There are a number of reports from users that Microsoft Outlook won’t send mail. In most cases, they are using Outlook 2003, but Outlook 2002 is affected in some cases.
Before you can fix the problem, you need to identify the cause.
If you don’t see a message in your outbox but Outlook is trying to send something, see Hidden Stuck Messages. It’s most likely a read receipt.
The probable causes are:
- An add-in that marks items read if you view the Outbox.
- Not authenticating properly with the mail server.
- No default email account set.
- Using a program that access the pst or ost data, such as MSN Desktop Search.
- An antispam or antivirus scanner is scanning outgoing mail.
Troubleshooting
First, check the Send/Receive progress dialog for error codes. Browse to Tools, Send/Receive, Send/Receive settings, Show progress and click on the error tab. The error will resemble this, with a different error number and possibly a better explanation than "unknown error"
Task ‘<account> – Sending’ reported error (0×80040119) : ‘Unknown Error 0×80040119
See What does this error mean? for the reasons for some of the error codes. (If you need the text of the error code, you can select any error and use Ctrl+C to copy it.)
To fix or rule out:
Cause #1: An add-in that marks items read if you view the Outbox.
- Symptom: you look at the mail in the Outbox and it’s not bolded
- Quick Fix: Stop looking in the Outbox.
- See Outlook: After viewing the Outbox, e-mail won’t send.
Cause #2: Not authenticating properly with the mail server.
- Check your account settings.
- Tools, E-mail accounts, View or Change existing accounts. Double click on the account and click More Settings.
- Check your settings on the Outgoing server tab. Generally, enabling authentication before sending won’t cause problems.
- Do not enable SPA unless your mail server requires it.
Cause #3 No default email account set.
- Symptoms include being able to reply but not send new mail.
- This is may happen when you use a preconfigured script provided by the mail server administrator to set up your account.
- Go to Tools, E-mail accounts, View or Change existing accounts. Verify an account is set as default.
Cause #4: Using a program that access the pst or ost data.
- Symptom: Mail sends at first, then hangs in mailbox
- Send and Receive error code is: Task ‘<account> – Sending’ reported error (0×80040119) : ‘Unknown Error 0×80040119
- See http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=814441
- Restarting Outlook (after verifying it closed completely in Task manager) may allow the mail to send. otherwise:
- Reboot and disable the problem program before starting Outlook.
- If it continues to cause problems (such as send works for awhile after restarting Outlook, then stops), uninstall the software.
Programs that have prevented mail from sending for me include the following (but are not limited to these programs):
- MSN Desktop Search
- MAPILab’s Attachment Processor
- NewsGator (v2.5 only)
If you discover other programs cause mail to hang in the Outbox, please let us know.
Cause #5: An antispam or antivirus scanner is scanning outgoing mail.
- Norton antispam plugin is one such program that will cause this problem, but it’s not the only one.
- Disable Email scanning in the software.
- Raise the timeout (Tools, Email accounts, View or change existing accounts, More Settings.)
- Check your antispam or antivirus program’s website for an update or possible workarounds.
If none of the above are the cause and the account settings look okay, turn on SMTP logging.
To turn on logging, go to Tools, Options, Other, Advanced and add a check to the box beside Enable Logging (troubleshooting). Because logging can cause Outlook to be unstable, initiate a send and receive and once you’ve reproduced the error, disable logging. Look for the log file at C:\Documents and Settings\<logon name>\Local Settings\temp\OPMLOG.LOG
Hidden Messages that won’t Send
When you have a hidden message that won’t send, it’s a stuck read receipt. They are stored as hidden messages at the root level of your mailbox.
There are two methods that can be used to delete them:
1.Change the SMTP server for the account to a SMTP that can send the receipt. After the read receipt is sent, change the SMTP back to the one you normally use for the account after they are sent.
2.Delete the hidden messages using MFCMAPI or OutlookSpy. Because MFCMAPI does not need to be installed, it’s our choice for most users. (We do not recommend using MDBVue as it is out-dated and was replaced by MFCMAPI.)
We have complete instructions for deleting stuck read receipts using MFCMAPI or OutlookSpy at Delete Read Receipts using MFCMAPI.
More Information
- Outlook: After viewing the Outbox, e-mail won’t send
- What does this error mean?
- Tip 264: Email Won’t Send from Outlook Tips
- “0×80040119″ and “Unknown error” error messages when you try to read, send, receive, or delete e-mail in Outlook (814441)
- How to enable transport logging in Outlook 2002 and Outlook 2003 (300479)
- How to turn on the Enable Mail Logging option for troubleshooting in Outlook 2003 (831053) Outlook 2003 RTM only. Check box to Tools, Options, Other, Advanced for Outlook 2003 SP1 and greater. See KB 300479 for SP1.
- What is the Enable logging (troubleshooting) option?
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Last reviewed on Feb 3, 2012
Outlook 2012 installed: send email with attachment and copy stays in Outbox but does send to recipient. Also keeps sending but will not leave outbox. I have to delete the email myself.
How large is the message? Is it too large to send? Are you using an antivirus scanner that scans outlook email?
My wife just got a MAC and we are still learning. I’ve installed Office 2010. I’m having problems with a few emails not going out. Everything else will send and receive but these emails remain in the outbox. The first email has a whole bunch of emails to be sent to and is a txt only email. (there is a question mark at the front of the list, which is a yellow color, which I presume means that at least one email is incorrect) Would this stop it from sending? The second email has a list of 20 emails to be sent to. There is an attachment but it is only 50 kb so I wouldn’t think that the attachment is too large. there is no question marks and the emails will highlight in blue when the cursor is on one. I appreciate your advice. My wife is so frustrated learning the MAC that she hates it right now.
Diane:
Hope you can help with a home PC issue.
Machine is a W7HP with Office 2007 – has all MS patches etc,
It is wired into my router – ISP is Verizon (never installed any of their software)
I created a new profile (for a new job) according to the instruction:
POP3
Typed in proper out and in servers with UN and PW
No instruction for SPA or use same settings
No matter what variant of boxes I selected or checked, I cannot send mail – receiving is random.
My wireless netbook exhibits same behavior, and when my iPhone is on my network, it fails as well
Regular “Outlook” profile works fine (hits G-Mail and Hotmail fine)
I’m guessing I need a port or have some other conflict
Any guidance would be great
Thanks
what is the outgoing port #? If the mailbox is not on verizon, they may block access to the mailbox on pot 25. This wouldn’t affect incoming mail though, only outgoing.
i ve set mail id in MS-outlook express 2007 as me@domain.com,bt mail sent properly also go in sent box, bt mail not get at destination mai ID___ bt incoming mail get at inbox time to time ___
please help me,
thanks and regards
sandy gupta
Occasionally when I send a message, my own email address is included in the list of recipients (this can occur if a thread is bouncing back and forth and my own originating email address ends up as a recipient when replied to by someone else. If I then “reply all” I’m now sending to my own email address.)
When this occurs, Outlook will not send the message – it freezes the send (to everyone) and I simply get a send/receive error. If the offending email is at the front of the queue, all subsequent email also get stuck. If I’m not carefully watching I won’t notice this until some long time later, after wondering why the recipients have not responded.
OK – I don’t really care “why” this happens. But would like to resolve it as easily as possible.
What’s the easiest fix (besides paying more attention every time I hit “send”)? Is there a way to restrict Outlook’s recipient list so that it CAN’T (and won’t try to) send messages to specific email addresses – such as my own? Othe ideas
Regarding “send to own email address” problem referenced above, failed to indicate I’m using Office 2010 with Outlook v. 14.0.5xxx with XP
What type of email account do you use in Outlook? What antivirus? I’m wondering if its related to the smtp server you use or possibly antivirus/antispam scanner. I’ll try to repro it – it’s definitely should work on Outlook’s end.
Oh, and see if it works if you use Safe mode. (Close Outlook Hold Ctrl as you click on the Outlook icon – you’ll get a dialog asking/telling you that it will start in Safe mode.)
I have a problem with Outlook 2010, I am using a Go Daddy email account. I have set up Outlook using their auto installer and i have done it manually. My ISP is Verizon, I have talked to Verizon support and Go Daddy support and have researched till my fingers bleed(haha not really). I have tried many different out going ports different versions of outlook, from different computers. The tests come back pass with both Go Daddy and Verizon servers, Still ending with I can receive but not send. I tried shutting down Norton and McAfee. If anyone has any ideas i would greatly appreciate it.
any error messages or codes in the send / receive dialog?
what ports did you try?
Have you seen http://www.slipstick.com/addins/services/online-services-in-outlook/#godaddy ? That has the configuration settings that should work.
the error message reads Sending’ reported error (0x8004010F): An object cannot be found. The ports i have tried along with Verizon and go daddy support have been 25, 80, 3535. i believe there were a few more. I have also tried using Verizon’s out going server under there instruction set up by their support. I have tried all those things in that link at least twice. Go daddy says its not their problem and Verizon says its go daddy’s.
Task ‘skichlu@domain.com – Sending’ reported error (0x800CCC78) : ‘Cannot send the message. Verify the e-mail address in your account properties. The server responded: 550 Access denied – Invalid HELO name (See RFC2821 4.1.1.1)’
What type of email account? We usually see this error when you are properly authenticating with the server. It’s denying access because it doesn’t “know” you.
Open Account Settings, double click on the affected account then click More Settings. Check the Outgoing Server tab – are the settings correct? In most cases, you’ll use same settings as incoming mail server. Next, check the Advanced tab. Are you using the correct security setting – try Auto if your version of Outlook supports it.
sighs……….
Sorry, I was out of town and forgot to answer… An object can’t be found error often refers to the address book object, not the SMTP servers… which makes it outlook’s fault, not either VZ or GoDaddy. It’s also more common with Exchange mailboxes, but being that you tried different ports, it means you aren’t using exchange.
What antivirus do you use? Symantec is known to cause this error.
Did you try Safe mode? Safe mode will generally prevent addins and antivirus from interfering with outlook – if the error goes away we know its one or the other. (Close Outlook. Hold Ctrl as you click on the Outlook icon to start in Safe mode.)
Diane-
We have been having problems with this account not sending emails. All are small, some without attachments and still sitting in outbox. Not sure what to do from here, as this doesn’t always occur. Just sometimes it gets bogged down and you have to delete the sent messages, then resend each one individually, which may take an hour or so. Can you help?
Hi guys,
I’m running Outlook 03. I cannot send any emails. I have 3 other computers with the same email and same settings with regards to Ports. They have no problems. When I run a test email I get this message;
“The specified server was found but there was no response from the server. Please verify that the port and SSL information is correct.”
The information is the same on all computers and this is the only one that doesn’t work. I can receive emails.
Any suggestions?
It was Avast blocking the outgoing. Its fixed now.
Cannot delete mail in Outllok. Receiving the following message:
User\jim\appdata\local\microsoft\outlook\outlook.pst is in use and cannot be accessed. Close any application that is using this file and try again. You might need to restart your computer.
My emails get stuck in the outbook. If I open the stuck email and delete old parts of the “thread”, then email will be sent. It’s as if there is a size restriction on how large an outgoing email can be.
I know that there is a size limitation on incoming emails and we increased that from the default size of 5 MB to 15MB. How do we change the size limitation in outlook for outbound emails??
Just had my broadband email service updated and upgraded bt BT to make use of the backoffice365 features. Not a request from me but part of global BT upgrde program. Now i cannot send emails. BT have accepted there is a problem an escalated it ti microsoft who have still not solved the issue. Fyi using office outlook 2003.
Would really appriciate some help on this.
Is backoffice365 the same as Microsoft’s Office 365 service, ie hosted Exchange? Do you get any error messages?
Sorry for the confusion. It is the office 365 service. No error messages. Emails sit in the out box and will not send. BT IT engineers have had access to my PC and confirm that all settngs are correct. thisnis why they have escaleted it to Microsoft. its been over 2 weeks now and no sollution. i cannot believe i am the only one to have this problem.
Outlook 2003 is SP3 and fully uptodate.
Does it work if you use Safe mode? To open Outlook in Safe mode: Close Outlook then hold Ctrl as you click on the Outlook icon. You’ll get a message asking if you want to start in Safe mode. Click Ok.
Because you are connecting to Office 365, it should “just work”. There is nothing to screw up in when configuring Outlook for Office 365. It connects using port 80, so firewalls won’t block it. Antivirus can interfere – Safe mode will help us know if that might be the problem.