How to Fix the “Cannot Connect to Server” Error in Outlook

• The article explains how to troubleshoot and fix the “Cannot Connect to Server” error in Outlook, which prevents you from sending or receiving emails.
• The article provides five methods to resolve the error, which are checking your internet connection, verifying your account settings, disabling your firewall or antivirus software, repairing your Outlook data files, and adding Outlook as an exception or a trusted application in your firewall or antivirus software settings.
• The article also includes a table of common locations of ScanPST.exe, a tool that can repair corrupted Outlook data files, and some FAQs related to the topic.

Outlook is one of the most popular email clients in the world, but sometimes it can encounter errors that prevent you from accessing your emails. One of these errors is the “Cannot Connect to Server” error, which usually appears when Outlook cannot establish a connection with your email server. This error can be caused by various factors, such as incorrect account settings, network issues, firewall settings, antivirus software, or corrupted Outlook data files.

In this article, we will show you how to troubleshoot and fix the “Cannot Connect to Server” error in Outlook, so you can resume your email communication without any hassle.

Solution 1: Check Your Internet Connection

The first thing you should do when you encounter the “Cannot Connect to Server” error in Outlook is to check your internet connection. Sometimes, a simple network glitch or a temporary outage can cause this error. To check your internet connection, try opening a web browser and visiting a website. If you can access the website without any problem, then your internet connection is working fine. If not, then you may need to restart your router, modem, or computer, or contact your internet service provider for assistance.

Solution 2: Verify Your Account Settings

Another common reason for the “Cannot Connect to Server” error in Outlook is incorrect account settings. If you have recently changed your email password, server address, port number, or encryption method, you may need to update these settings in Outlook as well. To verify your account settings, follow these steps:

1. Open Outlook and click on File > Account Settings > Account Settings.
2. Select your email account and click on Change.
3. Check the incoming and outgoing server addresses, port numbers, encryption methods, and authentication methods. Make sure they match the ones provided by your email service provider. You can usually find these information on your email service provider’s website or by contacting their customer support.
4. If you have made any changes, click on Next and then Finish to save them.
5. Restart Outlook and see if the error is resolved.

Solution 3: Disable Your Firewall or Antivirus Software

Sometimes, your firewall or antivirus software may block Outlook from connecting to your email server. This can happen if they have detected some suspicious activity or if they have not recognized Outlook as a trusted application. To fix this issue, you can try disabling your firewall or antivirus software temporarily and see if that resolves the error. To disable your firewall or antivirus software, follow these steps:

1. Locate the icon of your firewall or antivirus software on the system tray (the lower-right corner of your screen) and right-click on it.
2. Select Disable or Turn Off from the menu. You may need to enter your administrator password or confirm your action.
3. Restart Outlook and see if the error is resolved.
4. If the error is resolved, then you need to add Outlook as an exception or a trusted application in your firewall or antivirus software settings. You can usually find these settings by opening the main interface of your firewall or antivirus software and looking for options like Allow, Whitelist, Trust, or Exclude.
5. If the error is not resolved, then you can re-enable your firewall or antivirus software by following the same steps and selecting Enable or Turn On from the menu.

Solution 4: Repair Your Outlook Data Files

Another possible cause for the “Cannot Connect to Server” error in Outlook is corrupted Outlook data files. These are files that store your emails, contacts, calendars, tasks, notes, and other items in Outlook. Sometimes, these files can get damaged due to various reasons, such as power failures, virus attacks, disk errors, or improper shutdowns. To fix this issue, you can try repairing your Outlook data files using a built-in tool called ScanPST.exe. To repair your Outlook data files using ScanPST.exe, follow these steps:

1. Close Outlook and any other applications that may use Outlook data files.
2. Locate the ScanPST.exe file on your computer. The location of this file depends on your version of Outlook and Windows. You can use the search function on Windows Explorer to find it.
3. Double-click on ScanPST.exe to launch it.
4. Click on Browse and select the Outlook data file that you want to repair. The default name and location of this file are outlook.pst in C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Outlook folder. However, if you have multiple email accounts or custom data files in Outlook, you may need to select a different file. You can find out the name and location of your Outlook data files by opening Outlook and clicking on File > Account Settings > Account Settings > Data Files.
5. Click on Start to begin scanning the selected file for errors.
6. If any errors are found, click on Repair to fix them.
7. Repeat steps 4 to 6 for any other Outlook data files that you want to repair.
8. Restart Outlook and see if the error is resolved.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Question: What is the “Cannot Connect to Server” error in Outlook?

Answer: The “Cannot Connect to Server” error in Outlook is an error that occurs when Outlook cannot establish a connection with your email server. This error prevents you from sending or receiving emails in Outlook.

Question: What are the possible causes of the “Cannot Connect to Server” error in Outlook?

Answer: The possible causes of the “Cannot Connect to Server” error in Outlook are:

• Incorrect account settings
• Network issues
• Firewall or antivirus software settings
• Corrupted Outlook data files

Question: How can I fix the “Cannot Connect to Server” error in Outlook?

Answer: You can fix the “Cannot Connect to Server” error in Outlook by:

• Checking your internet connection
• Verifying your account settings
• Disabling your firewall or antivirus software
• Repairing your Outlook data files

Summary

In this article, we have shown you how to troubleshoot and fix the “Cannot Connect to Server” error in Outlook, which prevents you from sending or receiving emails. We have explained the possible causes of this error and provided you with five methods to resolve it. We hope this article has been helpful and informative for you. If you have any questions or feedback, please feel free to leave a comment below.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. We are not affiliated with Microsoft or any of its products or services. We do not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information provided in this article. You should always consult a qualified technician before making any changes to your system or software. We are not responsible for any damages or losses that may result from following the instructions or using the tools mentioned in this article.