How to fix ‘Outlook must be online or connected to complete this action’ errors

Dave's Computer Repair Blog - Fixing ‘Outlook must be online or connected to complete this action’ errors.

Microsoft Outlook is a great email application that works pretty well once you have it set up and running. However, it being Microsoft, Outlook also has its fair share of problems. Whether you’re running it as an installed version or within Office 365, there are quite a few errors you can come up against.

One of which is the ‘Outlook must be online or connected to complete this action’ error. Fortunately, it is also one of the easiest to troubleshoot and fix. The error syntax tells us exactly what is wrong, Outlook cannot contact the Exchange server. That is where our troubleshooting begins.

Here are some basic steps you can take to overcome this error. I’ll assume your internet is working correctly and it is only Outlook that cannot connect. Try each step and retest Outlook. Only move on to the next step if the error still appears.

1. Reboot your computer. The most basic troubleshooting step but also the most effective.
2. Check Work Offline isn’t enabled by clicking the Send/Receive tab and checking for a red X in the Work Offline box.
3. Log into Outlook Web Access using your browser. If you can login fine, the issue is with Exchange or Outlook, not with your credentials.
4. Download and run the Microsoft Support and Recovery Assistant for Office 365 if you use Office 365.
5. Create a new profile through Mail in Control Panel. Don’t delete your old one!
6. Check account settings. Navigate to File, Account Settings in Outlook, Change and then Advanced Settings. Verify all settings are correct and click Test Account Settings.
7. Add or remove email accounts from Outlook but don’t delete the .ost file. You can add them again once testing is complete.

One of those methods is sure to address the ‘Outlook must be online or connected to complete this action’ error. If it doesn’t or you need extra assistance, we can help.

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