If Outlook 2019 wasn’t able to successfully send a test message, you need to do some troubleshooting. Don’t panic, though. It’s not that difficult. If you get stuck, you can always call your ISP’s tech support line and get help.
If you’re using a web-based email provider, it might not work with Outlook. Some services have workarounds that you can follow to make them work in Outlook; check the tech support section at the website where you get your web-based mail to see whether there is anything you can do.
To troubleshoot mail problems, make sure you have the following information handy. If you don’t have it, contact your ISP. It might also be available on the ISP’s website.- Your email address and password: You probably have this already from your earlier attempt.
- The incoming and outgoing mail server addresses: They both might be the same.
If you’re using a web-based email provider, it might not work with Outlook. Some services have workarounds that you can follow to make them work in Outlook; check the tech support section at the website where you get your web-based mail to see whether there is anything you can do.
The incoming and outgoing mail server port numbers. (Don't worry about what a port is. It’s not important for end-users to understand ports. Just get the numbers.)
- Information about what encryption method should be used, if any.
- Information about whether your incoming mail server requires logon using Secure Password Authentication (SPA) or not. (Again, don’t worry about what this is; just get a yes or no answer on it.)
- Information about whether your outgoing mail server requires authentication: And if so, whether the outgoing server requires a different username and password than your regular one.
- Choose File → Account Settings → Account Settings.
The Account Options dialog box opens.
- Click the email account you want to troubleshoot and then click Repair.
The same Outlook dialog box appears.
- Click Advanced Options. Doing so causes a check box to appear.
- Click to mark the Let Me Repair My Account Manually check box.
- Click Repair. An Account Settings dialog box opens.
- Check all the information in the dialog box to make sure that it matches the information you have about your mail account.
- Account type: Outlook chose this automatically for you when you set up the account initially. It appears in the heading at the top of the dialog box; here it’s IMAP, for example.
- User name: Your email address.
- Password: Your account password.
- Server: This is that mail server address mentioned earlier. You get this from your Internet service provider (ISP). There may be separate mail server addresses for incoming and outgoing email.
- Port: This number also comes from your ISP.
- Encryption method: This information also comes from your ISP.
- Require logon using Secure Password Authentication (SPA): Your ISP will tell you whether you need to mark this check box.
You can’t change the account type. If it’s wrong, you will need to delete that account from Outlook and set it up again, as if it were a new account. Then when setting it up anew, click Advanced Options and then mark the Let Me Set Up My Account Manually check box. Doing so opens an extra setup screen on which you can change the account type.
- Account type: Outlook chose this automatically for you when you set up the account initially. It appears in the heading at the top of the dialog box; here it’s IMAP, for example.
- Click Outgoing Mail.
The incoming mail settings are hidden, and the outgoing ones appear.
- Check all the information in the dialog box to make sure that it matches the information you have about your mail account.
- Server: This is the outgoing mail server address. You get this from your Internet service provider (ISP).
- Port: This number comes from your ISP.
- Encryption method: This information also comes from your ISP.
- Server timeouts: The default is 1 minute. If you get server timeout messages when you try to check your email in Outlook because your mail server is really slow to respond, you can increase this value.
- Require logon using Secure Password Authentication (SPA): Your ISP will tell you whether or not you need to mark this check box.
- My Outgoing (SMTP) Server Requires Authentication: Your ISP will tell you what setting to use.
- Click Repair.
Outlook tests the new settings and tries to send a test email message. If you see the message Account Successfully Repaired, you’re good to go.
If not, contact your email service provider’s tech support and find out what setting you need to change to make it work.