Outlook will not let me add account with Spectrum

For classic Outlook for Windows, try this path:

1. In Outlook, go to File > Account Information > Add Account.
2. Enter the full Spectrum email address.
3. Select Advanced options > Let me set up my account manually.
4. Select POP or IMAP.
5. Enter the account password, then select Connect.
6. If setup fails, select Change Account Settings and update the incoming and outgoing server details with the settings provided by Spectrum, then select Connect.

Important: manual setup in classic Outlook is supported for third-party accounts such as Spectrum, but not for Microsoft 365 or Exchange accounts unless POP or IMAP is enabled.

If the error is still “Something went wrong”, one documented cause is Autodiscover being answered incorrectly by the domain’s web host. In that case:

1. Ask the web hosting or web service provider for the domain to make sure the web server does not respond to Autodiscover requests.
2. If that cannot be changed, a Microsoft-documented workaround is to add Outlook registry values to exclude certain Autodiscover methods, then restart Outlook and try adding the account again.

Registry workaround values mentioned by Microsoft:

• ExcludeLastKnownGoodUrl = 1
• ExcludeHttpsRootDomain = 1

These are under:

• HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\x.0\Outlook\Autodiscover
• or HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Office\x.0\Outlook\Autodiscover

Warning: editing the registry can cause Outlook or Windows problems if done incorrectly.

If the account was removed from Outlook and needs to be added again, the normal removal/add flow for classic Outlook is:

• File > Account Settings > Account Settings > select account > Remove
• Then add it back through File > Add Account

References:

• Troubleshoot Outlook email setup
• Something went wrong and Outlook couldn't set up your account
• Add an email account to Outlook for Windows