Outlook 2013 on Windows 8 64bit - Default Calendar Reminder won't change

When I create a calendar event in my fresh install of 2013, it defaults to NO reminder.  I checked the settings in options and it is set to 15 minutes.  I have tried the following fixes but to no avail:

  • add the reg key [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Office\14.0\Outlook\Options\Calendar] "RemindDefault"=dword:000005a0   (although maybe since this is 2013 that key should be in 15.0?)
  • Deleted my mail profile and created a new one
  • toggled the settings off and on and restarted outlook
  • ran the clean reminders switch: C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\Office15\outlook.exe /cleanreminders

Any thoughts?

Thanks

December 6th, 2012 4:16am

First check the following options at Outlook,

Outlook | Tools | Options | Other | Advanced Options | Reminder Options | please check whether the Display the reminder option is checked

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December 6th, 2012 9:42pm

If you still notice the issue then i would recommend you to check whether the reminder information exists in the folder or not. For this activity, you need to have latest version of MFCMAPI.

1. Download MFCMAPI using the following link: http://mfcmapi.codeplex.com
2. On the Session menu, click Logon and Display Store Table.
3. If you are prompted to select a profile, click the profile name in the Profile Name list, and then click OK.
4. Double-click the mailbox that contains the inbox rules that you want to delete.
5. Expand Root Container, and then expand Finder.
6. Double click Reminders, we will find some items did in this folder.

Note: Outlook will not display any reminders if there are no item in the reminder folder. One item in the reminder folder mean an reminder should be displayed in Outlook.

Let me know how it goes.

December 6th, 2012 9:42pm

Checked that, and the box is set to show...
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December 7th, 2012 7:41pm

I think I may need to clarify my issue...the issue is NOT that the reminders won't display, the issue is that although my default in options is set for 15 minutes on new calendar items, when I create a new calendar item, the "reminder" field defaults to "no reminder".  I can set it to 15 minutes manually, and it works just fine.  The problem is, I am forgetful, and I don't always remember to set the reminder, because in the past versions of Outlook it just defaulted to 15 minutes which is what I want.
December 7th, 2012 7:45pm

I'm having a very similar issue.  I'm running Windows 8 64bit and 32bit office.

If I click on the "New Appointment" button, the reminder of 15 minutes is there.  However, if I double click on a date in the calendar to create an appointment that way, the reminder is set to None.

I have checked all of the things mentioned above and still have the same results.

Does anyone have any other suggestions?

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December 17th, 2012 6:52pm

This is ridiculous.  I always use my Calendar to set reminders which I then get on my phone later.  Missed 5 reminders because of this stupid bug/new feature.  Have rolled back to 2010.  
December 20th, 2012 6:06pm

Just to clarify this what I found before I went back to 2010.  

Double click the calendar square = no default reminder (despite one set in settings)

Right click the calendar square and select new appointment.  Reminder is set to 15 mins are per settings.

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December 20th, 2012 6:12pm

Very interesting...I didn't catch that...I always just double click, so I didn't realize it works properly when you right click...good work around for now, thanks.
December 20th, 2012 7:33pm

Yes as Woody clarified... that is my exact issue.

Microsoft... any ideas?

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December 21st, 2012 10:29pm

Mine has now magically started working.

Maybe Microsoft patched the bug?

January 9th, 2013 12:24am

I just ran all available updates and still no dice for me
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January 11th, 2013 5:27am

I have this exact issue, and missed a bunch of appointments because of it. Very annoying!!!

Outlook 2013 is also slower than Outlook 2010, which I would tolerate but man, fix the glaring bugs already. Working calendar reminders are not unimportant...

January 26th, 2013 12:09am

I have found that when double clicking on a calendar date to enter an appointment, this is a problem.  But when you go up to 'New Appointment' in the Ribbon, the default reminder will be there.

Frustrating - Hopefully they will come out with a patch.

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February 20th, 2013 10:58pm

And my issue has re-surfaced.  It was a nice few days :-(
February 21st, 2013 12:23am

What a blatant bug to still be around after all this time. It's difficult to remember not to double-click. I wonder if everyone is on Office 365 internally at MS, since otherwise it defies comprehension that it hasn't been fixed.

BTW, the Registry key in question, re the top post, is here (not that it matters since it's set correctly):

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\15.0\Outlook\Options\Calendar

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March 17th, 2013 6:38am

Fix this stupid bug please.
May 3rd, 2013 6:21pm

With MS crowing about "quarterly" updates to Office 2013, you'd think that this would have been done by now. I recommend that everyone use the "Send a Frown" feature in Outlook.
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May 3rd, 2013 6:49pm

+1  Same problem, still not fixed.
June 4th, 2013 6:18pm

Still not fixed the double click.
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June 18th, 2013 2:29am

I have the same problem: double click doesn't work, right click does.  It has always worked this way since the initial install of Office 2013.  I never saw this problem with previous versions.  Microsoft really needs to fix this.
June 19th, 2013 4:07pm

This is not really a bug although I wish they would allow you to change the behavior.  The default action of double-clicking to set an appointment defaults to all-day when viewing the calendar by the month.  If you view it by Week, Work Week or Day then double-clicking will default to your settings of Busy w/ a 15min reminder or whatever you set it too.

This is by design as they just assume when people view their calendar in months they are planning all-day or multi-day scheduling.

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July 8th, 2013 4:39pm

Can we make that assumption about their assumption?  After all, this is new behavior in 2013. It certainly didn't used to be this way, and it's muddled at best to have a default reminder preference that works for all views but one.

And surely your theory doesn't explain why right-clicking in the monthly view does get you your default reminder--if you can only remember to work that way.

Meanwhile, people continue to miss appointments due to this sudden change. It's hard to change years of habit.

July 8th, 2013 4:55pm

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