Fix RPC_E_RETRY (0X80010109) – Object Won't Process Call Now

Quick Answer

Restart the COM application (Outlook, Excel, Explorer), kill hung outlook.exe or excel.exe processes, then retry. If that fails, reset the COM interface via dcomcnfg or remove broken shell extensions.

Why You Get 0X80010109

This error is COM's way of saying “try again later, I’m busy.” The object you’re calling – could be an Outlook automation interface, an Excel worksheet, or even a Windows shell context menu handler – is in a state where it can’t process the call right now. Usually because it’s stuck in a previous transaction, waiting on a resource, or the interface pointer went stale after a crash. I’ve seen this most often when a VBA macro in Outlook tries to access a COM add-in that’s still loading, or when a third-party shell extension (like a cloud sync tool) hangs during file operations. The fix depends on which app is throwing it.

Step-by-Step Fix

1. Kill the hung process. Open Task Manager (Ctrl+Shift+Esc), find outlook.exe, excel.exe, or explorer.exe depending on where the error appears. End the task. Wait 10 seconds, restart the app. This clears the stuck COM interface.
2. Check for stale COM objects in the Registry. Press Win+R, type regedit, navigate to HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{your-guid-here}. If you don’t know the GUID, search for “0x80010109” in the Registry. Delete any orphaned CLSID entries that refer to missing DLLs or uninstalled apps. Backup first – you’ve been warned.
3. Reset COM permissions. Run dcomcnfg as admin. Expand Component Services > Computers > My Computer > DCOM Config. Find the problem app (Outlook, Excel, or the shell extension). Right-click > Properties > Security. Set Launch and Activation Permissions to “Default” or grant “Interactive User” full control. Click OK, reboot.
4. Run the Microsoft Easy Fix (for Office). Download and run the Microsoft Support and Recovery Assistant (SaRA) from https://aka.ms/SaRA. Select “Office” > “I’m having problems with Outlook” > “Outlook keeps crashing or stops responding.” Let it scan and repair COM registration.
5. Disable problematic add-ins. In Outlook/Excel, go to File > Options > Add-ins. At the bottom, change Manage to “COM Add-ins” and click Go. Uncheck all third-party add-ins. Restart the app. If the error stops, re-enable add-ins one by one to find the culprit.

Alternative Fixes If Main Steps Fail

• Shell extension cleanup: Use ShellExView from NirSoft. Disable all non-Microsoft shell extensions. Restart Explorer. The error often comes from a cloud sync tool like Dropbox or OneDrive’s shell handler. Re-enable half at a time to isolate.
• Re-register COM libraries. Open Command Prompt as admin, run:

  regsvr32 /s ole32.dll
  regsvr32 /s oleaut32.dll
  regsvr32 /s msado15.dll
  regsvr32 /s scrrun.dll

  Reboot after.
• Clean boot. Run msconfig, choose Selective Startup, uncheck “Load startup items.” Reboot and test. If error disappears, use Autoruns to find the offending service or driver.
• Repair Office installation. Go to Control Panel > Programs > Microsoft Office > Change > Quick Repair. If that doesn’t work, try Online Repair (takes longer but deeper).

Preventing It From Coming Back

Don’t install random shell extensions. Seriously, that’s the #1 repeat offender. If you use automation scripts (VBA, PowerShell), always release COM objects with Marshal.ReleaseComObject() or set them to Nothing. For Outlook, add this to your VBA:

Set objApp = Nothing
Set objNS = Nothing

Pro tip: 90% of the time this error is a third-party add-in or shell extension hanging. Don’t waste hours on registry editing – start with disabling add-ins. Trust me.