Easy Ways to Turn Off "Work Offline" in Outlook + Troubleshooting

PDF download Download Article
Learn how to fix Microsoft Office when it says you're offline
PDF download Download Article

Do you see a message that says "Working Offline" in Outlook? Depending on your version of Outlook, this might hinder your ability to use the program. This wikiHow article teaches you how to disable Work Offline in Microsoft Outlook on your Windows or Mac computer, including Classic/Legacy Outlook and New Outlook. We also go over some troubleshooting tips if you're encountering issues with disabling "Work Offline" in Outlook.

Disabling "Work Offline" in Microsoft Outlook

  • In New Outlook for Windows, open your settings, go to General > Offline, then toggle off "Enable offline email, calendar, and people."
  • In Classic Outlook for Windows, click the Send/Receive menu, then click the Work Offline button.
  • On a Mac, click the Outlook menu, then click Work Offline to disable the feature.
Section 1 of 4:

Disabling in Classic Outlook (Windows)

PDF download Download Article
  1. Step 1 Make sure Outlook is currently offline.
    There are a couple of signs that Outlook is currently in "Work Offline" mode:
    • A "Working Offline" box will appear on the lower-right side of the Outlook window.
    • A red "X" will appear on the Outlook app icon in the taskbar.
    • If you're using Windows 11, you'll see a red and black "X" on the Outlook icon in the taskbar.
  2. Step 2 Click the Send / Receive tab.
    It's at the top of the Outlook window.
    Advertisement
  3. Step 3 Click the Work Offline button.
    It's on the right side of the toolbar. Clicking the button turns off Work Offline and removes the red X from the button.
    • Once Work Offline is disabled, the "Working Offline" message will disappear, and you'll be able to send and receive emails as normal.
    • If Work Offline won't turn off, check out these troubleshooting tips.
    4. Advertisement
Section 2 of 4:

Disabling in New Outlook (Windows)

PDF download Download Article
  1. 1
    Open Outlook and click on the cogwheel icon in the upper-right corner of the screen. In New Outlook, there isn't a specific "Work Offline" button. However, you can enable or disable offline mode in your Outlook settings.
    • If you disable this option, you won't be able to use your email if your computer goes offline.
  2. 2
    Click General > Offline. The General button has an icon of a cogwheel. Both of these options are in the left-hand sidebar.
  3. 3
    Toggle off "Enable offline email, calendar, and people." This will disable offline mode for New Outlook, and you'll only be able to view your emails, calendar, and contacts when you have an internet connection.[1]
    4. Advertisement
Section 3 of 4:

Disabling in New or Legacy Outlook (Mac)

PDF download Download Article
  1. Step 1 Click the Outlook menu.
    You'll see this option in the menu bar when Outlook is open.
  2. Step 2 Click Work Offline.
    If Work Offline is enabled, you'll see a check mark next to the option in the menu. Clicking Work Offline removes the checkmark and restores Outlook to its typical online mode.[2]
    • This method works for both New and Legacy Outlook on Mac.[3]
    • If Work Offline won't turn off, check out these troubleshooting tips.
    3. Advertisement
Section 4 of 4:

Troubleshooting

PDF download Download Article
  1. Step 1 Check your internet connection.
    If you're still seeing "Working Offline" or "Disconnected," you may not have a good internet connection. Open a web browser and see if you can access other websites. If not, there are things you can do to fix it. If you can access the web, the problem is likely not related to your internet connection.[4]
    • Make sure your computer is connected to an active Internet connection when turning off "Work Offline" mode.
  2. Step 2 Reset your Work Offline status.
    If Working Offline doesn't turn off after you disable it, try clicking the button or menu option again to reenable it, and then again to turn it off. Repeat the process a few times to see if this reset fixes the problem.
  3. Step 3 Try logging in to your email in a web browser.
    If you can use email from a website (like Outlook.com) in addition to the Outlook app on your computer, try logging in and sending or receiving messages on the web. If your email server isn't working on the web either, you'll know the problem is on the server end.
  4. Step 4 Check your mail server settings.
    If you're trying to connect to the wrong server or port, you might not be able to use features like Work Offline. Double-check your Outlook settings to make sure your server information is correct.
  5. Step 5 Update Outlook.
    If Outlook is not up to date, features like Work Offline may stop working correctly.
    • On a PC, go to File > Office Account > Update Options > Update Now.[5]
    • On a Mac, click the Help menu and select Check for Updates.[6]
  6. 6
    Make sure you're using the right version of Outlook. You can only change your "Work Offline" settings in the Outlook desktop app. These options aren't available for the website version of Outlook or the mobile app.
  7. Step 7 Create a new profile (Windows).
    A problem with your Outlook profile can break the Work Offline feature. Creating a new profile can help you rule out this problem. To create a new profile:
    • Go to File > Account Settings > Manage Profiles > Show Profiles.
    • Click Add, type a name for your profile, and click OK.
    • Add your mail server information and follow the on-screen instructions to complete the setup.
    • Click OK when you're finished to return to Outlook.
    • To switch to the new profile, go to File > Account Settings > Change Profile > OK. When Outlook restarts, select the new profile you created.
    • Try turning Work Offline off again. If it turns off now, there was a problem with your previous profile.[7]
    8. Advertisement


Community Q&A

Search
Add New Question
  • Question
    What should I do if I press the button, but it still doesn't put me back online?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    This may happen due to a poor internet connection, so I would suggest disconnecting from your internet and reconnecting before trying again.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
     Thank you for your feedback.
     If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
    Yes No
    Not Helpful 29 Helpful 11
Ask a Question
200 characters left
Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.
Submit
Advertisement

Video

Tips

Submit a Tip
All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published
Name
Please provide your name and last initial
Submit
Thanks for submitting a tip for review!

You Might Also Like

Expert
1
How to

Restart Microsoft Outlook: Your Complete Step-by-Step Guide
Expert
2
How to

Set Up Out of Office Replies in Microsoft Outlook
3

5 Easy Ways to Sign Out of the Outlook App on Any Device
Expert
4

4 Easy Ways to Set Your Out of Office Status in Teams
Expert
5
How to

Fix "This Message Has Not Been Downloaded" in Apple Mail
6

4 Easy Ways to Disable Focused Inbox in Outlook
7
How to

Set Up Out of Office in Outlook: The Complete Guide
Expert
8

The 12 Best Ways to Fix Your Email Not Updating
9
How to

Change an Outlook Email Account Password on PC, Mac, & Web
10
How to

Sign In to Outlook
11
How to

Change the Time Zone in Outlook
12
How to

Mark Messages as Read When Open in Outlook
Expert
13

3 Easy Ways to Fix Outlook Error 0x800CCC78
Expert
14
How to

See Unread Outlook Messages on Windows & Mac
Advertisement

References

  1. ↑ https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/work-offline-in-outlook-2460e4a8-16c7-47fc-b204-b1549275aac9#picktab=new_outlook
  2. ↑ https://uwaterloo.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/ISTKB/pages/302679226/How+to+check+and+ensure+a+Microsoft+Outlook+for+Mac+account+is+online
  3. ↑ https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/msoffice/forum/all/trying-to-use-outlook-in-offline-mode-in-macbook/9a1f69f8-85d8-4601-b7a7-bf80eb155ebe
  4. ↑ https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/work-offline-in-outlook-2460e4a8-16c7-47fc-b204-b1549275aac9
  5. ↑ https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/how-to-update-microsoft-365-or-office-for-windows-2ab296f3-7f03-43a2-8e50-46de917611c5
  6. ↑ https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/update-office-for-mac-automatically-bfd1e497-c24d-4754-92ab-910a4074d7c1
  7. ↑ https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/switch-to-another-outlook-email-profile-be3b617f-3f64-43d3-9037-8313b431803c

About This Article

Hannah Dillon
Written by:
Hannah Dillon
wikiHow Technology Writer
This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer, Hannah Dillon. Hannah Dillon is a Technology Writer and Editor at wikiHow. She graduated with a B.A. in Journalism from North Dakota State University in 2013 and has since worked in the video game industry as well as a few newspapers. From a young age Hannah has cultivated a love for writing and technology, and hopes to use these passions in tandem to help others in the articles she writes for wikiHow. This article has been viewed 567,992 times.
How helpful is this?
Co-authors: 8
Updated: September 9, 2025
Views: 567,992
Categories: Outlook
In other languages
Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 567,992 times.

Is this article up to date?

Advertisement