outlook 2016 issue

The third-party hosting provider must supply the current mailbox password and POP/IMAP/SMTP settings, after which the existing address can be added manually to Outlook 2016 without reinstalling Outlook again.

1. Obtain the required settings

Contact the company that hosts email for the domain and request:

• Confirmation that the original mailbox still exists and is enabled
• The exact username—often the complete email address
• A password reset, if necessary
• Account type: preferably IMAP, or POP if that is what the provider supports
• Incoming server name, port, and encryption type
• Outgoing SMTP server name, port, and encryption type
• Whether SMTP authentication is required
• Whether Outlook 2016 requires an app password

Do not substitute Yahoo, Gmail, Outlook.com, or Microsoft 365 server settings. The correct values are specific to this hosting provider. Outlook’s manual configuration requires the incoming and outgoing settings supplied by the provider.^1^

2. Preserve any locally stored mail first

Because there is no webmail, some or all older messages may exist only in an Outlook .pst data file—particularly if the previous account used POP.

1. Do not delete the old Outlook profile or its data files yet.
2. Close Outlook.
3. Check these common locations for .pst files:
   • C:\Users\<Windows-user>\Documents\Outlook Files
   • C:\Users\<Windows-user>\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Outlook
4. Copy any .pst files to a separate backup folder or external drive.

For POP accounts, messages, calendar entries, contacts, and tasks can be stored in the .pst; moving or backing up that file does not preserve the account’s server settings.^2^

3. Add the original mailbox manually

In Outlook 2016:

1. Select File > Add Account.
2. Enter the complete original email address.
3. Select Advanced options.
4. Check Let me set up my account manually, then select Connect.
5. Choose IMAP or POP, exactly as specified by the provider.
6. Enter the provider’s:
   • Incoming server and port
   • Incoming encryption method
   • Outgoing SMTP server and port
   • Outgoing encryption method
7. Enter the provider-confirmed username and password.
8. Enable outgoing-server authentication if required.
9. Complete setup and send a test message to another address.

Manual setup is the supported next step when automatic discovery cannot find a third-party account’s settings.^3^

If the provider says an app password is required, generate it through the provider and enter that password in Outlook instead of the normal mailbox password. Do not use an app password unless the provider confirms that requirement.^3^

The new Outlook profile name created during the reinstall is only a local configuration label; it does not replace or rename the actual hosted mailbox.

If the current profile will not accept the account

Create another profile without deleting the existing one:

1. Close Outlook.
2. Open Control Panel and search for Mail.
3. Select Mail > Show Profiles > Add.
4. Give the profile a descriptive name.
5. Add the original mailbox using the provider’s settings.
6. Select Prompt for a profile to be used.
7. Start Outlook and choose the new profile.

An Outlook profile stores account, data-file, and delivery configuration. The existing profile can remain available while the replacement is tested.^4^

After the account connects, any backed-up local mail can be opened through File > Open & Export > Open Outlook Data File. Avoid importing it until the live mailbox is working, especially with POP, to reduce the risk of duplicates.

If setup still fails, provide the hosting company with the exact Outlook error and ask it to verify that IMAP or POP access is enabled and that the server permits Outlook 2016 authentication. Without the provider’s server names, ports, encryption requirements, and valid credentials, the remaining configuration cannot be determined safely.

References

1. How to set up an Internet email account in Outlook 2013 or 2016
2. Find and transfer Outlook data files from one computer to another
3. Troubleshoot Outlook email setup | Microsoft Support
4. Edit an Outlook profile | Microsoft Support