Why Outlook Cannot Log on?

Outlook users often face the ‘Outlook cannot log on’ issue while trying to open the Outlook. It comes with the error notification: 

“Outlook cannot log on. Verify you are connected to the network and are using the proper server and mailbox name. The Mailbox Exchange information server in your profile is missing required information. Modify your profile to ensure that you are using the correct Microsoft Exchange information service.” 

Most of the time, this issue occurs when the principal domain server starts to respond to the Autodiscovery request. Thus, users become unable to launch the Outlook application. 

Most of the time, it happens because Microsoft is continually updating as well as upgrading the services. Sometimes, it also tries to lure users towards new services. 

If you also stuck with the same problem, then there is nothing to be annoyed regarding this. Here in this guide, you get to know 5 effective hacks which can assist you to fix this issue. 

Hence, you are recommended to have a look at the guide and follow the steps discussed below. So, let’s start. 

Easy Hacks to Fix the ‘Outlook Cannot Log On 2016’ Issue

There are several techniques to troubleshoot this problem. Here, we are going to present 5 easy methods. You should perform the hacks one-by-one in the same order as provided and check which one is relevant for you. 

Method 1: Using /resetnavpane command

Before you perform any complicated solution, you should try to use the ‘/resetnavpane’ command to check if it can fix the issue. The ‘/resetnavpane’ command can help you to clear as well as restore the Navigation Pane for the user profile that you are using. 

It also has the efficiency to remove all the essential folders and shortcuts. To use the command, you should perform the steps as follows:  

1. In the beginning, hit the R and Windows key both at the same time from the keyboard to invoke the Run Command box. 
2. Now, type the command “outlook.exe /resetnavpane” in the Run Dialog box. 
3. Hit the Enter key from the keyboard to execute the command. Else, you can also tap on the OK button. 

Here you need to be careful, that there is space between ‘Outlook.exe’ and ‘/resetnavpane.’ It might help you to solve the problem with Outlook. Further, this will also help you to regain the workability of the Outlook application easily.  

If the problem occurs, then you should move on to the next solutions provided below. 

Method 2: Remove the keys from the Outlook Profiles Using the Registry Editor

If you delete any folder accidentally from the Registry Editor, then it can also create the same problem. If you have an exchange account or if you wish to use Cached Exchange Mode, then you can use the OST data (Outlook data file). 

After that, you can use the Outlook profile as usual. You can also add a PST file that is used for web-based mail, POP3, and IMAP accounts if required.

1. At first, hit the R and Windows key both at the same time from the keyboard to launch the Run Dialog box. 
2. Then, type “regedit” on the Run Command box and hit the Enter key from the keyboard. Or if you prefer, you can also tap on the OK button.  
3. Now, go to the left pane of the Registry Editor window and navigate to the folder given below: 

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Office\16.0\Outlook\Profiles\Outlook

1. Delete all the keys from that folder. 

Now, exit from the current window and restart the system to apply the changes. Try to login to the Outlook profile to check if the issue still persists. 

Method 3: Tell Outlook Not to Respond to AutoDiscover 

As we mentioned earlier, this issue can also occur if the root domain server starts to respond to the Autodiscovery request. You can easily solve this issue by adding registry entries given below so that Outlook neglects the root domain. 

Option 1: Using Registry Editor

To perform this, you should have a glance at the steps provided below: 

1. First, perform the first 3 steps from the previous method. Here you do not need to open the Profiles folder, just tap on the ‘AutoDiscover’ option. 
2. After that, right-click on an empty space and choose the New option from the list. 
3. Then, select the DWORD (32-bit) Value.
4. Now, change the name of the value. Rename it to ‘ExcludeHttpsRootDomain.’
5. After that, click twice on the value. Then, set it to 1. 

Exit from the Registry Editor window and check if the Outlook starts to work properly. Else, you can try to use the .xml file. 

Option 2: Using the .xml File

At first, create a new text file that contains the text given below. Then, save the file in ‘test.xml’ format. 

“<?xml version=”1.0″ encoding=”utf-8″?>

<Autodiscover xmlns=”http://schemas.microsoft.com/exchange/autodiscover/responseschema/2006″>

<Response xmlns=”http://schemas.microsoft.com/exchange/autodiscover/outlook/responseschema/2006a”>

<Account>

<AccountType>email</AccountType>

<Action>redirectUrl</Action>

<RedirectUrl>https://YOUR_CAS_SERVER_NAME_HERE/autodiscover/autodiscover.xml</RedirectUrl>

</Account>

</Response>

</Autodiscover>”

Else, you can also create a text file by right-clicking anywhere on an empty space of the desktop and go to the ‘New’ option. Then, select the ‘Text Document’ from the current page.

After that, you should follow the steps mentioned below: 

1. Save the file on your desired location with a name. 
2. Now, you have to follow the 1st step from Option 1. It will navigate you to the AutoDiscover.
3. After that, create a different String value. Name the string value as same as the e-mail domain name.  
4. Click twice on the new String value, and insert the path to the ‘.xml’ file that you have created recently.
5. Build a DWORD value and name it ‘PreferLocalXML’.
6. Open it by clicking twice on it and set it to 1.

Exit from the Registry Editor and try to open the Outlook again.

Method 4: Rename the Local Folder of Outlook

You can also fix this issue by deleting the problematic files from the local folder of Outlook. To perform this, you need to find the local directory of Outlook and then rename it. 

How to Rename the Outlook’s Local Directory? 

1. Invoke the Run Command box by pressing the R and Windows key simultaneously. 
2. Type “%localAppData%MicrosoftOutlook” on the Run box and click on the OK button to proceed further.
3. Now, search for the ‘16’ directory and right-click on it. Tap on the ‘Rename’ option from the list.  
4. After renaming the directory, you need to restart the computer to save the changes. 

Method 5: Delete the Old Profile and Create a New Profile 

As the last option, you should delete the old Outlook profile and create a new account. To do that, follow the steps stated below: 

1. First, hit the Windows key from the keyboard. Then, type “control panel” on the search bar and press the Enter. 
2. If you are using an older version of Windows OS, then you can directly open the Control Panel from the Start menu. 
3. Go to the ‘View by’ category. Tap on the ‘Large icons’ option and open it.
4. Navigate to the Mail section and tap on the ‘Profiles’ option. Now, choose the Outlook from the next page.
5. Tap on the Remove button to delete the current Outlook profile.
6. Click on the ‘Add a new Profile’ option and rename it to Outlook1.
7. Now, you should configure the account again by following the on-screen prompts.  

Now, you should check whether the issue has been resolved.

Final Recommendation

In this discussion, we have represented some of the amazing hacks to solve the ‘Outlook Cannot Log On’ issue. We hope that if you properly execute the above methods in their corresponding order, then it will surely assist you to put an end to this bug. 

Sometimes, it also becomes difficult to perform the above hacks without any technical knowledge. Or if you face any trouble while implementing the steps, then you can connect with a professional to get rid of this issue.