Easy Ways to Turn Off "Work Offline" in Outlook + Troubleshooting

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Learn how to fix Microsoft Office when it says you're offline
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Do you see a message that says "Working Offline" in Outlook? Depending on your version of Outlook, this might hinder your ability to use the program. This wikiHow article teaches you how to disable Work Offline in Microsoft Outlook on your Windows or Mac computer, including Classic/Legacy Outlook and New Outlook. We also go over some troubleshooting tips if you're encountering issues with disabling "Work Offline" in Outlook.

Disabling "Work Offline" in Microsoft Outlook

  • In New Outlook for Windows, open your settings, go to General > Offline , then toggle off "Enable offline email, calendar, and people."
  • In Classic Outlook for Windows, click the Send/Receive menu, then click the Work Offline button.
  • On a Mac, click the Outlook menu, then click Work Offline to disable the feature.
Section 1 of 4:

Disabling in Classic Outlook (Windows)

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  1. There are a couple of signs that Outlook is currently in "Work Offline" mode:
    • A "Working Offline" box will appear on the lower-right side of the Outlook window.
    • A red "X" will appear on the Outlook app icon in the taskbar.
    • If you're using Windows 11, you'll see a red and black "X" on the Outlook icon in the taskbar.
  2. It's at the top of the Outlook window.
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  3. It's on the right side of the toolbar. Clicking the button turns off Work Offline and removes the red X from the button.
    • Once Work Offline is disabled, the "Working Offline" message will disappear, and you'll be able to send and receive emails as normal.
    • If Work Offline won't turn off, check out these troubleshooting tips .
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Section 2 of 4:

Disabling in New Outlook (Windows)

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  1. 1
    Open Outlook and click on the cogwheel icon in the upper-right corner of the screen. In New Outlook, there isn't a specific "Work Offline" button. However, you can enable or disable offline mode in your Outlook settings.
    • If you disable this option, you won't be able to use your email if your computer goes offline.
  2. 2
    Click General > Offline . The General button has an icon of a cogwheel. Both of these options are in the left-hand sidebar.
  3. 3
    Toggle off "Enable offline email, calendar, and people." This will disable offline mode for New Outlook, and you'll only be able to view your emails, calendar, and contacts when you have an internet connection. [1]
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Section 3 of 4:

Disabling in New or Legacy Outlook (Mac)

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  1. You'll see this option in the menu bar when Outlook is open.
  2. If Work Offline is enabled, you'll see a check mark next to the option in the menu. Clicking Work Offline removes the checkmark and restores Outlook to its typical online mode.
    • This method works for both New and Legacy Outlook on Mac. [2]
    • If Work Offline won't turn off, check out these troubleshooting tips .
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Section 4 of 4:

Troubleshooting

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  1. If you're still seeing "Working Offline" or "Disconnected," you may not have a good internet connection. Open a web browser and see if you can access other websites. If not, there are things you can do to fix it . If you can access the web, the problem is likely not related to your internet connection. [3]
    • Make sure your computer is connected to an active Internet connection when turning off "Work Offline" mode.
  2. If Working Offline doesn't turn off after you disable it, try clicking the button or menu option again to reenable it, and then again to turn it off. Repeat the process a few times to see if this reset fixes the problem.
  3. If you can use email from a website (like Outlook.com) in addition to the Outlook app on your computer, try logging in and sending or receiving messages on the web. If your email server isn't working on the web either, you'll know the problem is on the server end.
  4. If you're trying to connect to the wrong server or port, you might not be able to use features like Work Offline. Double-check your Outlook settings to make sure your server information is correct.
  5. If Outlook is not up to date , features like Work Offline may stop working correctly.
    • On a PC, go to File > Office Account > Update Options > Update Now . [4]
    • On a Mac, click the Help menu and select Check for Updates . [5]
  6. 6
    Make sure you're using the right version of Outlook. You can only change your "Work Offline" settings in the Outlook desktop app. These options aren't available for the website version of Outlook or the mobile app.
  7. A problem with your Outlook profile can break the Work Offline feature. Creating a new profile can help you rule out this problem. To create a new profile:
    • Go to File > Account Settings > Manage Profiles > Show Profiles .
    • Click Add , type a name for your profile, and click OK .
    • Add your mail server information and follow the on-screen instructions to complete the setup.
    • Click OK when you're finished to return to Outlook.
    • To switch to the new profile, go to File > Account Settings > Change Profile > OK . When Outlook restarts, select the new profile you created.
    • Try turning Work Offline off again. If it turns off now, there was a problem with your previous profile. [6]
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Community Q&A

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  • Question
    What should I do if I press the button, but it still doesn't put me back online?
    Community Answer
    This may happen due to a poor internet connection, so I would suggest disconnecting from your internet and reconnecting before trying again.
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      References

      1. ↑ https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/work-offline-in-outlook-2460e4a8-16c7-47fc-b204-b1549275aac9#picktab=new_outlook
      2. ↑ https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/msoffice/forum/all/trying-to-use-outlook-in-offline-mode-in-macbook/9a1f69f8-85d8-4601-b7a7-bf80eb155ebe
      3. ↑ https://support.office.com/en-us/article/switch-from-working-offline-to-online-2460e4a8-16c7-47fc-b204-b1549275aac9
      4. ↑ https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/install-office-updates-2ab296f3-7f03-43a2-8e50-46de917611c5
      5. ↑ https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/update-office-for-mac-automatically-bfd1e497-c24d-4754-92ab-910a4074d7c1
      6. ↑ https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/switch-to-another-outlook-email-profile-be3b617f-3f64-43d3-9037-8313b431803c

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