Outlook is Working Offline? Resolve It with Expert Fixes

In Microsoft Outlook 2010 and versions after it, people can switch from offline to online mode according to their needs. When Outlook isn’t able to link to the Exchange server, it switches to offline mode automatically. Users, though, have the choice to use the Work Offline option in case of an unreliable internet connection. However, if Outlook is working offline, it won’t receive new messages. It will also not send emails that you want to send. Instead, it will keep waiting to get switched to the online mode. Only after that will it start the exchange of emails. If you face this offline problem in Outlook, there are ways to switch to the online mode. In this article, you’ll find various techniques to do so.

Why Your Outlook Is Working Offline?

MS Outlook may get stuck in offline mode because of various reasons. Some common causes for this problem are:

• A mail server issue – If the mail server isn’t available, Outlook cannot link to the server. It will show the status as ‘Disconnected.’ It implies that although the internet is working properly, Outlook is unable to link to the mailbox server.
• Internet connection problem – If there’s a problem with the internet connection, Outlook will show a ‘Disconnected’ or ‘Working Offline’ status.
• Problem with account configuration – An issue with account configuration will stop Outlook from linking to the mail server. It will result in an offline mode.
• Corrupt or damaged Outlook profile – A damaged Outlook profile will stop Outlook from linking and authorizing to the mail server.

Troubleshooting for When Outlook Is Working Offline?

You can employ the various fixes in the following sections whenever you encounter this problem. They’ll work well in Outlook 2010, 2016, 2013, and 2019.

Reset work offline

The first technique is to reset work offline in order to reconnect. This option is there under the Send/Receive tab in MS Outlook.

• Tap the Work Offline option. It will reset the offline mode and reconnect to the mailbox server.
• Now see the status. It must display ‘Connected’ in the status bar. If you don’t find this status, inspect your internet connection and retry.

Install all pending updates

Often, updates can cause various issues with MS Outlook on your Windows OS. So, you must look for pending updates regarding Outlook or MS Office. Then install them. But if you experience the offline issue post installing the updates, it’s best to uninstall them and check the Outlook program.

Make a new Outlook profile.

Another effective fix to employ when Outlook is working offline is creating a new profile. To do it, follow these points.

• Tap ‘File’ in MS Outlook.
• Now choose ‘Account Settings’ followed by ‘Manage Profiles.’
• Tap ‘Show Profiles’ followed by ‘Add.’
• Now type in the new profile name and hit ‘OK.’
• You can change to this profile by going to ‘File.’ After that, choose ‘Account Settings’ and then ‘Change Profile.’
• Outlook will close. Start it and choose the new profile name.

Begin Outlook in Safe Mode

The Safe Mode can troubleshoot various Outlook-related issues. It’s very simple to open the program in this mode. When you open it, Outlook will open without any add-ons. So, nothing will interfere with its normal operations.

• Exit Outlook.
• Hit Windows + R keys.
• The ‘Run’ box will open. Here, enter ‘exe/safe.’
• Now hit ‘Enter.’ Outlook will launch in the Safe Mode.
• Hit the Send/Receive button. Then see the status bar. It should switch from offline to online.

Fix the Work Offline button

It can be possible that your Outlook window does not have the switch button to operate offline – online. This button isn’t there because your email account isn’t using a mail server that supports Microsoft Exchange. But the button can also be missing from MS Outlook even if you use an email account that can work offline. In this case, you should follow the steps below.

• Navigate to ‘File’ followed by ‘Infor Menu.’
• Now, choose ‘Account Settings’ followed by ‘Account Name and Sync Settings.’
• From the window of ‘Account Name and Sync Settings’, tap ‘More Settings.’
• Tap the ‘Advanced’ tab and tick mark the ‘Download shared folders’ and ‘Use cached Exchange Mode’ checkboxes.

Note that there can be some glitches in the checkboxes mentioned above. If you unchecked the option that says ‘Use cached Exchange Mode,’ Outlook will display it as checked. To ensure that you properly turn on the cached Exchange Mode, you should untick and then retick the cached Exchange mode. Then, tap ‘OK’ till you exit the ‘Options’ window. After that, you can start Outlook again.

Final Words

Use these techniques whenever you find Outlook is working offline. All of them are proven to resolve this problem and help them receive new messages. Thus, you can easily send and receive messages like before. However, if none of the methods works, contact Outlook technical support services. The experts will readily help you troubleshoot this issue.