Email issues

Question

Cannot contact to server from outlook need to look at server settings

Answer 1

Hi @Peter Pisani 

Thank you for posting your question in the Microsoft Q&A forum. 

To help narrow down the issue, please provide more details:  

-Are you signing in with a personal Microsoft account (for example, @outlook.com or @hotmail.com) or with a work/school account?  

-What type of account is configured in Outlook (POP, IMAP, or Exchange)?  

-Have you tried signing in via Outlook on the web? If the web version works, the problem is usually with the local Outlook configuration. 

Here are some steps you may try: 

1.Disable Offline mode  

Outlook may be set to work offline. 

-Open Outlook. 

-Go to the Send/Receive tab. 

-Click Work Offline to toggle it off. 

2.Verify server settings  

Incorrect server settings can prevent Outlook from connecting. 

-Go to File > Account Settings > Account Settings. 

-Select your email account and click Change. 

-Confirm the incoming/outgoing server addresses and port numbers with your email provider. 

3.Re-enter your password  

If authentication fails, Outlook may show connection errors. 

-Remove saved credentials from Windows Credential Manager. 

-Restart Outlook and sign in again. 

4.Start Outlook in Safe Mode 

-Close Outlook completely.  

-Press Win + R, type: outlook.exe /safe > Press Enter.  

If Outlook opens normally in Safe Mode, the issue is likely caused by an add-in. 

-Go to File > Options > Add-ins > COM Add-ins > Go > Disable all add-ins, then re-enable them one by one to identify the problematic add-in. 

5.Create a New Outlook Profile  

-Go to Control Panel > Mail > Show Profiles > Add.   

-Create a new profile and add your email account. 

-Set the new profile as default, then start Outlook. 

Please know that while our initial response might not resolve the issue right away, your input is incredibly valuable. With a bit more detail, we’ll work together to find the best solution for you. 

---

Note: Please follow the steps in our documentation to enable e-mail notifications if you want to receive the related email notification for this thread 

Answer 2

To check and correct the server settings for an Outlook for Windows (Classic) business account, follow these steps:

1. Collect the correct server settings
   • Identify the email provider from the part after @ in the email address.
   • Contact the email provider or Microsoft 365/Exchange admin to get:
     • Account type (Exchange / IMAP / POP)
     • Incoming server name and port
     • Outgoing (SMTP) server name and port
     • SSL/TLS requirements
     • Username and password (or app password if using MFA)
   • For common providers and Microsoft 365, see the POP/IMAP reference in POP and IMAP email settings for Outlook.
2. Open Outlook account settings via Control Panel
   1. Open Control Panel in Windows.
   2. Search for Mail and open it.
   3. In Mail Setup – Outlook, select Email Accounts….
   4. Select the problematic account and choose Change.
3. Verify incoming and outgoing server values
   • On the Change Account window, check:
     • Incoming mail server matches the value from the provider/admin.
     • Outgoing mail server (SMTP) matches the value from the provider/admin.
   • Correct any differences.
4. Verify logon information
   • Under Logon Information:
     • Confirm the correct User Name (usually full email address).
     • Enter the correct Password.
     • If the provider uses two-factor authentication, use the generated app password instead of the normal password.
5. Check advanced settings (ports and encryption)
   1. Click More Settings….
   2. Go to the Advanced tab.
   3. Confirm with the provider/admin and set:
      • Incoming server port and encryption (SSL/TLS or none).
      • Outgoing server (SMTP) port and encryption.
   4. If required, enable SSL for incoming and/or outgoing server.
6. Test the account
   • In the Change Account window, use Test Account Settings (if available) or select Next so Outlook tests the connection.
   • If the test fails, re-check server names, ports, SSL options, username, and password against the provider’s values.

If the account is an on-premises Exchange account and Outlook cannot automatically detect the server, contact the IT department or whoever provided the email address to obtain the correct Exchange server address and, if necessary, override the default port and enable SSL in the Exchange account server settings.

---

References:

• Change or update email account settings in Outlook for Windows
• Server settings you'll need from your email provider
• Resolve sync issues in Mail and Calendar apps in Windows 10
• Exchange account server settings

AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.