How to Turn On and Turn Off Online Mode in Outlook?

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Outlook offline mode simply means your Outlook program isn’t connected to your email server. You won’t be able to send or receive emails until you disable this mode. It’s not a big deal to switch between Online and Offline modes unless you are unable to start Outlook in Offline mode  Here are the steps for that.

Working with Offline Mode in Outlook 2007

Working Offline is a menu option available on the File tab on Outlook 2007 navigation. As soon as you click this option, your Outlook will be abruptly disconnected from the internet.

choose work offline
 
In Outlook 2010

If your Outlook 2010 program is disconnected from the mail server, you can see “Working Offline” status at the bottom part of your Outlook window. To switch back to online mode, go to SEND / RECEIVE tab and disable Work Offline button.

outlook offline mode
Outlook 2013 and Later

To enable Offline mode in the latest Outlook versions, you have to go Send / Receive tab. Here, you can see Work Offline option in the Preferences menu.

outlook offline mode

If you turn off Work Offline option in Outlook 2016, you can see the Connected status in the status bar at the bottom. Otherwise, it’ll show Working Offline status. But in Outlook 2013, there won’t be any status if you’re working online, although it’d show Working Offline if you disconnect from online mode.

Outlook Disconnect

In some situations, your Outlook may get disconnected from your mail server resulting in Disconnected status in your Outlook. It can happen due to network issues, mail server issues, etc. Try to switch back and forth between offline and offline modes in Outlook to resolve this issue. If the problem still persists after this, take backup of your outlook data and delete your Outlook profile. Restart your PC and recreate a new one. Probably, it’d resolve the issue.

Note: If you’re using a Microsoft Exchange server account, this Work Offline option may not appear – in case, your cached exchange mode is turned off. You can manually turn this setting ON and enable work offline option.

About the Author: Tony Landry

Tony Landry is a Web Content Editor at Remo Software. He loves to write, edit, and manage content for users trying to troubleshoot and fix problems on Windows, Outlook, storage drives, and Cloud storage networks. With an aptitude that transcends writing, Tony is recognized as a Microsoft Outlook, Word, and PowerPoint expert. His comprehensive solutions…