12 Tips to Fix Outlook Send/Receive Error

Outlook send/receive errors, like ‘Sending reported error – 0x800CCC0D’ or Receiving reported error – 0x80042108,’ are faced by several users. These errors prevent you from sending or receiving new emails. But it does not affect existing mail already in your inbox. The most common causes of this error are:

• Incorrect server settings
• Firewall or antivirus blocking Outlook mail ports
• Emails stuck in the Outbox folder
• Corrupt PST data file
• A damaged Outlook profile.

You can fix Outlook send/receive errors through these steps in order:

1. Verify your internet connection is working.
2. Check incoming and outgoing server settings and port numbers.
3. Clear any emails stuck in the Outbox folder.
4. Disable antivirus email scanning temporarily to test.
5. Run ScanPST.exe if error codes reference the data file (.pst).
6. Create a new Outlook profile as a last resort.

Read further to know the steps of all fixes.

Common Outlook Send/Receive Errors and their Fixes

Below are some common Outlook send receive errors and their fixes:

Why Outlook Send/Receive Errors Occur?

Below we have listed the reasons that can cause such errors:

• Incorrect SMTP, POP3, or IMAP server settings
• Invalid incoming or outgoing port numbers
• Damaged/corrupted Outlook data file
• Corrupted Outlook profile
• Slow or unstable internet connection
• Oversized Outlook mailbox
• Faulty Outlook add-ins
• Conflicts with Antivirus or other application
• SMTP authentication failures
• Corrupted MAPI32.dll file

How to Fix Outlook Send/Receive Errors — At a Glance

Most of the send/receive errors can be fixed by following these simple steps:

1. Check server settings (SMTP/POP3)
2. Clear emails stuck in the Outbox
3. Turn off antivirus scanning for emails
4. Increase server timeout
5. Repair PST using Inbox Repair Tool
6. Create a new Outlook profile

Check the error code table to see which solution matches your problem.

12 Tips to Fix Outlook Send/Receive Errors

Below we have mentioned 12 tips/solutions to fix some common send receive errors in all versions of Outlook.

1. Check Network Connection

In Outlook a stable internet/network connection is required to send / receive emails. So, check and make sure that your internet connection is stable and properly working. Here’s how:

• Open a web browser window on your system and try to access any website.
• The website will be loaded or Google search results will appear if your internet is active.
• If you don’t get any results or encounter connection issues, check your Ethernet cable. Make sure it’s properly connected. You can disconnect and connect it again.
• If you use Wi-Fi, reconnect to the network.
• You can restart your router to troubleshoot your internet connection. To check and fix this:
• Press the Start button and go to Settings. 
• Click Network & Internet > Status to check the settings.
• Now, use the Network troubleshooter to troubleshoot connectivity problem.

Connect with your service provider if this doesn’t resolve the network issue. However, if the internet is working, then move to the next solution.

2. Verify Email Account Settings

Incorrect account settings is one of the most common reasons why Outlook fails to send or receive emails. You can check and change the email settings to fix the issue. Here’s how:

• Open Outlook.
• Go to File > Info. 
• Click on Account Settings > Account Settings.

• Under the Email tab, select the email profile.
• Click Change.

• Check the basic email settings. Make sure they are correct.
• You may re-enter the account details and settings. 

Make sure that your incoming and outgoing server settings configured with the correct port numbers based on your mail protocol (refer the below table).

3. Check Outgoing Server Settings

After checking the basic email settings, click on More Settings. This opens the Internet E-mail Settings window. In the window, click the Outgoing Server tab and check the following details.

• Check ‘My outgoing server (SMTP) requires authentication.’
• Then choose ‘Use same settings as my incoming mail server.’  

Note: Enabling SMTP authentication – My outgoing server requires authentication – fixes two errors:  0x800CCC79 — server rejected the sender email address – 530 5.7.1 Authentication required. 0x800CCC67 — server requires authentication to send messages. If you see either of these codes, this step is your primary fix.

4. Increase Server Time-Out Settings

You can resolve the send/receive errors if they’ve occurred due to temporary network connection problems by increasing the settings for server time-out. These are the steps:

Note: If you use Microsoft Exchange or Outlook.com account, it automatically controls the server time-out setting. In such cases, the slider may appear grayed out or unavailable.

• Open Outlook.
• Click File in the top left corner.
• Click Account Settings and select Account Settings.

• Select your email account.
• Click Change under the E-Mail tab.

• Click on More Settings.

• Click the Advanced tab.

• Look for the Server Timeouts section.
• Drag the slider to the right to increase the time duration (e.g., 5 or 10 minutes).
• Click OK to save the changes and restart Outlook.
• Click the Send/Receive tab in Outlook and click Update Folder.
• Outlook will try to synchronize the emails to and from the mail server.

If you receive new emails or emails in the Outbox folder are sent successfully, the Outlook send/receive issue is resolved. Otherwise, follow the next tips.

Note: Increasing the server timeout will resolve the following timeout errors:

• 0x8004210A – POP server timed out waiting for response
• 0x8004210B – SMTP server timed out waiting for response
• 0x800CCC19 – operation timed out – POP server

5. Disable or Re-Configure Firewall

At times, firewall settings may block communication between Outlook and mail server by restricting the required mail server port. You can configure the firewall settings to add Outlook (Outlook.exe) processes as exception. Also, you can allow access to the required POP3, IMAP, and SMTP ports. Here’s how to do so:

• Press Windows + R.
• Type firewall.cplin the Run window.

• Press Enter.
• Click “Allow an app or feature through Windows Defender Firewall”.

• Click Change Settings and then Allow another app.
• Go to: C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\root\OfficeXX\OUTLOOK.EXE
• Check both Private and Public boxes, and then click OK.

You can also disable the firewall temporarily to check if it’s the cause behind the Outlook send/receive error. If the errors don’t appear after disabling, then contact your IT team or service provider to fix the issue.

Note: Outlook requires access to certain ports to communicate with the mail server. So, ensure that the following ports are accessible:

• 110/995 (POP3)
• 143/993 (IMAP)
• 587/465 (SMTP)

6. Clean up Emails Stuck in Outbox Folder

Check your Outbox folder for any pending emails. If you find any stuck messages there, clear them to fix the send/receive error: Here’s how to do so:

• Open Outlook, click Send/Receive > Work Offline. This disconnects Outlook from the mailbox server.

• Click on the Outbox folder and move all the stuck emails and messages to the Drafts folder or you may remove those emails. To do this:
• Right-click on the message.
• Choose Move > Other Folder.
• Then, choose the Drafts folder.
• Click OK.
• Open the moved messages in the Draft folder and check them for large attachments. You may also try to remove the attachments and add them again.
• Click Send.
• Then, go to the Send/Receive tab and click Work Offline to enable online mode and connect to the mailbox server.
• The stuck emails should be cleared now, making way for new emails.

Note: Emails that are stuck in the Outbox may not display any error code. So, check the Outbox folder for any stuck emails and ensure that Work Offline mode is disabled.

7. Start Outlook in Safe Mode

Outlook safe mode starts the client with a limited set of features. It also disables all the add-ins. This can help you verify if any of the add-ins are the cause behind the send/receive error. Steps to start Outlook in safe mode are as follows:

• Close Outlook.
• Press Windows + R.
• Type outlook.exe /safe in the Open field.
• Click OK or press the Enter key.

Now, try sending a new email or ask someone to send you a new email.

8. Disable Problematic Add-Ins

If your Outlook runs properly in safe mode, it means any faulty add‑in is causing the issue. You can resolve this problem by finding and disabling the add-in. To do so:

• Click File > Options > Add-Ins.
• Click the Go… button.

• Uncheck all add-ins.
• Click OK.
• Now close and start Outlook normally.

Enable one add-in at a time. Then, restart the application after each change. Once you find the problematic add‑in, remove it permanently.

Faster method — Binary add-in isolation:

If you have many add-ins, enabling them one-by-one is slow. Use this faster approach instead:

• Enable half the add-ins, restart Outlook.
• Then test send/receive.
• If the error returns, the faulty add-in is in that half — disable it, then enable the other half and test.
• If no error, the faulty add-in is in the disabled half — enable those and repeat.

This isolates the problem add-in in far fewer steps, regardless of how many are installed.

9. Disable Antivirus

At times, Malware protection software may interfere with Outlook functionality, causing send/receive errors. You can disable it temporarily to confirm if this is the case. Alternatively, you can just disable the email scanning feature in the application.

After disabling, restart Outlook and test the send/receive operation again.

In case disabling email scanning solves the problem, then the Outlook.exe file should be whitelisted in the antivirus program, while ports 587 (SMTP) and 110/995 (POP3 SSL) need to be opened for emails. Email scanning should not be disabled as it may reduce email security protection.

10. Use MAPI Repair Tool

If the Mapi32.dll file on your device is corrupted, then you might see the below error:  

You can fix this error by using the repair tool called – fixmapi.exe. Its program file is located in one of the following locations – based on your Windows version – on your device:

• C:\Winnt\System32
• C:\Windows\System32

First, rename the current mapi32.dll file to create its backup. It is located in the C:\Windows\System32 directory.

Once done, double-click on fixmapi.exe to open it. There will be no screen or visible process when you run the program file. It will create a new mapi32.dll file at the same location.

After this, restart the system and launch Outlook to check if the Outlook send and receive error is resolved.

11. Create a New Profile

Creating a new Outlook profile helps fix persistent errors by removing old settings that may cause conflicts. Before you begin, remember that removing a profile disconnects the PST file linked to it — though the file itself remains on your system. So, take back up of your PST file. Here’s how :

• Close Outlook and open Control Panel.
• Go to User Accounts > Mail.
• Click Show Profiles > Add.
• Type the name for the new profile and click OK.
• Enter your email credentials and complete the sign-in process.
• Once signed in, you will see your new profile in the Mail window.

• Select the default or old profile and click Remove.
• Click ‘Yes’ to confirm.
• This will remove the associated PST file from the default location .
• Make sure you have the backup before clicking ‘Yes.’
• Close the Mail window and open Outlook.

You can import your old PST file into the new profile to restore your mail items.

Note:  When you use POP3 account, Outlook downloads all the data in the local PST file. Once downloaded, the data usually aren’t kept on the server, unless you’ve enabled the “Leave a copy of messages on the server” option.

12. Repair the Damaged/Corrupted PST File

If your Outlook data file (PST) is damaged or corrupted, you may also receive send/receive error. You can use the ScanPST – also known as Inbox Repair Tool – to fix the issues in the file.

See the table below to know the path of ScanPST:

Here are the steps:

• Close Outlook completely.
• Press Windows + R and type %localappdata%/Microsoft/Outlook.
• Press the Enter key.
• This opens a File Explorer window showing the PST file location.
• Create a copy of the PST file. 
• Then save it at another location as a backup.
• Go to the C:\Program Files(x86) > Microsoft Office > OfficeXX. Find the SCANPST.exe utility.
• Double-click on the utility to launch it.
• Click Browse to select the PST file.
• Then click the “Start” button to begin the PST file repair process.

• If errors are found, click ‘Repair’.

Now, open Outlook to see if the errors are fixed.

ScanPST, at times, fails to repair the file if it is large or highly corrupted. In this is the case with you, you can use Stellar Repair for Outlook – a powerful PST repair tool. It can efficiently repair highly corrupted PST files. It restores all the mail items including emails, contacts, attachments and notes to a new fresh PST file without changing the original structure.

To Wrap Up

Incorrect server settings, weak internet connection, corrupted PST file, faulty add-ins, and other factors are generally responsible for send receive errors in Outlook. You can follow the troubleshooting tips listed above to resolve the issues in all Outlook versions in no time. In the case of corruption in PST file, you can rely on Stellar Repair for Outlook for speedy and effective repair and recovery of all your PST mail items.