Switch from working offline to online

In Outlook, you have the flexibility to make Outlook work online or offline with your mail server.

2016, 2013 2010 2007

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

or

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

Status: Working Offline

Working offline usually 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 (as shown in the image above), you're not connected. But if the background is clear, you are connected.

• If you don't see the Work Offline button and your email account is a Microsoft Exchange Server account, Cached Exchange Mode might be turned off. Follow the steps in Turn on Cached Exchange Mode to change that setting. Or contact the person who manages the Exchange server for your organization.

Status: Disconnected

There 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 be a problem with the mail server.

• If you can log onto your email from a website—for example, http://outlook.com—check to see whether you can receive and send email that way. If email isn't working on the website, call your technical support for your email service provider for help.

• If you can send and receive mail on the website, then your mail 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 status

• 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 any 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 Outlook using the new profile and it's still disconnected, try removing your account and then adding it back again.

1. In the Folder pane, right-click your account name, and then choose Remove <name of the account>.

2. Follow the steps in adding the account again to proceed.

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 can't send or receive email until you reconnect.

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

1. Click Send/Receive.

   Notice that when Outlook is set to Work Offline, the button is highlighted.

   

2. Click Work Offline to return to working online.

   After you reconnect to the server, the Work Offline button has a plain background:

   

Still no luck? If you can use that email account with a website, such as Outlook.com, see whether you can receive and send new mail using that site. If you can't, call your technical support or your email service provider for help.

If you can get and send mail on the website, the mail server's fine. But Outlook might need updates or there might be a problem with the mail account settings. If you're using an Exchange account, check for updates and install any required ones. (It's always a good idea to keep current with updates.)

Desperate? Maybe your email account needs a fresh start. Try creating a new mail profile.

When you might want to work offline

When you work online with Outlook and your mail server, you receive new mail as it arrives, and mail that you send is sent immediately. However, there can be times when working online isn't practical. For example, maybe there's no network connection available. Or maybe there is a network available, but you don't want to connect to it because you've exceeded your data plan or will be charged a fee.

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

Work offline with a Microsoft Exchange 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 use all of the functionality in Outlook, such as opening items, moving them between folders, and deleting items. However, 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. You can also manually switch between the online and offline connection states and choose which Exchange folders are kept up-to-date locally on your computer.

If you use an Exchange account, it is recommended that you use it with Cached Exchange Mode. Most of the reasons to work offline are eliminated when you use Cached Exchange Mode. The lack of a network connection is virtually transparent to you because you 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 copy of the items in all folders in your mailbox. You work with your information on your computer, and Outlook synchronizes it with the server.

Whether you are at the office, at home, or on an airplane, network changes or availability are transparent to you. When your connection to Exchange is interrupted, you 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 again identical. Outlook manages your connection to the server and keeps your data up-to-date. There is no need to switch to working offline and to keep trying to reconnect to the server — it is all automatic.

Cached Exchange Mode also frees you from having to set up Send/Receive groups because it chooses the folders that you want to be available offline and keeps those folders synchronized.

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

What if you 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 work offline is to use the default Outlook settings. If you want to customize the settings, including where to save the offline Outlook Data File (.ost), use the Customized setup instructions.

Quick setup

1. On the Send / Receive tab, in the Preferences group, click Work Offline.

2. To set up an offline Outlook Data 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 want Outlook to always work online when a connection is available, clear this check box.

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

Customized setup

If you want to customize the offline Outlook Data File (.ost) settings, such as where the file is saved on your computer, do the following:

1. If you 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 then click Account Settings.

   3. On the E-mail tab, select the Exchange Server account, and then click Change.

   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 use as the .ost file.

      The default file name is Outlook.ost. If this file already exists, you are prompted for a new name.

2. Click the File menu,

3. Click Account Settings, and then click Account Settings.

4. On the E-mail tab, select the Exchange account, and then click Change.

5. Click More Settings.

6. Do one of the following:

   1. Always start Outlook offline     Click Manually control connection state, and then click Work offline and use dial-up networking.

   2. Choose whether to work offline or online each time you start Outlook     Click Manually control connection state, and then select the Choose the connection type when starting check box.

   3. Always connect to the network     Click Manually control connection state, and then click Connect with the network.

   4. Outlook automatically detects whether a connection to the server is available     Click Automatically detect connection state. If Outlook is unable to connect with the mail server, it starts in offline mode automatically.

      Note:  To specify the amount of time to wait 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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About working offline

When you work online with Outlook 2007 and your mail server, you receive new mail as it arrives, and mail that you send is sent immediately. However, 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. There are also instances when even though a connection might be available, you don't want to use it to avoid incurring connection fees.

If your account connects to Exchange, your messages are saved in your server's mailbox. When you are connected to the server and work online, you can use all of the functionality in Outlook, such as opening items, moving them between folders, and deleting items. However, when you work offline, you lose access to all items on the server. That is when offline folders, which are saved in an Offline Folder file (.ost) on your computer, are useful.

The .ost file is a replica or copy of your Exchange mailbox. When you are online, this .ost 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. You can also manually switch between the online and offline connection states and choose which Exchange folders are kept up-to-date locally on your computer.

If you use an Exchange account, it is recommended that you use it with Cached Exchange Mode. Most of the reasons to work offline are eliminated when you use Cached Exchange Mode. The lack of a network connection is virtually transparent to you because you can continue to work with your items.

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

Whether you are at the office, at home, or on an airplane, network changes or availability are transparent to you. When your connection to Exchange is interrupted, you 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 again identical. Outlook manages your connection to the server and keeps your data up-to-date. There is no need to switch to working offline and to keep trying to reconnect to the server — it is all automatic.

Cached Exchange Mode also frees you from having to set up Send/Receive groups because it chooses the folders that you want to be available offline and keeps those folders synchronized.

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

What if you aren't using an Exchange account? Many people use a POP3 or IMAP account from their Internet service provider (ISP) or an HTTP account, such as Microsoft Windows Live Mail. When you are online, this means 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 e-mail accounts, messages are sent immediately if the Send immediately when connected check box is selected on the Mail Setup tab (Tools menu, Options command). When you are offline, all accounts use the scheduling send/receive time in the Send/Receive Groups dialog box. Also, for IMAP e-mail accounts, folders are not available when offline.

When you work offline, Outlook connects to the mail server only when you choose for it to do so. When offline, Outlook does not try to connect to your mail server to check for new messages, download headers that you marked for download, or send messages.

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If you have a Microsoft Exchange account

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

The fastest way to work offline is to use the default Outlook settings. If you want to customize the settings, including where to save the Offline Folder file (.ost), use the Customized setup instructions.

Quick setup

1. On the File menu, click Work Offline.

   

2. To set up an Offline Folder 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 want Outlook to always work online when a connection is available, clear this check box.

After 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 do this is as follows: On the Tools menu, point to Send/Receive, and then click Send/Receive All.

Customized setup

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

1. If you have not already done so, create an Offline Folder file (.ost).

   Create an Offline Folder file (.ost)

   1. On the Tools menu, click Account Settings.

   2. On the E-mail tab, select the Exchange account, and then click Change.

   3. Click More Settings.

   4. Click the Advanced tab, and then click Offline Folder File Settings.

   5. In the File box, type the path to the file that you want to use as the .ost file.

      The default file name is Outlook.ost. If this file already exists, you are prompted for a new name.

2. On the Tools menu, click Account Settings.

3. On the E-mail tab, select the Exchange account, and then click Change.

4. Click More Settings.

5. Do one of the following:

   1. Always start Outlook offline     Click Manually control connection state, and then click Work offline and use dial-up networking.

   2. Choose whether to work offline or online each time you start Outlook     Click Manually control connection state, and then select the Choose the connection type when starting check box.

   3. Always connect to the network     Click Manually control connection state, and then click Connect with the network.

   4. Outlook automatically detects whether a connection to the server is available     Click Automatically detect connection state. If Outlook is unable to connect with the mail server, it starts in offline mode automatically.

      Note:  To specify the amount of time to wait 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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If you use your Exchange account in Cached Exchange Mode

• On the File menu, click Work Offline.

  

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If you use a POP3, IMAP, or HTTP account

• On the File menu, click Work Offline.

  

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