How to Fix Slow Office 365 Performance in an RDS Environment?
Summary: Outlook performance, workflow, and business continuity can all be negatively impacted by slow Office 365 performance in a Remote Desktop Services (RDS) environment. This tutorial covers the causes of slow Office 365 performance in the RDS environment as well as how to troubleshoot and resolve slow Office 365 performance problems.
In the Remote Desktop Services (RDS) environment, slow performance issues with Office 365 can cause downtime, interfere with processes, and reduce productivity. Other problems that Outlook users could run into include delayed or non-existent message delivery, sluggish search results, prolonged load times, and frequent Outlook freezes.
Clients may find it annoying to visit a slow SharePoint website if you also host your company website on the same platform. The company’s general operations and reputation may suffer as a result.
This blog post will explain the causes of Office 365’s poor performance in an RDS system as well as practical fixes to improve it.
Read More: How to Boost Outlook Performance?
Why Office 365 Performs Slowly in the RDS Environment?
The following are some typical issues with Office 365 in an RDS system that may negatively affect its functionality:
Resource Distribution
Multiple users share resources simultaneously in an RDS environment, which, if not managed properly, can result in resource constraints and performance degradation.
Issues with Internet Connectivity
Office 365 is only functional when the computer is online. Accordingly, the network must be dependable and steady in order to guarantee Office 365 operates smoothly. Slow Office 365 performance in the RDS environment can result from a slow network or unstable connection, which can also cause delays when accessing or sending/receiving emails, opening documents, or syncing mailbox data.
Problems with Software and Hardware
Incompatible and incorrectly configured system settings, slow hard drives, outdated hardware, and low storage space can all contribute to Office 365 performance problems in an RDS environment.
Apart from the aforementioned difficulties, the problem could also occur because of the following:
- Unsuitable or malfunctioning add-ins
- Oversized (big) or inconsistent OST file for Outlook
- Corrupt profile in Outlook
- Issues arising from other applications
- Harmed Outlook software files
Methods for Improving Office 365 Efficiency in an RDS Environment
The solutions listed below can help you improve Outlook and other Office 365 app performance in addition to optimizing Office 365 performance.
#1. Update Windows and Office 365
Security patches, performance enhancements, and bug fixes are all brought about by software updates. So, to ensure consistent performance and resolve compatibility issues, update Office 365 applications like Microsoft Outlook.
For an Outlook 365 update,
- Navigate to File > Office Account after opening Outlook.
- Select Update Now under Update Options.
- To update Microsoft Outlook, adhere to the on-screen instructions.
Additionally, remember to download and set up Windows updates. After the update, start Outlook after restarting the computer.
Make sure you have Office 365’s automatic updates turned on to prevent problems down the road. This will assist in removing the requirement for manual update download and installation.
#2. Uninstall any incompatible add-ins.
Performance problems with Office 365 and Outlook 365 can be caused by incompatible, broken, or infected add-ins, particularly those that you downloaded from unaffiliated websites. Examine Outlook and other Office 365 apps for any problematic add-ins, and try to remove them to resolve this. Almost all Office 365 apps have similar steps to follow.
- Press the Windows + R keys after closing Outlook.
- Click OK or hit Enter after typing Outlook.exe /safe. By doing this, Outlook opens in safe mode.
- Navigate to File > Options > Add-Ins while in safe Outlook mode.
- Locate the Go button and click it. Prior to pressing the Go button, confirm that COM add-ins are selected.
- Click OK after unchecking every listed add-in. This will make the add-ins inoperable.
- After that, restart Outlook as usual.
One by one, enabling the add-ins if turning them off resolves the performance issues with Office 365. This will assist you in finding the problematic add-ins. After locating the add-in, pick it and press the Remove button.
#3. Resolve Network Issues
In the RDS environment, network connectivity is essential to Office 365 performance. To maximize network connectivity and guarantee continuous Office 365 performance, take the following actions:
- Install Office 365 Quality of Service (QoS) policies to give Office 365 traffic priority over other network traffic and guarantee that Office 365 apps have enough bandwidth for optimum performance.
- In order to reduce the effects of network outages or slowdowns and maintain connectivity—, which is essential to guaranteeing continuous access to Office 365 services—implement redundant network connections.
- Keep a close eye on network latency and performance to quickly spot and fix any bottlenecks or connectivity problems. Tools like Ping and other network monitoring software are available for use.
#4. Make a New Outlook Profile
To fix any conflicts and improve Outlook 365 performance, replace the corrupted or damaged Outlook profile with a new one. The following are the steps:
- Hit Windows + R after closing Outlook.
- Hit the Enter key after typing Control Panel.
- Go to Mail > Show Profiles under User Accounts.
- After selecting the Add option, type the new name for the profile.
- To log in to this new profile with your email address, click OK and follow the on-screen instructions.
- Click Next, followed by Finish.
- After the profile is created, delete the previous one and make it the default.
- Lastly, select Apply > OK.
You can now launch Outlook after shutting all of the dialogue boxes. All of your mail items should be downloaded from the server and a new profile should be the default when Outlook opens. This ought to fix slow Office 365 performance problems.
#5. Outlook Data File Rebuild
Try making a fresh OST file if making a new profile doesn’t work for you. Office 365 mailbox performance is enhanced by replacing OST files that are inconsistent, oversized, or partially damaged. The following are the steps:
- Hit Windows + R after closing Outlook.
- Click OK to launch the Control Panel after typing Control Panel.
- Click Data Files after selecting User Accounts > Mail (Microsoft Outlook).
- Click Open File Location after selecting the Outlook (.OST) data or email account from the list. This launches a new File Explorer window with the OST file displayed.
- The OST file can then be right-clicked and renamed.
- Finally, include the.bak extension. As a result, an original OST file backup will be made.
- After shutting down every window, launch Outlook.
- Outlook will attempt to access the contents of the OST file. Because you renamed it, Outlook will download all of the mail items from the server and create a new OST file.
When all of the mail is downloaded and synchronized, Office 365 should perform better when you use Outlook. Email send and receive should function flawlessly, search results should load more quickly, and emails should begin loading more quickly.
What Happens If the OST Rebuild Is Not Successful?
Rebuilding the OST file may not always succeed in Outlook. This might occur if the Office 365 server deletes your profile or disables it. Alternatively, the admin might delete your current account and create a new one from scratch. Data loss is possible in these circumstances.
Under such circumstances, you can extract mail items from your orphaned OST file—which pertains to a deleted or disabled Office 365 account—and save them in PST format by using an OST to PST Converter tool, like CubexSoft OST Converter.
The Bottom Line!
For seamless operations and maximum productivity, optimizing Office 365 performance in an RDS environment is essential. Outlook users can maximize Office 365 performance in an RDS environment by implementing the solutions provided in this comprehensive guide to help them overcome common problems. Keep your systems updated and keep an eye on Office 365/Outlook performance to prevent problems down the road.
