6 Ways to Fix Outlook Not Connecting to Server on Windows 10 and 11
Pankil is a Civil Engineer turned freelance writer. Since his arrival at Guiding Tech in 2021, he delves into the world of how-tos, and troubleshooting guides for Android, iOS, and Windows. Besides his new-found love for mechanical keyboards, he’s a disciplined footfall fan and loves international travel with his wife.
Fix 1: Open Outlook in Safe Mode
Opening Outlook in safe mode lets you run the app without add-ins or custom toolbar settings. This can help you determine whether one of your add-ins is responsible for Outlook’s connection issues.
Hold down theCTRLkey and double-click the Outlook shortcut. Then, clickYesto open Outlook in safe mode.
If Outlook can connect to the server while in safe mode, one of theadd-ins might be causing the issue. To identify the culprit, you must disable all the add-ins and then re-enable them individually.
Step 1:In Outlook, click on theFilemenu at the top.
Step 2:Go toOptions.
Step 3:In the Outlook Options window, switch to theAdd-instab. Use thedrop-down menunext to Manage and selectCOM Add-ins. Then, click onGoto proceed.
Step 4:Uncheck the boxes to disable add-ins and clickOK.
Restart Outlook and re-enable your add-ins one at a time until the issue occurs again. Once you find the problematic add-in, consider removing it.
Fix 2: Use SSL Encrypted Connection
Another thing you can do to fix connection issues in Outlook is to set the encryption method to SSL and see if that helps. Here are the steps for the same.
Step 1:In the Outlook app, click theFilemenu at the top left.
Step 2:In theInfotab, selectAccount Settings>Server Settings.
Step 3:Use thedrop-down menunext to the Encryption method to selectSSL/TLS. Then, clickNext.
Fix 3: Repair Your Outlook Account
If Outlook is only having trouble connecting to one account, try repairing that account. Here’s how to do that.
Step 1:In the Outlook app, go toFile>Info>Account Settings>Account Settings.
Step 2:Under Email, select theaccountyou’re having issues with. Then, clickRepair.
Fix 4: Run the Inbox Repair Tool
If repairing your Outlook account doesn’t work, the problem may be related to Outlook’s data files on your computer. You can try running Outlook’s Inbox Repair Tool tofix issues with those data files. Here’s how.
Step 1:Press theWindows key + Eto open File Explorer and navigate to the following folder.
Step 2:Double-click theSCANPST.EXEfile.
Step 3:ClickStartto initiate the scan.
Step 4:If the tool finds any issues, click onRepair.
Fix 5: Create a New Outlook Profile
Your Outlook profile on Windows stores your Outlook settings. If that profile has become corrupted or inaccessible, you could experience problems. In that case, you must create and switch to a new Outlook profile using the steps below.
Step 1:Press theWindows key + Rto open the Run dialog, typecontrol, and pressEnter.
Step 2:Change the view type toLarge iconsand clickMail (Microsoft Outlook).
Step 3:Under Profiles, selectShow Profiles.
Step 4:Click on theAddbutton,namethe new profile, and clickOK.
Step 5:In the Add Account window, enter youraccount detailsand hitNext.
Step 6:Once the profile is created, select your new profile underWhen starting Microsoft Outlookand hitApply.
Fix 6: Run the Office Repair Tool
Microsoft offers a handy Office repair tool that can automatically fix issues with Office apps on Windows. You can try using it as a last resort to fix connection issues in Outlook.
Step 1:Press theWindows key + Rto open the Run dialog box. In the Open field, typeappwiz.cpland pressEnter.
Step 2:In the Programs and Features window, locate and right-clickMicrosoft Office SuiteorMicrosoft 365> selectChange.
Step 3:SelectOnline Repair> clickRepairto continue.
Was this helpful?
Last updated on 16 August, 2024
Leave a ReplyCancel reply
Your email address will not be published.Required fields are marked*
Name*
Email*
Comment*
Δ
Read Next
The article above may contain affiliate links which help support Guiding Tech. The content remains unbiased and authentic and will never affect our editorial integrity.
More in Windows
Which Browser Uses the Least RAM and CPU on Windows
Optimize Windows 11 Startup Using System Configuration Tool (MSConfig)
JOIN THE NEWSLETTER
Get Guiding Tech articles delivered to your inbox.
© 2024 Guiding Tech Media. All Rights Reserved.
