Cannot save changes to junk email safe or blocked senders lists

Question

Cannot save changes to junk email safe or blocked senders lists

Ed 5

I think my safe and blocked senders lists have grown too big or are corrupt. I cannot save any changes, deletes or adds. I tried contact outlook help through outlook.live.com, I pick help, enter my problem, scroll to the bottom and pick Still Need Help, then it prompts for me to log in even though I'm already logged in, I pick my login, a blank box flashes up, then nothing more happens. I am not given any options for getting help. I'm only left with the box with the login button. I just want my safe and blocked senders lists purged so I can start again but I cannot reach anybody in the outlook help team.

Pavle Peković 6,845 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator

2026-08-29T07:31:38.79+00:00

Is there an error code and/or error message when you try to save changes?
Ed 5 Reputation points

2026-08-29T14:49:33.96+00:00

It only says "Couldn't save changes. Something went wrong. Please try again later."
Pavle Peković 6,845 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator

2026-08-29T14:52:47.1566667+00:00

Then try it on different browser or just open in-private session. Let me know.
Ed 5 Reputation points

2026-08-29T15:27:06.67+00:00

I cleared cache and tried it in Firefox, Chrome and Edge, and in private windows. Exact same behavior. It is not browser or cache related. It is either related to my safe and blocked sender lists being corrupt or too large or something is broken in Microsofts side. I've tried connecting to Outlook Help but as described above, that does not work either. Regardless of browser.
Ed 5 Reputation points

2026-08-29T19:56:39.2633333+00:00

I get the exact same error even if I use the new Outlook app on Windows 11. It's definitely a problem with my safe and blocked sender lists being corrupt or too large or something is broken in Microsoft's side.
Pavle Peković 6,845 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator

2026-08-29T21:12:52.0766667+00:00

Sorry to hear that. Then you will not find solution here, you have to contact support.
Ed 5 Reputation points

2026-08-29T22:36:34.1766667+00:00

I figured that. Thanks for trying.

3 answers

Your answer

Pavle Peković 6,845 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator

2026-08-29T07:31:38.79+00:00

Is there an error code and/or error message when you try to save changes?
Ed 5 Reputation points

2026-08-29T14:49:33.96+00:00

It only says "Couldn't save changes. Something went wrong. Please try again later."
Pavle Peković 6,845 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator

2026-08-29T14:52:47.1566667+00:00

Then try it on different browser or just open in-private session. Let me know.
Ed 5 Reputation points

2026-08-29T15:27:06.67+00:00

I cleared cache and tried it in Firefox, Chrome and Edge, and in private windows. Exact same behavior. It is not browser or cache related. It is either related to my safe and blocked sender lists being corrupt or too large or something is broken in Microsofts side. I've tried connecting to Outlook Help but as described above, that does not work either. Regardless of browser.
Ed 5 Reputation points

2026-08-29T19:56:39.2633333+00:00

I get the exact same error even if I use the new Outlook app on Windows 11. It's definitely a problem with my safe and blocked sender lists being corrupt or too large or something is broken in Microsoft's side.
Pavle Peković 6,845 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator

2026-08-29T21:12:52.0766667+00:00

Sorry to hear that. Then you will not find solution here, you have to contact support.
Ed 5 Reputation points

2026-08-29T22:36:34.1766667+00:00

I figured that. Thanks for trying.

Answer 1

Using my wife's email account and Edge browser I was finally able to reach Outlook chat. After an hour this was their reply:

Thank you for your patience, Ed. I have consulted with our Tier 2 team and they confirmed that this is a known issue affecting some Outlook.com users. We have received multiple reports of customers being unable to save changes to their Safe Senders or Blocked Senders lists and receiving the message: "Couldn't save changes. Something went wrong. Please try again later."

Our engineering team has already identified the root cause and a fix is currently being rolled out to affected accounts.

So hopefully all of us with this issue will get the fix soon.

Thanks.

Answer 2

I believe this is a server-side issue, and it appears to affect only some users. I am not sure whether it is related to the recent Outlook/Exchange incident. That incident has already been cleared, but as many users here have reported, some people are still experiencing this issue regardless of their language or locale.

The most effective way to make the engineering team aware of the problem is to submit feedback directly from Outlook.com.

In Outlook.com, go to Help > Feedback > Report a problem.

Provide as much information as possible. You can also include screenshots or a screen recording showing the issue.

I also recommend selecting "Yes" when asked whether diagnostic logs can be shared. These logs contain diagnostic information and can be very helpful to the engineering team when investigating the problem.

User's image

Answer 3

Andrea D'Alcamo 0

I have the same problem; I’ve tried everything, even contacting customer service! They tell me to contact specialized support, but it’s impossible to reach them. I accidentally added the contact to my PayPal blocked list, and now I’m stuck in this limbo.

Hornblower409 14,425 Reputation points

2026-09-04T13:17:53.9533333+00:00
@Andrea D'Alcamo said

I have the same problem

Seeing multiple recent reports of the same problem. e.g.

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/5993215/how-to-fix-not-saving-settings-in-undoing-block-se

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/5991870/outlook-com-not-saving-blocked-safe-sender-changes

You can try using a Private/Incognito browser session to connect to your account using Outlook Web at https://outlook.cloud.microsoft/ and see if you can make any changes.

contacting customer service .. They tell me to contact specialized support, but it’s impossible to reach them

My guess would be that they are telling you to contact the outlook.com Support Team. Try this route:

Logon to https://outlook.cloud.microsoft/

From the main menu: Help -> ? Help

{This should open the Help side panel}

Search Help -> {Your problem} and press Enter

Still need help? [Yes]

If you get "We're here to help": Tell us your problem -> {Your problem, again} [Get Help]

[Sign In] {Use any Outlook/Microsoft account}

Choose a support option -> Chat with a support agent in your web browser
Ed 5 Reputation points

2026-09-04T15:04:00.8633333+00:00

Hornblower409 - I tried three different browsers, in and out of private windows. I installed and tried the Outlook app on two different laptops. All give the same error. The problem is on Microsoft's side. I tried the method you described to reach Microsoft Outlook support at least 10 times in different browsers on different systems. After the sign in step I never get any options for support. It always thrown back to the login screen. I'm totally stuck with no path forward.
Hornblower409 14,425 Reputation points

2026-09-04T15:21:14.5066667+00:00

@Ed said

The problem is on Microsoft's side.

Based on the number of recent reports I've seen, I agree. But I have not seen any official, published acknowledgement of the problem from Microsoft.

I tried the method you described to reach Microsoft Outlook support ...

I just tested and I got to a Chat session with no problem. But I have no idea why it is picking on you.

If you have tried everything else - Have someone you know use their PC and their outlook.com account to try and get a Chat open to the outlook.com Support Team. Once they are in Chat, you can give Support the account that is really having the problem.
Ed 5 Reputation points

2026-09-04T15:47:55.8933333+00:00

Hornblower409 - Your last suggestion to use somebody else's Microsoft account to get to chat was exactly my thought a few minutes ago. I'm going to try this later today. Thanks.
Andrea D'Alcamo 0 Reputation points

2026-09-04T16:19:57.1366667+00:00
Guys, I've tried everything and tried again now. To be sure, I also tried my second email address, and it works there, so it's clearly an account-related issue. You can also get specialized support by going to:

Logon to https://outlook.cloud.microsoft/

From the main menu: Help -> ? Help

{This should open the Help side panel}

Search Help -> {Your problem} and press Enter

Still need help? [Yes]

If you get "We're here to help": Tell us your problem -> {Your problem, again} [Get Help]

[Sign In] {Use any Outlook/Microsoft account}

Choose a support option -> Chat with a support agent in your web browser

It doesn't work at all. With the affected account, the option doesn't appear at all. Do you still need help? With the second account, it appears, and once I click "Yes," the only option is: Ask the community.