What to Do When Outlook Won’t Send Emails: Troubleshooting Guide

Have you ever found yourself finally sitting down to send those important emails, only to have Outlook punish you for procrastinating? 

It can be incredibly frustrating, but it’s a common scenario when Outlook encounters issues that prevent emails from being sent. The emails stay in your outbox (a folder where sent emails are temporarily stored),without getting pushed to the Sent Items folder.

When this happens, it usually indicates a hiccup somewhere in the system that needs addressing. 

But don’t worry—we’ve got you covered. In this guide, we’ll walk you through five effective ways to troubleshoot and resolve this issue so you can get back to your productive self.

Table of Contents

• Outlook Fix 1: Check Your Internet Connection
• Outlook Fix 2: Verify Your Outgoing Server Settings
• Outlook Fix 3: Clear Your Outbox
• Outlook Fix 4: Update or Reinstall Outlook
• Outlook Fix 5: Repair Your Outlook Profile To Improve Email Connection
• Wrapping Up

Outlook Fix 1: Check Your Internet Connection

The first thing you should do is ensure you have a stable internet connection. Outlook, just like any email platform, needs a steady and continuous connection to your email server to send messages. Even if you can browse the web, an unstable or intermittent connection can prevent emails from being sent.

If your connection is unstable, Outlook might not be able to maintain the necessary link to send emails. This issue can occur even if other internet-dependent services seem to be working fine. 

Let’s see how to ensure your internet connection is working properly:

1. Check Other Internet-Dependent Services: Open a web browser and visit a few websites to ensure your connection is stable. If websites are loading slowly or not at all, there may be an issue with your internet connection.

2. Restart Your Router: If you notice any issues, try restarting your router. Unplug it from the power source, wait for about 30 seconds, and then plug it back in. Allow a few minutes for it to reconnect.

3. Check Outlook’s Connection Status: Open Outlook and look at the lower-right corner of the window. It should display “Connected to: Microsoft Exchange” or something similar. If it says “Disconnected” or “Trying to connect,” you may have a connectivity issue.

4. Reconnect to Your Network: Sometimes, simply reconnecting to your network can help. Disconnect from your current network and reconnect after a few seconds.

5. Contact Your Internet Service Provider (ISP): If the above steps do not resolve the issue, there might be a problem with your ISP. Contact them to check if there are any known issues in your area.

Ensuring your internet connection is stable and reliable is the first step in troubleshooting Outlook’s email-sending issues. If the connection is stable and you’re still having problems, you might want to check out the other fixes mentioned here. 

Outlook Fix 2: Verify Your Outgoing Server Settings

Incorrect outgoing server settings can prevent your emails from being sent. But how do you check this?

You’ll have to review your SMTP settings. This can be done by following the below steps:

The SMTP settings control how your outgoing emails are processed. If these settings are incorrect, your emails won’t leave the outbox. This can happen due to misconfiguration or changes in your email provider’s settings. Ensuring these settings are correct can often resolve the issue.

To check and adjust your server settings in Outlook, follow these steps:

1. Launch the Outlook application on your computer.

2. Click on the File tab in the upper-left corner of the window.

3. Click on Info and then select Account Settings again from the dropdown menu.

4. Find your email account in the list. Click on it, then select Change > More Settings.

5. Check that your outgoing server (SMTP) settings are correct. These settings typically include the server name, port number, and encryption method. If you need help with the correct settings, contact your email provider or IT department for assistance.

6. After verifying and updating the settings, save changes and restart Outlook.

By verifying and correcting your outgoing server settings, you can ensure that your emails are processed correctly and leave your outbox as intended. 

Outlook Fix 3: Clear Your Outbox

Sometimes, simply clearing your outbox can resolve the issue. Picture this: your outbox is like a physical mailbox that can get jammed if too many letters are stuffed inside or if one letter gets stuck. 

Emails stuck in the outbox can block new messages from being sent. This can be due to a problematic email or a minor glitch in Outlook. Just like you would clear out a jammed mailbox, doing the same to your outbox can help Outlook start sending emails again.

Here’s how you can clear your outbox in a few simple steps:

1. Launch the Outlook application on your computer.

2. Navigate to your Outbox folder to view the unsent emails.

3. Right-click on each unsent email and select Move to Drafts. This action relocates the emails so they are no longer stuck in the outbox.

4. Go to the Drafts folder where you moved the emails.

5. Open each email and click Send. This will attempt to send the emails again from a different folder.

Outlook Fix 4: Update or Reinstall Outlook

Outdated software can cause unexpected issues. Just like how an old car might break down more frequently, an outdated version of Outlook can have unresolved bugs that prevent emails from being sent. 

Here’s how to update or reinstall Outlook:

1. Update Outlook:

   – Launch Outlook on your computer.

   – Click the File tab in the upper-left corner of the window.

   – Choose Office Account and click Update Options.

   – Click Update Now and wait for the process to complete.

2. Reinstall Outlook:

   – Go to the Control Panel on your computer, select Programs and Features, find Microsoft Office, and click Uninstall.

   – Download the latest version of Outlook from the Office website or use your installation media to reinstall the software.

   – After reinstalling, open Outlook and set up your email account again.

Updating or reinstalling Outlook can fix many issues, ensuring that you have the latest bug fixes and performance improvements. 

Outlook Fix 5: Repair Your Outlook Profile To Improve Email Connection

A corrupted Outlook profile can prevent emails from being sent. Think of your profile as a digital filing cabinet that organizes your email settings and configurations. 

If this cabinet gets damaged, it can disrupt normal operations, including sending emails. Repairing your profile can help restore order and functionality.

Here’s how to repair your Outlook profile:

1. Launch the Outlook application on your computer.

2. Click the File tab and select Account Settings > Account Settings.

3. Find your email account in the list and click on it.

4. Click the Repair button and follow the on-screen instructions to complete the process.

How to repair an Outlook profile to start sending emails again.

5. After repairing, restart Outlook and try sending your emails again.

Repairing your Outlook profile can fix various issues related to email sending and ensure your account settings are correctly configured.

Wrapping Up

Dealing with Outlook not sending emails can be frustrating, but these troubleshooting steps should help you resolve the issue. By ensuring your internet connection is stable, verifying server settings, clearing the outbox, updating software, and repairing your profile, you can get back to smooth email communication.

Remember, a little patience and troubleshooting can go a long way in fixing these common tech issues.

By following these guidelines, you should be able to troubleshoot the most common issues and keep your email communications flowing smoothly. If all else fails, reaching out to professionals ensures that you’re not left stranded with an unresolved problem. Happy emailing!