My outlook email stopped connecting to the internet.

In classic Outlook, select Send/Receive → Work Offline once to reset the connection, then confirm that Trying to connect disappears from the status bar.

Reconnect Outlook

1. Open the Send/Receive tab.
2. In Preferences, select Work Offline.
3. Wait approximately 30 seconds.
4. Check the status bar at the bottom of Outlook:
   • If it changes to Connected, select Send/Receive All Folders.
   • If it changes to Working Offline, select Work Offline again. The button should no longer be shaded.

Microsoft documents this toggle as the first action when classic Outlook displays Trying to connect.^1^

If it remains on “Trying to connect”

1. Test the computer’s connection. Open a browser and visit a normal website. If websites also fail, resolve the Windows or router connection first.^1^
2. Test the mailbox in a browser. Sign in to your email provider’s website and try sending and receiving:
   • If webmail also fails, the problem is with the account or email service; contact the email provider.
   • If webmail works, the server and mailbox are available, so continue troubleshooting classic Outlook on this PC.^2^
3. Run Microsoft’s connectivity troubleshooter on the affected PC:
   • Windows Start → Get Help
   • Search for Classic Outlook connectivity troubleshooter
   • Run the offered troubleshooter and apply its recommended changes.
   This troubleshooter requires Windows 10 or later and applies to classic Outlook, not new Outlook.^3^

If webmail works but the troubleshooter does not fix Outlook

Clear Outlook’s stored sign-in details:

1. Close Outlook completely.
2. Open Control Panel → Credential Manager → Windows Credentials.
3. Remove entries associated with the affected Outlook or Microsoft Office account.
4. Restart Outlook and sign in again when prompted.

Removing credentials signs Microsoft applications out of the stored session, so have the account password and any multifactor-authentication method available. This has resolved the same classic Outlook Trying to connect condition when webmail remained operational.^4^

If it still does not connect, create a new Outlook profile rather than deleting the existing one first. Microsoft recommends a new profile to determine whether the current profile is damaged; if the new profile also remains disconnected, remove and re-add the account within that new profile.^2^

References

1. [Classic Outlook](https://support.microsoft.com/outlook/i-can-t-send-or-receive-messages-in-outlook#make-sure-you're-connected-to-the-internet)
2. [Classic Outlook](https://support.microsoft.com/outlook/getstarted/how-to-work-offline-in-outlook-for-windows#tips-for-reconnecting-to-classic-outlook)
3. Classic Outlook troubleshooters | Microsoft Support
4. Outlook Shows "Disconnected" in Status Bar But Internet is Working Perfectly - Microsoft Q&A