7 Ways to Fix “Outlook Not Sending Emails But Receiving” Error

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  • Updated on March 21st, 2025

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An Outlook user tries to send an email but encounters an issue where the email remains in the Outbox. Even though the incoming emails are working fine, outgoing emails are stuck. The user tries sending another email without attachments but still gets the same error. As a result, there can be missed deadlines and communication delays. How can we fix this error? Before resolving the error, it’s crucial to understand the cause of the “Outlook Not Sending Emails But Receiving” error. Check out this blog that provides a comprehensive guide to resolving this issue.

“Outlook Not Sending Emails But Receiving” error occurs when Outlook functions properly with incoming emails but is unable to send the emails. There can be multiple possible reasons behind it. 

Why Cannot Send Email From Outlook But Can Receive?

  • Sending large email attachments may cause messages to stuck in the Outbox folder.
  • A slow internet connection or an unstable network, may not send emails properly.
  • Incorrect SMTP configuration might prevent outgoing emails from being sent.
  • If Outlook is in “Work Offline Mode”, emails won’t be sent.
  • Antivirus or firewall settings may prevent outgoing emails from being sent.
  • Emails may fail to send if your email storage gets full.
  • A corrupt Outlook profile may disrupt the messages from being sent.

How to Fix “Outlook Not Sending Emails But Receiving” Error?

Now that we have understood the root causes, let’s move forward with the solutions to resolve the error.

Resend the email message from the Outbox

If Outlook receiving emails but not sending them, try to resolve this issue by following the below given instructions:

  1. Open Outlook.
  2. Go to the Outbox folder.
  3. Double-click on the email that is stuck. 
  4. Now, click Send again.

Try Restarting your Router

Verify that your internet connection is working properly. If not, try switching it off and on it again after a few seconds. A fluctuating internet connection may disrupt the ability to send Outlook emails. 

Restart Outlook in Online Mode

If the user cannot send email from Outlook but can receive it, try fixing this issue by following these steps:

  1. Open MS Outlook.
  2. Go to the Send/Receive tab.
  3. Uncheck Work Offline mode.
  4. Now, close the Outlook application.
  5. Reopen MS Outlook. It will now work in Online mode.

Check the SMTP Server Settings

Perform the following steps one by one:

Step 1: Open and Select the Email account

  1. Open Outlook and go to File.
  2. Select Account settings > Account settings.
  3. Now, select your email account under the Email tab.
  4. Click on Change or Repair.

Step 2: Verify SMTP Server Settings

  1. Check if the Outgoing Mail Server (SMTP) is correct. 
Gmailsmtp.gmail.com
Outlook/Hotmailsmtp.office365.com
Yahoosmtp.mail.yahoo.com
Others Check with your email provider.
  1. Go to More Settings > Outgoing Server
  • Verify My outgoing server (SMTP) requires authentication.
  • Choose Use the same settings as my incoming mail server.
  1. Navigate to the Advanced tab 
  • Check SMTP Port: Verify SSL as 465 and TLS as 587.
  • Make sure the encryption type is SSL/TLS.
  1. Press Ok > Next > Finish
  2. Restart Outlook.

Repair Outlook to fix Outlook Not Sending Emails But Receiving

Follow the given steps below:

  1. Open Microsoft Outlook.
  2. Go to File > Account settings > Account settings.
  3. Choose your email account and click on Repair.
  4. Follow the instructions thereafter and restart the Outlook application.

Check Outlook Connection Status

Below is a step-by-step process:

  1. Open Outlook.
  2. Verify the Status bar at the bottom-right corner of Outlook:
“Connected” or “Connected to Microsoft Exchange”Outlook is online.
“Working Offline”Outlook is in Offline Mode.
“Disconnected”Outlook is not connected to the internet.

Remove Attachments while Sending Emails

Follow these steps to fix the issue:

“Delete” or “Remove” AttachmentRight-click on the email and choose “Delete” or “Remove attachment”.
Send a Small-sized FileCompress the file using the ZIP tool and then attach it to the email.
Share Cloud linkUpload large files to the cloud & share the link in your email.
Resend EmailAfter removing the attachment or resizing the file size, try sending the email.

Delete Old Emails

If the user can receive but cannot send emails in Outlook, try deleting old emails to free up space in email storage. The error sometimes arises due to full email storage space. Also, make sure to empty the Deleted Items folder.

Temporarily Disable Anti-virus

Here’s how to begin the process: 

  • In the case of Windows Defender, follow these steps:
  1. Open Settings.
  2. Go to Update & Security > Windows Security > Virus and Threat Protection.
  3. Disable the toggle under the Real-time Protection tab.
  4. Now, try to send the email.
  • In the case of Third-Party Antivirus software, check these steps:
  1. Open your Antivirus program.
  2. Check Firewall, Real-time Protection, and Email Protection settings.
  3. Temporarily Disable all these settings. 
  4. Try sending an email.

If you’re concerned about recovering corrupted Outlook PST files, then the Outlook PST Repair Tool is a reliable, trusted, and expert solution. The error “Outlook Not Sending Emails But Receiving” can also be due to the corrupted PST Files in Outlook. This software enables users to resolve corruption issues and supports bulk recovery. With this tool, users can do both quick and deep scans depending on the type of corruption. It also offers a preview feature to enable users to check their recovered email files and attachments. It ensures data security and offers multiple saving formats. This makes this tool a reliable option for both individual and professional use.

Follow this step-by-step procedure to begin repairing your PST Files in Outlook:

  1. Download and launch Outlook PST Repair Tool.
  2. Go to Open and select the corrupted PST File.
  3. Choose the Recovery Mode and click on Ok.
  4. As soon as the scanning process is completed, press Ok.
  5. Now, you can preview the contents of the data.
  6. Next, click on the Save button to export the resultant file to your desired destination path.
  7. Lastly, click Ok to initiate the recovery process.

Conclusion

To conclude, the “Outlook Not Sending Emails But Receiving” error can be caused due to multiple factors. This includes a slow internet connection, full email storage, Outlook in Offline mode, incorrect SMTP Server settings, etc. By following the outlined solutions, you can successfully resolve the error. If the user detects a corrupted PST File, the Outlook PST Repair Tool can recover and restore the damaged files. By implementing these solutions, the user can maintain hassle-free email communication.

Related Post : Outlook Not Connecting to Server.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Q- Why are my emails being received but not sent?

Ans- This issue can occur due to several reasons: 

  • Slow internet connectivity or poor network
  • Incorrect SMTP Server settings
  • Problem with Outlook Connection Status
  • Full email storage
  • Anti-virus blocking the SMTP Server Settings, etc.

Q- How to fix SMTP errors in Outlook?

Ans- Follow these steps to initiate the process: 

Step 1: Open and select your email account.

Step 2: Verify your SMTP Server settings: 

  1. Check if the Outgoing Mail Server (SMTP) is correct: For Gmail as smtp.gmail.com, for Outlook/Hotmail as smtp.office 365.com, for Yahoo as smtp.mail.yahoo.com, etc. 
  2. After that, go to More Settings > Outgoing Server
  • Verify and check: My outgoing server (SMTP) requires authentication.
  • Choose: Use the same settings as my incoming mail server.
  1. Go to the Advanced tab 
  • Verify SMTP Port: Verify SSL as 465 and TLS as 587.
  • Ensure that the encryption type is SSL/TLS.
  1. Click on Ok > Next > Finish
  2. Then, restart Outlook.

About The Author:

Raj is a skilled technical writer who makes complicated topics easy to understand. With experience in email and cloud migration, he creates clear and engaging content that helps readers learn about technology. His work is trusted by many and has been featured on well-known tech sites.

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