Is you Outlook 2016/2013 always starting in offline mode? This guide will help you to solve it.

Sometimes, Outlook users experiences an offline mode in their Outlook. This disrupts the performance and affects the receiving and sending of emails.
Here at Fixwebnode, we regularly help our Customers to fix Outlook related errors as part of our Server Management Services.
In this context, we shall look into the main causes of this error and how to get rid of it.

What triggers Outlook 2016/2013  to make it start in offline mode?

Older version of Outlook such as the 2013 version work online or offline for some set of tasks such as drafting emails. It is important to have a connection that means to be online in order for important functions such as sending and receiving of emails to function properly.
In cases where it is in an offline mode, emails cannot be sent or received. Additionally, Outlook icon in the system tray will assume a red cross sign on it with the message: "Microsoft Outlook is offline".
To get rid of the offline mode, the Outlook user must keep pressing the "Work Offline" button on the Send/Receive tab. On the next startup, it will automatically go offline again. This process is very annoying.
The main cause of this issue is due to internet connection problem and in cases network disruptions in the Exchange network and make Outlook go offline automatically.

How to troubleshoot the outlook problem?

To know the root of this problem, do the following;
i. Make sure that the mailbox is available via the OWA interface.
ii. In Exchange 2010, ensure that you check the CAS server availability from the user computer thought port TCP/135 (RPC locator). To do it use the Test-NetConnection cmdlet: 'tnc ber-msgcas –port 135' and confirm whether the port is available. In Exchange 2013/2016, the main protocol for connecting Outlook clients to CAS is HTTPS (MAPI over HTTP), therefore it helps to check the availability of port TCP/443.
iii. Make sure Outlook is started in the Safe Mode (outlook.exe /safe command) and always disable all Outlook add-ons.
iv. Make sure that you are running the latest version of Outlook by going to the File menu and clicking Office Account. Under Product Information click Update Options, then the Update Now button.
iv. Additionally, you can adjust the email server settings.
v. Ensure that you delete an Outlook profile and recreate it again. You can also try to reinstall and repair Outlook.

How we fix "Outlook 2016/2013 always starts in offline mode" issue?

Most Outlook users have Skype for Business (Lync) installed on their system and this tends to cause this error. In this case, if both the Lync and Outlook are started at the same time, changing Offline mode is not saved after Outlook is closed (Lync somehow blocks saving offline mode settings, maybe, due to its constant connection to Exchange).
Therefore, in order to disable running Outlook in the offline mode, you need to close Lync / Skype4B (ensure that there are no processes in the Task Manager) and disable Work Offline mode in Outlook.
Then, you can run the Lync (Skype4B). The next time Outlook will start online.

Need support in fixing Outlook errors? We are available to help you today.