Outlook Server Unavailable: Quick And Effective Fixes

Glitches are not uncommon in Outlook. Out of them, one of the most common problems shows when you try to launch Outlook. The error message reads as Outlook server unavailable and you are unable to use Outlook thereafter.

Most users have encountered this problem while trying to configure Outlook on their system. 

Generally, this problem arises if the Windows registry files are corrupted or damaged. Sometimes, if the Microsoft Exchange service stops working then you might face this problem on the system.

Apart from that, the security software you are using can also be responsible for this problem.  

If you are one of them who are facing this problem, then this article will help you. Here, in this article, we are going to discuss all the possible methods to resolve this particular issue. Go through this article carefully and learn the fixes. 

Outlook Server Unavailable: Try these Easy Fixes 

Various methods are there to solve the Outlook server unavailable issue on the system. 

In the section below, you will get to know some of the easy and effective methods that you can try to get rid of this issue on the Outlook. Check and implement them as directed below.

Method 1 – Edit the Registry 

Due to some issues with the registry, this server issue with Outlook may show on your computer. So, you need to copy a specific registry key from a working computer to the problematic one to solve this issue. Follow these steps:

1. From the Keyboard, press the Windows Home key and R button to launch the Run window. Type regedit and then hit the Enter button or select the OK option.
2. From the Registry Editor window, navigate to the following folder: HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionExplorerUser Shell Folders on the left panel.
3. Locate the User Shell Folders, right-click on it and then select the Export button.
4. Choose the export location and type export.reg and then select the Save option.
5. Find the export.reg file and copy it to the problematical computer. After that, run this file on the system and it will add to the registry. 

After doing these steps, check if the problem is resolved or not.   

Method 2 – Update the Outlook Profile 

If you do not update the Outlook profile then you may get this error on your PC. So, to resolve and avoid this error in the future, you should update it regularly. To do that, follow the directions mentioned below:

1. Go to the Search Panel, type Control Panel and then hit the Enter button.
2. When the Control Panel window opens, find the Mail section, double-click on it.
3. In the Mail window, select the Show Profiles button. After that, click on your Outlook profile and select the Properties button. Then select the Email Accounts option.
4. In the next window, you will find the Microsoft Exchange (Send from this account by default) account, click on it and then select the Change button.
5. Next, select the More Settings button to open the Microsoft Exchange window. From that window, navigate to the Security tab. 
6. From the Security tab, go to the Encryption section and mark on the Encrypt data between Microsoft Office Outlook and Microsoft Exchange option.

After doing this, select the Apply option followed by the OK button to save it. Then reboot the device and check if Outlook works correctly without any issue. 

Method 3 – Disable the Windows Firewall

This Outlook server problem can arise if the Windows Firewall feature is turned on from the system. Sometimes, this feature can block the Outlook server from connecting with other PCs. 

So, you need to disable it. To do that, follow the directions given below:

1. At first, press the Win +X keys to launch the WinX menu list and select Control Panel.
2. When the Control Panel window opens, select the Windows Firewall section.
3. In the Windows Firewall window, go to the left panel, and select the Turn Windows Firewall On and Off button. 
4. On the right side of the window, click on the Turn Off Windows Firewall option from the Public Network Settings and Private Network Settings box.

After doing these steps, select the OK option to save the changes. Then reboot your computer and check if the issue has been eliminated or not.  

Method 4 – Remove the Third-Party Security Software

If any third-party security software is installed on the system then you may find this issue to crop up. So, you must remove the security software in order to solve this issue. To uninstall it, follow these directions:

1. Press the Windows button and at the same time press the I key to launch the Settings window.
2. When the Settings window opens, go to the Apps section and then select the Apps and Features tab on the left side window. 
3. Scroll down the page and find the Security software, select it. Then you will get an option Uninstall, click on it to start the removing process.

Once it is uninstalled, restart your PC and then check if the error still persists or not. If yes, then you can select an alternative method as mentioned below.

Method 5 – Flush the System’s DNS 

A problem with the system’s DNS can also cause the Outlook server unavailable problem on your computer. 

So, you should flush the system’s DNS in order to get rid of this issue. The following steps will help you:

1. First of all, right-click on the Windows icon to open the WinX menu list and choose the Command Prompt(Admin).
2. When the Command Prompt window opens, type ipconfig /flushdns and then press the Enter button to run this command.
3. Once it is executed, restart the machine and then check if the problem is still there or not. 

Method 6 – Delete the Outlook Account and Create a New Account

If the previous methods did not work out, then you can try this method to solve the problem. 

There might be a problem with your Outlook account and so you are getting this error on your computer.

So, you need to remove the old Outlook profile and create a new profile, then check if the error is resolved or not.

1. First of all, open the Control Panel window.
2. Locate the Mail section, double-click on it, from the Control Panel window.
3. Once you are in the Mail window, click on the default Outlook profile and then select the Remove button.

Once your old Outlook profile is removed, you need to create a new profile by following these directions. 

1. Again launch the Control Panel.
2. When the Control Panel window opens, double-click on the Mail section.
3. In the Mail window, you will see the Add option, click on it and then enter a name for the new profile.
4. Put the other details which the device will ask and follow the instruction which pop-ups on the screen to create the profile.
5. After creating the new Outlook account, set it as a default account and then use it.

Method 7 – Restart Microsoft Exchange Service

Restarting the Microsoft Exchange service can solve this problem on your computer. So, you should restart this service on your PC. Go through these steps:

1. To open the Run window by pressing the Windows Home button and R key together.
2. Type services.msc and then hit the Enter key or click on the OK button.
3. From the Services window, scroll down the page until you find the Microsoft Exchange services, right-click on it and then select the Properties button. 
4. In the Properties window, set the Startup type to Automatic and then select the Start button. 

If the service is not running then select the Stop button and then click on the Start button to restart the service. After restarting this service, check whether the problem still arises or not. 

Wrapping Up

We hope these methods and suggestions will be useful to solve the Outlook server unavailable problem on the system. 

The solutions provided here are easy to follow and explained in a step by step manner for better understanding. However, if you face any problem while performing these procedures, you need to take professional technical guidance to fix this issue.