My Outlook classic says it is disconnected

Turn off Work Offline first; if Outlook remains disconnected while webmail works, refresh its saved credentials, then test a new Outlook profile.

1. Return Outlook to online mode

1. In classic Outlook, select Send/Receive.
2. Select Work Offline in the Preferences group.
   • If the button was shaded/highlighted, this turns offline mode off.
3. Select Send/Receive All Folders.
4. Check the status bar. It should change from Working Offline, Disconnected, or Trying to connect to a connected status. ^1^

If Work Offline was not highlighted, or the status remains Disconnected, continue below.

2. Refresh Outlook’s saved sign-in credentials

Because Outlook on the web works, proceed with client-side authentication recovery:

1. Close Outlook completely.
2. Press the Windows key, type Credential Manager, and open it.
3. Select Windows Credentials.
4. Expand and remove entries associated with the affected account or named:
   • Outlook
   • MicrosoftOffice
   • Office 365
   • MS.Exchange
   • ADAL
5. Restart Windows.
6. Open Outlook and sign in again when prompted.

Removing these entries signs Office applications out of saved sessions, but it does not delete mailbox content. This procedure has resolved the same classic Outlook symptom where webmail remained functional. ^2^

3. Run Microsoft’s connectivity diagnostic

If it still does not connect:

1. Open the Windows Get Help app.
2. Run the Classic Outlook connectivity troubleshooter and follow its recommendations.
3. If Outlook repeatedly requests a password, search Get Help for Outlook password problem to run the authentication check.

These troubleshooters require Windows 10 or later, must run on the affected PC, and apply to classic—not new—Outlook. ^3^

4. Test with a new Outlook profile

A new profile is the next isolation step if authentication repair does not help:

1. Hold Shift while starting Outlook.
2. In the profile picker, select Options.
3. Select New.
4. Enter a profile name and select OK.
5. Add the email account and open Outlook using the new profile. ^4^

Do not delete the original profile yet. If the new profile connects, continue using it until mailbox synchronization finishes, then transfer any locally stored data that is not present in webmail.

If the new profile is also disconnected, record the connection details for support: hold Ctrl, right-click the Outlook notification-area icon, select Connection Status, expand all columns, and capture screenshots. ^5^

References

1. New Outlook (#tab/new-outlook)
2. Outlook Shows "Disconnected" in Status Bar But Internet is Working Perfectly - Microsoft Q&A
3. Classic Outlook troubleshooters | Microsoft Support
4. Create a profile in classic Outlook for Windows
5. Enable and collect Outlook logs to troubleshoot profile creation issues