My outlook email won't accept emails.

Question

Got this message when I tried to send a message via Gmail.

The recipient server did not accept our requests to connect. For more information, go to https://support.google.com/mail/answer/ [there......com: timed out] [there......com: timed out] [there.......com: timed out] [there...........com: timed out]

Answer 1

Hi @Reconstructed

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

Since you can receive emails sent to yourself but not from external accounts, your mailbox is functioning internally. However, the “timed out” error indicates that external servers are unable to establish a connection with your mail server.

Because this occurs before the message ever reaches Outlook, the issue cannot be fixed through your app settings or device. To help you troubleshoot this, please follow the steps below:

1. Verify your account type

• Standard Microsoft account (@outlook.com, @hotmail.com): Check your Junk Email folder and your Rules (Settings > Mail > Rules) to ensure external messages aren't being moved or filtered.
• Custom Domain account (@yourcompany.com): The "timed out" error you received indicates that external servers (like Gmail) are unable to find a working path to your mailbox.

2. Recommended Actions for Custom Domains

If you are using a custom domain, the issue is likely related to how your domain is pointed to your email service.

• Contact your Domain Provider: Reach out to the company where you purchased your domain (e.g., GoDaddy, Squarespace, or Namecheap). Provide them with the full "timed out" error message. They can verify if your MX records are correctly set up and responding to requests.
• Consult your IT Administrator: If you are part of an organization, your IT admin can check the Microsoft 365 Admin Center to ensure the domain status is healthy and that all service records are active.

A “timed out” error means the sending server tried to deliver mail but received no response. Because this occurs at the network gateway level, the issue must be addressed at the domain or service provider level.

I hope this information helps you move toward a resolution.

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Answer 2

It seems that you are experiencing issues with sending emails from Outlook, specifically receiving a timeout error when trying to connect to the recipient's server. This can happen due to various reasons, including network issues, server settings, or email account configurations.

Here are some steps you can take to troubleshoot the issue:

1. Check Internet Connection: Ensure that your device has a stable internet connection.
2. Verify Email Settings: Make sure that your email account settings in Outlook are configured correctly, including the SMTP server settings.
3. Firewall/Antivirus Settings: Sometimes, firewall or antivirus software can block outgoing connections. Check to see if any settings are preventing Outlook from connecting to the email server.
4. Test with Another Email Client: If possible, try sending an email using a different email client or webmail to see if the issue persists.
5. Contact Email Provider: If the problem continues, it may be beneficial to contact your email provider for assistance, as they may have specific configurations or issues on their end.

If you are using a Google Apps Sync for Outlook account, ensure that it is not configured alongside an Exchange Server account in the same Outlook profile, as this can cause errors as well.

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References:

• The operation failed error when you send email messages in Outlook
• Sending mail from Outlook results in error 0x800ccc80