Outlook has become one of the most popular email services available today, as it allows you to access your emails from multiple devices and accounts no matter where you are. However, there may be times when Outlook fails to connect with your account, leaving you unable to check new messages or send emails until it works again. If this happens, there are several ways to fix this problem without having to start from scratch by signing out and signing back in, so keep reading for some quick and easy fixes!
10 ways to fix issues
- Check your internet connection. If you can’t connect to the internet, you won’t be able to connect to Outlook.
- Make sure Outlook is updated to the latest version.
- Check your account settings. Go to File > Account Settings > Account Settings. If you see any errors, note them down and contact your email provider for help.
- Try using Outlook in Safe Mode. This will disable any add-ins that could be causing problems. It also limits what features are available so you can focus on troubleshooting just one thing at a time. You’ll need to restart Outlook after entering safe mode. To enter safe mode, go to File > Exit Out of Program (not just close it) and select Yes when prompted if you want to enter safe mode with no add-ins enabled. Then open Outlook again from the shortcut icon on your desktop or from the Start menu (don’t use CTRL+ALT+DEL). Once you’re done working in safe mode, press ALT+SHIFT+ESC to exit out of the program and try starting Outlook normally.
- Check whether there’s an error message showing up on your screen by pressing ALT+F1 (or CMD+, if you’re using Mac). Some error messages might show up there before appearing anywhere else.
- Uninstall then reinstall Outlook through Control Panel > Programs & Features. Sometimes the installation process doesn’t complete correctly. Be sure to restart your computer before trying to start Outlook again.
- Close all other programs running on your computer – especially anti-virus software – and check if this fixes your problem.
- Check network connections, power sources, router status, etc., as they could all have an impact on connectivity issues with Microsoft Office applications like Outlook.
- Reset your TCP/IP stack: first go to Command Prompt and type ipconfig /release;ipconfig /renew;ipcode config/flushdns, followed by ipconfig /registerdns. Restart your computer afterwards and verify that you can access Outlook without any issues.
- Make sure you have the correct password. Type password into Google to find the correct login information for your email account.
Use the Outlook repair tool
If you’re having trouble connecting to Outlook, the first step is to run the repair tool. This will fix any problems with your installation of Outlook and get you back up and running. Here’s how to do it -Click File in the top left corner of your screen.
- Click Account Settings on the left side menu.
- Click Repair at the bottom right corner of this window, then follow through the prompts that appear on screen to complete this process.
- You may need to restart your computer for these changes to take effect.
Renew your IP address
If you’re having trouble connecting to Outlook, one quick fix is to renew your IP address. Here’s how – Open a command prompt
- Type ipconfig /release and then type ipconfig /renew
- Restart the computer
- Type ipconfig /all at the command prompt and make sure that IP Address is set to Automatic (this should automatically happen after you renew your IP)
- Make sure that Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) is checked under Preferred Network Protocols in the Internet Protocol Version 4 Properties window
- Check Use only this connection in the Homegroup panel under Network and Sharing Center > Change advanced sharing settings for your network profile > Select Turn off password-protected sharing if it’s enabled. After this setting is changed, close all windows for a few minutes before restarting them.
Connect using different browser/device/connection
If you’re having trouble connecting to Outlook, there are a few things you can try. First, try using a different browser or device. If that doesn’t work, try connecting through a different network. Finally, if all else fails, contact customer support for help. The team at Dell is available Monday-Friday from 9 AM-9 PM EST and Saturday from 9 AM-5 PM EST by calling.
