MS Outlook not sending and receiving emails now

Steve 0 Reputation points
2026-08-24T08:00:19.8333333+00:00

My dad's Outlook client email worked for a while then suddenly stopped - can't send or receive but the ISP webmail version works fine. Spoke to the ISP who basically say if webmail is working it is not their problem. I have tried putting the account on my PC and it also won't work in Outlook but does on another client. I have no idea what to do - tried repairing the account, changed password thinking that was issue.

Any help welcome

Outlook | Windows | Classic Outlook for Windows | For home
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  1. AI answer

    2026-08-24T08:00:42.32+00:00

    Since the account works in ISP webmail and in another mail client, the issue is likely with classic Outlook on Windows rather than the mailbox itself.

    Try these steps in order:

    1. Check whether Outlook is offline
      • In classic Outlook, look at the bottom status bar.
      • If it shows Disconnected, Working Offline, or Trying to connect..., go to Send/Receive > Work Offline to switch back online.
      • Then try Send/Receive again.
    2. Confirm the PC has internet access
      • Open a browser and test a site such as Microsoft or Bing.
      • If browsing fails, fix the Windows network connection first.
    3. Re-enter the password in Outlook
      • Since the password was changed, Outlook may still be using the old one.
      • In Outlook, select the email account name. When prompted, select Continue and sign in with the new password.
      • If Outlook shows Please create an app password for Outlook on your email provider's site, get an app password from the ISP and use that in Outlook instead of the normal password.
    4. Check for a stuck message in Outbox
      • Open Outbox.
      • If an older message is stuck, especially with a large attachment, it can block later mail.
      • If an attachment is larger than 20 MB, remove it and try again with a smaller file or a link.
    5. Start Outlook in safe mode
      • Add-ins can stop sending and receiving.
      • Press the Windows key, type outlook.exe /safe, and press Enter.
      • If mail works in safe mode, an add-in or the profile is likely the cause.
    6. Repair Outlook
      • Run Repair an Office application.
      • This can take up to about half an hour.
    7. Repair the Outlook profile
      • If account repair did not help, repair the Outlook profile or create a new one.
      • A damaged profile can stop Outlook from connecting properly.
    8. Run the Inbox Repair Tool
      • If this account stores mail in a .pst file, run the Inbox Repair Tool.
      • This is useful when Outlook data files are damaged.
    9. Check antivirus email scanning
      • Some antivirus products scan email and can block send/receive if they detect a problem.
      • Check the antivirus product’s help guidance for email scanning behavior.
    10. Use Microsoft’s classic Outlook troubleshooters
    • Microsoft provides troubleshooters specifically for classic Outlook send/receive problems.
    • If those do not help, use the support option listed there.

    Based on what was already tried, the strongest next steps are safe mode, Office repair, and profile repair/create new profile. If Outlook prompts for an app password from the ISP, that is also a strong sign the provider requires a different sign-in method for mail apps.

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