step than using the built-in command, so try the normal download first. Close Outlook completely before removing files, and make sure no Outlook process is still running.

Press Windows key + R to open the Run dialog. (On a Mac, this Windows path and shortcut do not apply.)
Enter %LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft\Outlook\Offline Address Books and press Enter.
Open the folder inside that location, often a folder with a long identifier, and delete its contents. If there are several folders, do not delete unrelated Outlook data elsewhere.
Reopen Outlook, connect to the organization’s network or the internet, and use Send/Receive > Send/Receive Groups > Download Address Book to obtain the address book again.

Outlook should recreate the missing local OAB data as it downloads it. The first refresh may take longer than an incremental update. Do not confuse this folder with the Outlook data file or mailbox cache: deleting an OST file is not the same procedure and is not a routine way to clear the GAL. If you are unsure which files you are viewing, stop and ask your organization’s support team rather than deleting other Outlook folders.

Diagnose why a name still looks out of date

A stale result does not always mean the local cache is broken. A directory change can take time to be processed and made available in the address book, and an administrator may need to confirm that the user or group was updated correctly. Ask whether the new name or address appears in Outlook on the web or another directory search. If it is missing there too, the issue is likely upstream of the desktop cache.

Check what Outlook is actually suggesting. Start a new message and search the address book rather than selecting the first name that appears in the recipient field. If a suggestion appears only while typing, it may be Auto-Complete rather than a GAL entry. If an old address appears in a personal contact card, changing the GAL will not necessarily update that separately stored contact.

Other useful checks include:

Confirm the account: Make sure Outlook is open under the work account whose organization maintains the GAL, particularly if you have multiple accounts or profiles.
Check connectivity: A disconnected Outlook session cannot fetch a current online directory or complete an OAB download.
Allow time for changes: Newly created or edited directory entries may not be immediately available in every address book view.
Compare locations: If Outlook on the web shows current details but classic Outlook does not, a local OAB or Outlook profile issue is more plausible. If both are stale, contact the directory administrator.
Check the exact address: Similar names, aliases, hidden address-list entries, and distribution groups can make a correct search result easy to mistake for the wrong one.

Clear Auto-Complete separately

When the problem is an old suggestion that appears as you type, refreshing the GAL may not remove it. In classic Outlook for Windows, select File > Options > Mail. Under the message-sending options, choose Empty Auto-Complete List and confirm. This clears the stored recipient suggestions, not the GAL, your contacts, or messages. Outlook will build suggestions again as you address new messages.

You can usually remove one unwanted suggestion without clearing the full list: start typing the name or address, and when the suggestion appears, use the remove control beside it. The exact control can vary with the Outlook version and interface. This is often the better choice when only one obsolete recipient is involved, because clearing the entire list also removes useful suggestions for other people.

Before deleting a suggestion, check that the selected result is actually the old cached entry and not a current GAL result. If it keeps returning, verify that the address is not saved in a personal contact or reintroduced by another account or device. Auto-Complete is a convenience feature, not an authoritative directory; use the address book search to verify a recipient’s current organizational details.

Differences in new Outlook, Outlook on the web, and Mac

The menu path above is for classic Outlook on Windows. New Outlook for Windows has a different interface and does not expose the same traditional Offline Address Book download dialog. Search the organization’s directory while online; if results look stale, close and reopen Outlook, check the connection, and compare with Outlook on the web. If the directory is also stale there, ask the organization’s administrator to check the source entry. Do not look for the classic Windows OAB folder as a fix for the new Outlook interface.

Outlook on the web searches the organization’s online directory rather than using the same local Windows OAB folder. It is a useful comparison point for deciding whether a problem is specific to a classic Outlook cache, though a web result can still reflect a directory update that has not yet propagated everywhere. Refreshing the browser page or signing in again may help with a display or session issue, but it cannot correct a directory entry that is wrong at its source.

Outlook for Mac also has a different interface and does not use the classic Windows download command or Windows OAB file path described above. Search the directory while connected, restart Outlook if appropriate, and compare the result with Outlook on the web. If the Mac app and web directory both show incorrect information, contact the organization’s support team. The exact available directory features can depend on the account type and Outlook version.

What clearing the cache does—and does not do

Refreshing or rebuilding the OAB affects locally stored address-book data. It does not delete mailbox messages, remove a person from the organization, change permissions, or repair a wrong directory record. It also does not guarantee that every recipient suggestion will disappear, because suggestions and personal contacts use different storage.

For work accounts, directory visibility and address-list membership may be controlled by organizational policy. A user generally cannot make a missing colleague appear in the GAL simply by clearing Outlook’s cache. Administrators can check whether the entry exists, whether it is hidden from address lists, and whether the organization’s directory and address-book updates have completed. When asking for help, include the affected account, the person or group being searched for, whether Outlook on the web shows it, and whether the issue affects classic Outlook, new Outlook, or both.

Be cautious with instructions that recommend deleting broad Outlook data folders or changing registry settings just to refresh a directory. A targeted OAB refresh is lower risk. If you are using a managed work computer, follow your organization’s support guidance before removing local files or changing account settings.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will clearing the Outlook GAL cache delete my emails?
No. Downloading a fresh Offline Address Book replaces local directory data; it does not delete messages or mailbox contents.

Why does the old address still appear after I download the GAL?
The suggestion may come from Auto-Complete or a personal contact, not the GAL. Remove the individual suggestion or update the saved contact, and confirm the current address by searching the directory.

Can I clear the GAL cache in Outlook on the web?
There is no matching Windows OAB cache folder to clear in Outlook on the web. It searches the online directory; if a result is wrong there, ask the organization’s administrator to check the directory entry.

How often does Outlook update the Offline Address Book?
Timing can depend on Outlook’s connection and the organization’s Exchange configuration. If a change is missing, use the manual download in classic Outlook or ask an administrator whether the directory update has propagated.

Can I add a missing person to my company’s GAL?
Usually not by clearing a cache. The GAL is maintained by the organization. A directory administrator or support team can verify the person’s account and address-list visibility.

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