Issues with Outlook

Brad Spurrier 0 Reputation points
2026-11-09T16:35:04.85+00:00

In Outlook, created messages are stuck in "Drafts" and will not forward. Also, the tools on the toolbar are "ghosted" and unavailable.

Outlook | Windows | New Outlook for Windows | For home
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  1. Emma1-N 14,925 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
    2026-11-10T03:28:27.95+00:00

    Welcome Brad Spurrier,

    Thanks for reaching out to Microsoft Q&A Forum. I understand that in the new Outlook for Windows, messages you create stay in the Drafts folder and you can't forward them. The toolbar commands also appear grayed out and can't be used.

    To narrow down the issue, could you please confirm:

    • What type of email account is added to the new Outlook, such as Outlook.com, Hotmail, Gmail or another provider?
    • Does any message, banner or warning appear at the top of the draft or in the Outbox folder when you try to send?

    Please make sure you already tried the Q&A Assist steps. In addition, please try the following:

    1, Click inside the message body to turn on the toolbar

    • Most formatting tools are only available while the cursor is inside the message body.
    • Click in the body of the draft and check whether the tools on the Message and Format text tabs become available.
    • If the toolbar still looks incomplete, select the small arrow at the right end of the ribbon and switch between Simplified ribbon and Classic ribbon.

    2, Check the Outbox folder

    • In the folder pane, open Outbox.
    • If messages are waiting there, open each one and select Send again.
    • Delete any duplicates that you no longer need.

    3, Turn the offline setting off and on again

    • Go to Settings, select General, then select Offline.
    • Turn off the offline option, save, and close Outlook.
    • Reopen Outlook, turn the option back on, and test sending again.

    4, Check the Windows date, time and network connection

    • Go to Settings in Windows, select Time & language, then Date & time.
    • Turn on Set time automatically and select Sync now.
    • Make sure there is no active VPN or proxy that could block the connection, then test again.

    5, Update the new Outlook app

    • Open Microsoft Store and select Library.
    • Select Get updates and install any update listed for Outlook (new).
    • Restart the computer and test with a new message.

    Looking forward to your update.

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  2. AI answer

    2026-11-09T16:36:31.8266667+00:00

    If the Forward command and most toolbar commands are disabled, close New Outlook completely through Task Manager and reopen it; if only text-formatting controls are disabled, switch the current message from Plain Text to HTML.

    1. If the whole toolbar or Forward command is disabled

    Widespread disabled commands may indicate that New Outlook is unresponsive or in a bad application state.

    1. Right-click Start and select Task Manager.
    2. Select Microsoft Outlook.
    3. Select End task.
    4. Reopen New Outlook and test with a new, attachment-free message.

    This is Microsoft’s documented restart procedure for New Outlook. ^1^

    2. If only formatting tools are grayed out

    The message may be in Plain Text, which does not support fonts, colors, bullets, inline pictures, and other formatting controls.

    For the currently affected reply or forwarded message:

    1. Select Reply, Reply All, or Forward.
    2. If composing in the Reading Pane, select Pop Out.
    3. Open Options.
    4. If the Format control says Switch to HTML, select it.

    The button’s wording indicates the current format: Switch to HTML means the message is currently Plain Text. ^2^

    To use HTML for future new messages, go to Settings → Mail → Compose and reply → Message format, select HTML, and save. ^3^

    3. Address messages remaining in Drafts

    Work through these checks in order:

    1. Test the same account in its webmail site.
      • Send a simple message without an attachment.
      • If webmail also cannot send, this is an account, mailbox-storage, credential, or mail-service issue—not just the Windows app.
      • If webmail sends successfully, continue with the New Outlook app steps below.
    2. Force synchronization in New Outlook.
      • Select View → Sync.
      • Wait for the synchronization status at the bottom of the message list to finish.
      • Retry the message. Manual Sync is not available in the same way for some third-party Gmail, Yahoo, iCloud, POP, or IMAP accounts. ^4^
    3. Check Microsoft cloud storage. A full Microsoft cloud mailbox prevents sending and receiving. Delete unneeded large mail, empty Deleted Items, and remove unnecessary OneDrive files if the storage page reports that the quota is full. ^4^
    4. Inspect the draft for large attachments.
      • Open Drafts and select the oldest affected message.
      • Remove large attachments and send a smaller file or a sharing link instead.
      • Test again with a new plain message containing no attachment.
      Oversized messages can remain in Drafts until their attachments are removed. ^5^
    5. If the password was changed recently, select the account name when prompted, choose Continue, and sign in with the updated password. Third-party providers may require an app password. ^4^

    4. Repair or reinstall New Outlook if webmail works

    If the account sends successfully through webmail but New Outlook still leaves messages in Drafts:

    1. Open Start → Settings → Apps → Installed apps.
    2. Find Outlook (new) and select More options → Advanced options.
    3. Select Repair if available.
    4. Reopen Outlook and test.

    Repair is intended to fix an app without removing its data. If Repair is unavailable or ineffective, Reset is the next Windows option, but it may remove local application data and settings. ^6^

    If that fails, uninstall new Outlook for Windows from Start and reinstall it through Microsoft Store. ^1^

    References

    1. Outlook for Windows not responding, hangs, freezes, or stops working
    2. [New Outlook](https://support.microsoft.com/outlook/troubleshoot-attachment-problems-in-outlook-for-windows)
    3. [New Outlook](https://support.microsoft.com/outlook/change-the-message-format-to-html-rich-text-format-or-plain-text-in-outlook)
    4. I can't send or receive messages in Outlook | Microsoft Support
    5. My email message doesn't send | Microsoft Support
    6. [Windows 11](https://support.microsoft.com/windows/apps/repair-apps-and-programs-in-windows#summary)
    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

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