How To Set Outlook To Online Mode

In Outlook, you take the flexibility to make Outlook piece of work online or offline with your mail service server.

How do you know when you're working offline or online in Outlook? There are visual cues, starting with the status bar at the lesser of your Outlook window. If either of the following status indicators are shown, it means Outlook isn't connected to your mail server.

Working offline status or Disconnected status

You can't ship or receive email until you reconnect.

Status: Working Offline

Working offline unremarkably is a choice. Returning to an online work mode is a simple process.

In Outlook, on the Send/Receive tab, choose Work Offline to reconnect.

Notes:

If the background of the Work Offline button is shaded (every bit shown in the image in a higher place), you lot're non connected. But if the background is articulate, you are connected.
If you don't see the Work Offline button and your electronic mail account is a Microsoft Exchange Server business relationship or a Microsoft 365 account, Cached Exchange Way might be turned off. Follow the steps in Plow on Cached Exchange Fashion to change that setting. Or contact the person who manages the Exchange server for your organization.
We recommend always turning on Cached Exchange Mode with a Microsoft 365 account.

Status: Disconnected

At that place can be different reasons why you're disconnected from Outlook. What follows are just a few examples of some of the possible reasons.

If your Internet connection is working, there might exist a problem with the mail server.
If you tin log onto your e-mail from a website—for example, http://outlook.com—cheque to see whether you can receive and transport electronic mail that style. If email isn't working on the website, call your technical support for your electronic mail service provider for aid.
If y'all tin ship and receive postal service on the website, then your postal service server is fine. But your computer might need updates or there might be a problem with your account settings.

Tips for reconnecting to Outlook

Here are some suggested ways to reconnect to Outlook.

Reset the Work Offline condition

On the Send/Receive tab, choose Work Offline, and check your status bar. If the status shows Working Offline, repeat the action until the status changes to connected.

Check for updates

Read the check for updates topic and install whatever required updates.

Create a new profile

To eliminate the possibility that there's a fault in your current Outlook profile, create a new profile. If you open up Outlook using the new contour and it'southward still disconnected, try removing your account and so adding information technology dorsum again.

In the Binder pane, right-click your business relationship name, then choose Remove <name of the account> .
Follow the steps in adding the account once more to go on.

Important: Role 2010 is no longer supported. Upgrade to Microsoft 365 to work anywhere from any device and continue to receive support.

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If the status bar at the bottom of your Microsoft Outlook window shows Working Offline, it means Outlook's disconnected from your mail server. You lot can't send or receive email until y'all reconnect.

Outlook status bar with Working Offline status

The first thing to check is your Internet connectedness by trying to connect to a website. If your Internet connectedness is working, try reconnecting to the mail server. Here'due south how:

Click Send/Receive.

Notice that when Outlook is set to Work Offline, the button is highlighted.
Click Work Offline to return to working online.

Afterwards you reconnect to the server, the Work Offline push has a plain background:

Still no luck? If you lot can use that e-mail account with a website, such every bit Outlook.com, encounter whether you can receive and send new mail using that site. If you tin can't, phone call your technical support or your electronic mail service provider for help.

If you can get and send post on the website, the mail server'due south fine. Only Outlook might need updates or there might be a problem with the mail account settings. If y'all're using an Exchange account, cheque for updates and install any required ones. (It's ever a good idea to keep electric current with updates.)

Drastic? Maybe your electronic mail account needs a fresh start. Try creating a new mail contour.

When you might desire to work offline

When you work online with Outlook and your postal service server, y'all receive new mail service every bit it arrives, and mail service that you lot ship is sent immediately. Nonetheless, at that place can be times when working online isn't applied. For case, maybe there's no network connexion available. Or maybe there is a network available, merely y'all don't want to connect to information technology because you've exceeded your data programme or volition be charged a fee.

In Outlook, you take the flexibility to choose whether you want to work online or offline, and you lot can do then either automatically or manually. If you lot elected to piece of work offline, but are ready to manually outset a send/receive operation, just click Send/Receive > Send/Receive All Folders.

Outlook Ribbon Image

Work offline with a Microsoft Commutation Server account

If you're using a Microsoft Exchange Server account, your messages are saved in your mailbox on the server. When you're connected to the server and you work online, you can utilize all of the functionality in Outlook, such equally opening items, moving them between folders, and deleting items. Still, when you work offline, you lose access to all items on the server. That is when offline folders, which are saved in an offline Outlook Data File (.ost) on your computer, are useful.

The offline Outlook Data File (.ost) file is a replica or copy of your Exchange mailbox. When you are online, this file is automatically synchronized with the server so that both copies are the same, and changes made in either copy are made to the other. You can configure Outlook to automatically start offline if a connection to Exchange cannot be established. Y'all can besides manually switch betwixt the online and offline connexion states and cull which Exchange folders are kept upward-to-date locally on your computer.

If you lot utilise an Exchange account, it is recommended that yous utilize it with Cached Substitution Mode. Almost of the reasons to work offline are eliminated when you utilise Buried Exchange Mode. The lack of a network connectedness is well-nigh transparent to you because you lot tin can continue to work with your items.

By default, Cached Exchange Mode creates and uses an offline Outlook Data File (.ost) and then downloads and maintains a synchronized re-create of the items in all folders in your mailbox. Y'all work with your data on your computer, and Outlook synchronizes it with the server.

Whether you are at the office, at abode, or on an airplane, network changes or availability are transparent to yous. When your connection to Exchange is interrupted, you tin can continue to work with your data. When a connection is restored, Outlook automatically synchronizes changes, and the folders and items on the server and on your computer are once over again identical. Outlook manages your connection to the server and keeps your data up-to-appointment. There is no demand to switch to working offline and to go on trying to reconnect to the server — information technology is all automated.

Buried Exchange Way as well frees you lot from having to set upwardly Send/Receive groups because information technology chooses the folders that yous want to be available offline and keeps those folders synchronized.

The only fourth dimension when you might still cull to work offline is when you want greater control over what is downloaded to the local re-create of your Exchange mailbox. This can include situations where you lot are using a connection device or service that bases the charges on the amount of data that yous transfer. Cached Exchange Mode keeps everything upwards-to-engagement. Working offline allows you to use Send/Receive groups to refine the blazon and amount of information that is synchronized.

What if you lot aren't using an Exchange account? Many people use a POP3 or IMAP account from their Internet service provider (ISP) or a Web-based account, such as Outlook.com (formerly Hotmail).

The fastest way to piece of work offline is to use the default Outlook settings. If yous want to customize the settings, including where to save the offline Outlook Data File (.ost), apply the Customized setup instructions.

Quick setup

On the Send / Receive tab, in the Preferences group, click Work Offline.
To fix an offline Outlook Information File (.ost), click OK.

By default, the Prompt me at startup so I may choose to work offline or online check box is selected. If you desire Outlook to e'er piece of work online when a connection is available, clear this cheque box.

After the offline Outlook Information File (.ost) file is created, when you lot exit and restart Outlook, you must synchronize your Substitution mailbox with the new file. The fastest style to do this is as follows: On the Transport / Receive tab, in the Send & Receive group, click Send/Receive All Folders.

Customized setup

If y'all want to customize the offline Outlook Data File (.ost) settings, such equally where the file is saved on your computer, practise the following:

If yous have not already done so, create an offline Outlook Data File (.ost).

Create an offline Outlook Data File (.ost)
1. Click the File tab.
2. Click Account Settings, and so click Account Settings.
3. On the E-mail service tab, select the Exchange Server account, so click Alter.
4. Click More Settings.
5. Click the Advanced tab, and then click Offline Folder File Settings.
6. In the File box, type the path to the file that you want to employ as the .ost file.
  
  The default file proper name is Outlook.ost. If this file already exists, you lot are prompted for a new proper name.
Click the File menu,
Click Business relationship Settings, and and then click Account Settings.
On the East-mail tab, select the Commutation business relationship, and then click Modify.
Click More Settings.
Do one of the following:
1. Always starting time Outlook offline Click Manually command connection state, and so click Work offline and use dial-up networking.
2. Cull whether to work offline or online each time y'all beginning Outlook Click Manually control connection state, and then select the Choose the connexion type when starting check box.
3. Always connect to the network Click Manually control connectedness country, and then click Connect with the network.
4. Outlook automatically detects whether a connectedness to the server is available Click Automatically discover connection state. If Outlook is unable to connect with the mail server, information technology starts in offline fashion automatically.
  
  Notation:To specify the amount of time to expect for a response from the server before you are notified to retry or work offline, type a number in the Seconds Until Server Connection Timeout box.

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Of import: Office 2007 is no longer supported. Upgrade to Microsoft 365 to work anywhere from whatever device and keep to receive back up.

Upgrade at present

About working offline

When you piece of work online with Outlook 2007 and your mail server, you receive new mail as information technology arrives, and mail that you ship is sent immediately. All the same, there are times when working online is not practical. For example, there can be times when a network connection is not available because of your location. At that place are also instances when even though a connectedness might be available, you don't want to employ information technology to avert incurring connexion fees.

If your account connects to Exchange, your letters are saved in your server'due south mailbox. When y'all are connected to the server and work online, you tin can use all of the functionality in Outlook, such every bit opening items, moving them between folders, and deleting items. Withal, when y'all work offline, yous lose access to all items on the server. That is when offline folders, which are saved in an Offline Binder file (.ost) on your calculator, are useful.

The .ost file is a replica or copy of your Exchange mailbox. When y'all are online, this .ost file is automatically synchronized with the server so that both copies are the aforementioned, and changes made in either re-create are made to the other. You can configure Outlook to automatically start offline if a connection to Exchange cannot exist established. You can as well manually switch betwixt the online and offline connectedness states and choose which Commutation folders are kept up-to-engagement locally on your figurer.

If you use an Exchange business relationship, it is recommended that you lot use it with Cached Exchange Fashion. Nearly of the reasons to work offline are eliminated when y'all use Cached Commutation Mode. The lack of a network connexion is virtually transparent to y'all because you can continue to work with your items.

By default, Cached Exchange Mode creates and uses an Offline Folder file (.ost) and so downloads and maintains a synchronized copy of the items in all folders in your mailbox. You lot piece of work with your information on your computer, and Outlook synchronizes it with the server.

Whether yous are at the office, at habitation, or on an airplane, network changes or availability are transparent to you lot. When your connection to Exchange is interrupted, you lot can proceed to work with your information. When a connection is restored, Outlook automatically synchronizes changes, and the folders and items on the server and on your computer are one time over again identical. Outlook manages your connection to the server and keeps your data upwards-to-engagement. There is no need to switch to working offline and to proceed trying to reconnect to the server — information technology is all automatic.

Cached Substitution Mode as well frees yous from having to set upwards Send/Receive groups considering it chooses the folders that you want to exist available offline and keeps those folders synchronized.

The only time when you might still choose to piece of work offline is when y'all want greater control over what is downloaded to the local copy of your Exchange mailbox. This can include situations where yous are using a connectedness device or service that bases the charges on the amount of information that y'all transfer. Buried Exchange Style keeps everything up-to-date. Working offline allows yous to use Send/Receive groups to refine the type and amount of information that is synchronized.

What if yous aren't using an Substitution account? Many people utilize a POP3 or IMAP account from their Internet access provider (ISP) or an HTTP business relationship, such as Microsoft Windows Alive Mail. When you are online, this ways that a connection to the mail server is available, and Outlook sends and receives messages immediately for Exchange, IMAP, and HTTP e-mail accounts. For POP3 electronic mail accounts, messages are sent immediately if the Transport immediately when connected check box is selected on the Mail Setup tab (Tools menu, Options command). When y'all are offline, all accounts use the scheduling send/receive fourth dimension in the Send/Receive Groups dialog box. As well, for IMAP electronic mail accounts, folders are not available when offline.

When you work offline, Outlook connects to the mail server only when you lot choose for information technology to do so. When offline, Outlook does not try to connect to your post server to cheque for new messages, download headers that yous marked for download, or send messages.

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If you have a Microsoft Exchange account

Yous must restart Outlook 2007 to switch between working online and offline. Consider using Cached Exchange Mode for greater flexibility when you switch betwixt online and offline connexion states.

The fastest style to piece of work offline is to apply the default Outlook settings. If you desire to customize the settings, including where to save the Offline Folder file (.ost), utilise the Customized setup instructions.

Quick setup

On the File menu, click Work Offline.
To gear up up an Offline Binder file (.ost), click OK.

Past default, the Prompt me at startup so I may choose to piece of work offline or online bank check box is selected. If you want Outlook to always work online when a connection is available, articulate this check box.

Later the .ost file is created, when you exit and restart Outlook, you must synchronize your Exchange mailbox with the .ost file. The fastest way to practise this is as follows: On the Tools card, point to Send/Receive, and then click Send/Receive All.

Customized setup

If you lot want to customize the Offline Folder file (.ost) settings, such equally where the .ost file is saved on your computer, exercise the following:

If y'all have not already done then, create an Offline Folder file (.ost).

Create an Offline Folder file (.ost)
1. On the Tools bill of fare, click Account Settings.
2. On the East-mail tab, select the Exchange account, and and so click Change.
3. Click More Settings.
4. Click the Avant-garde tab, and so click Offline Binder File Settings.
5. In the File box, type the path to the file that you want to use every bit the .ost file.
  
  The default file proper noun is Outlook.ost. If this file already exists, you are prompted for a new proper name.
On the Tools menu, click Account Settings.
On the East-mail tab, select the Exchange business relationship, and so click Alter.
Click More Settings.
Do one of the following:
1. Always start Outlook offline Click Manually control connection state, and and so click Work offline and employ dial-up networking.
2. Choose whether to work offline or online each fourth dimension you get-go Outlook Click Manually command connection state, and and then select the Cull the connexion type when starting bank check box.
3. Ever connect to the network Click Manually control connectedness state, and then click Connect with the network.
4. Outlook automatically detects whether a connexion to the server is bachelor Click Automatically detect connection country. If Outlook is unable to connect with the mail server, it starts in offline mode automatically.
  
  Notation:To specify the amount of time to wait for a response from the server before you are notified to retry or piece of work offline, blazon a number in the Seconds Until Server Connection Timeout box.

If you use your Substitution account in Cached Exchange Fashion

On the File bill of fare, click Work Offline.

If y'all use a POP3, IMAP, or HTTP account

On the File menu, click Work Offline.

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