Windows Live mail is stuck in 'working offline'

Anonymous
2013-04-02T10:57:39+00:00

Windows Live mail is stuck in 'working offline' and will not allow me to send or receive emails. 

No matter how many times I try to change it to working online, although I AM online and everything else works fine, I cannot receive or send emails.  The Globe at the bottom of the screen changes to online whne I click on it, but the option 'work offline' under 'File' in top left will not switch to online.  I am going mad as I cannot retrieve my emails or send any.

Windows for home | Other | Email and communications

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

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Anonymous
2013-04-04T00:09:08+00:00

Have a look at IE Tools | Work offline --- is it ticked? untick it, and WLM will be able to go online again.

For some idiot reason MS link IE and WLM Work on/offline settings.

This happened to me after upgrading to IE10 ... hours of frustration later (and I did not select to work offline in IE BTW!).

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Anonymous
2013-07-16T02:51:45+00:00

Hi everyone,

I know that you guys are having issues on:

Unable to send or receive emails, Windows Live Mail is stuck in ‘working offline’

We recommend that you follow the steps below as one of these steps may resolve your issue.

  1. Make sure that the default browser is IE. (Please see the link below)

Make Internet Explorer your default browser:

Internet Explorer 10

Internet Explorer 10 for Windows 7

Internet Explorer 9

Internet Explorer 8

  1. You may try to reconfigure the account in Windows Live Mail:

How do I add an account to Windows Live Mail?

  1. Check your computer’s Internet Connection. Verify if Internet Explorer is offline.

a)    Open Internet Explorer browser.

b)    From the menu bar, click File. (If menu is not shown, press “Alt” + F button on your keyboard)

c)     Uncheck “Work offline” by clicking on it.

d)    From Windows Live Mail, click Send/Receive button. If you are being asked to go online, click Yes.

If you encounter the same issue even after following the steps in this thread, we recommend to create a new post under Windows Live Mail forum.

NOTE: I have locked this thread now since it's too long to manage. You may also find some workaround provided by the community on this thread.

Thank you.

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  1. Anonymous
    2013-07-03T15:34:38+00:00

    IE10 is the problem.  Go to IE10 update in April and select  uninstall,  IE9 will automatically be installed during the uninstall.  Internet Explorer is an intricate part of Microsoft and sits in the background even though you could be using Chrome ,Firefox or another browser.

    Select install updates when I decide(not automatic) otherwise IE10 will re install.

    If you continue to use IE10 it is always necessary to untick the offline in IE10/File if you go offline for some reason  (like accidentally clicking the bottom RH screen in WLM or switching router off) not in WLM/File where it will keep showing locked in Offline even though you try to unlock.

    It will not happen using IE9 and the check box for offline is operable in WLM/File.

    No one from Microsoft has told me why IE10 is causing the problem to date.

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  2. Anonymous
    2013-07-03T14:44:58+00:00

    Have a look at IE Tools | Work offline --- is it ticked? untick it, and WLM will be able to go online again.

    For some idiot reason MS link IE and WLM Work on/offline settings.

    This happened to me after upgrading to IE10 ... hours of frustration later (and I did not select to work offline in IE BTW!).

    Hello,

    I can not untick it .....  working off line.......it is locked.

    What is the solution.

    thanks

    Halina

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  3. Anonymous
    2013-07-01T09:54:41+00:00

    Hi Everyone,

    Since Fri June 28th 2013, about midnight, I have been suffering the same stupid problem. WLM suddenly went offline, and no matter how many times I tried, it refused to go online.

    I NEVER use IE (or only rarely), preferring Chrome or Firefox, however, following your suggestions, I decided to open IE( which was already online)..........and BINGO......miraculously........without further prompting, WLM as started functioning normally.

    In desperation, I had started using WLM via the Web (which I hate), but even that was "down" half the time. I live in Spain, but even my daughter, who lives in London, says that she has been having the same problems (via the Web) for the past 2 or 3 weeks.

    Fortunately, Hotmail/Outlook, or whatever they want to call themselves nowadays, did NOT stop functioning on my Android phone!!!

    Thank you all for your suggestions, as I was about to embark on an uninstall/re-install operation, so this has saved me one big headache....as I have plenty of other things to do......!

    Sincerely,

    Sheila

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