How to Turn Off 'Work Offline' Mode in Outlook

In this article, you'll discover how to disable the 'Work Offline' feature in Microsoft Outlook on your computer.

Open Outlook. Double-click the Outlook app with the white 'O' icon on a dark blue background to launch it.

Ensure Outlook is in Offline Mode. Here are two indicators that show Outlook is in 'Work Offline' mode:

• The 'Working Offline' message will appear at the bottom-right corner of the Outlook window.
• A white 'X' inside a red circle will appear on the Outlook icon in the taskbar (only on Windows).

Click on the Send / Receive tab. This option is located in the blue section at the top of the Outlook window. You will see a toolbar appear at the top of the window.

Ensure the Work Offline

button is enabled. This button is located on the far right of the Send / Receive toolbar. It will appear dark gray when enabled.

• If the button is not dark gray, it means 'Work Offline' mode is not enabled.

Left-click on the Work Offline button. This button is located on the far right of the toolbar.

• If the button is not enabled, try left-clicking it twice—once to activate 'Work Offline' mode, and again to deactivate it—before proceeding.

Wait for the 'Working Offline' notification to disappear. When this message vanishes from the bottom-right corner of the window, Outlook has switched to online mode.

• You may need to toggle 'Work Offline' on and off several times before the feature fully deactivates.

Launch Outlook. Click or double-click the Outlook application, represented by the white "O" icon on a dark blue background.

Click on Outlook. This is the menu bar at the top of your screen. A menu will appear here.

Click on Work Offline (Work Offline). This option appears as the third choice in the dropdown menu. When Outlook is in offline mode, you will see a checkmark next to "Work Offline" in the main Outlook menu. To disable offline mode, make sure there is no checkmark next to "Work Offline" in the main Outlook menu that is visible.

• Make sure your computer is connected to the Internet when you disable the "Work Offline" mode.

• You cannot change offline settings on the mobile version or web version of Microsoft Outlook.
• If your computer is not connected to the Internet, you cannot disable "Work Offline" mode.