How to Troubleshoot Email Not Working in Microsoft Outlook

Authored by: Support.com Tech Pro Team

1. Introduction

How To Use This Guide

This guide is designed to take you through a number of different troubleshooting steps. After each step, try to open Outlook and check your mail again. When the program opens and works, stop at that point; you do not need to go any further.

While the first few steps here are incredibly simple, they are absolutely crucial, and can solve many of the problems you may have quickly and easily!

2. Check if Work Offline is Toggled

In Outlook, check that Work Offline is not toggled. Work Offline allows Outlook to appear like it is online but you will only have access to mail that has already been saved.

1. Open Outlook.
   

1. Check the bottom of the Outlook window. If it says Working Offline or Disconnected Outlook is not connected to the internet.
   

1. Select Send / Receive. Select Work Offline to reconnect.
   

3. Update Outlook

Steps on how to update outlook

• Open outlook

• Click on the File menu

• Select Office Account 

• Click on Update Options

• Install the Updates if available 

• Close Outlook and reopen outlook to check if its working

4. Check These Windows Settings

Windows Mail relies on a number of different settings on Windows itself to do everything from encryption (keeping your mail safe from prying eyes), as well as helping your mail provider make sure you are supposed to have access. A quick check of these Windows settings can often help.

Make Sure Date & Time Are Correct

The Date and Time set on your computer is used to help encrypt your email between your mail provider and you, keeping it safer.

1. Open the Start menu and select Settings.
   

1. Select Time & Language.
   

1. Select Date & time on the left. It's usually best to have Set time automatically selected, and make sure the Time zone is set properly, and Adjust for daylight saving time automatically turned on. After that, look at the top and make sure the computer shows the right time and date.
   

Make Sure the Country or Region is Right

Windows Mail uses some region information to connect to the proper mail server for some mail providers, such as Google.

1. Open the Start menu and select Settings.
   

1. Select Time & Language.
   

1. Select Region on the left, and make sure your Country is selected properly.
   

Sure the Mail App Can Access My Calendar

Windows Mail integrates a calendar system with your email, and will need access to the Windows Calendar app to do so. This is done through the Privacy settings.

1. Open the Start menu and select Settings.
   

1. Select Privacy.
   

1. On the left, scroll down to App permissions and select Calendar. Make sure Allow apps to access your calendar is turned On, and Mail and Calendar are On, allowed to access the calendar.
   

5. Check Outlook Settings

If you know your mail server settings, you can check them quickly to be sure nothing changed on accident.

If your mail provider is any of the following, Windows manages these settings for you, and you will not be able to edit them directly; it is safe to skip this step.

• Outlook.com
  Your email address ends with @outlook.com, @live.com, @hotmail.com, or @msn.com
• Google
  Your email address ends with @gmail.com
• Yahoo!
  Your email address ends with @yahoo.com
• iCloud
  Your email address ends with @icloud.com
• Corporate Exchange Email
  Your email address was provided by your company at work and has a custom domain.

If you are not sure of your mail server settings, it's best to contact your mail provider before making any changes to these settings, or continuing with this guide.

1. Open Outlook.
   

1. Click the File menu.
   

1. Select Account Settings and Account Settings again.
   

1. Select your email, then Change.
   

1. From here you can double check all of your settings and even test them.