If you view the Outbox while messages are waiting to be sent, the messages are marked as read and won't send.
This is caused by a Net framework add-in you have installed that 'reads' Outlook items, including the Send to OneNote addin, BCM (Business Contact Manager), and more recently, the iCloud add-in installed by iTunes. A list of other add-ins known to cause this behavior is listed below.
Antivirus/security software is often the culprit as it is looking for viruses and spam. Disable add-ins installed by the security software to solve.
iCloud is quickly passing Anti-virus add-ins as a frequent cause. It's installed by iTunes and if you are not using syncing with an Apple device using iCloud, you can disable it. Apple also installs two additional add-ins (Change Notifier and Outlook Add-in) that are not needed if you don't sync with an Apple device. If you are using iCloud, avoid viewing the Outbox and switch to another folder before re-sending messages you opened from the Outbox. See Outlook and iCloud 2: What you need to know for the more information.
To send the affected messages, you'll need to open the message, then switch to a different folder before clicking Send on the message. Do not go open the Outbox until after the messages are sent.
To identify the add-in that results in this behavior:
If using Outlook 2003: Look in Tools, Options, Other, Advanced, Com add-ins. Disable the add-ins and re-enable them one at a time and test.
Outlook 2007: Look in Tools, Trust Center, Add-ins.
Outlook 2010: File tab, Options, Add-ins.
Outlook 2013: File tab, Options, Add-ins.
Click Go button at the bottom of the dialog to disable add-ins. Select Disabled Add-ins from the dropdown menu to re-enable add-ins.
Since BCM and possibly other add-ins are not listed in the COM add-in list, check
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Office\Outlook\Addins
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\Outlook\Addins
If using Windows 64-bit, addins are in the following HKEY_LOCAL _MACHINE key.
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\WOW6432Node\Microsoft\Office\Outlook\AddIns
When you use a 64-bit OS, some add-ins are listed under both HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE locations. Check the HKEY_LOCAL _MACHINE\Software\WOW6432Node path first but if its listed in both locations, you may need to set LoadBehavior to 0 in both locations.
Export the keys then change the LoadBehavior value to 0 to disconnect an add-in. Restart Outlook and test.
If you need a quick tutorial on editing the registry, see How to Edit the Registry
Applications responsible
The following is a list of some of the applications which are reported to cause message to be marked as read. If you use these or any other add-ins, check for a newer version or an update - newer versions of some of these applications will not cause problems. If the problem is caused by the newest version, disable or uninstall the addin.
- iCloud addin. used to sync with Apple devices. Disable if you are not using it to sync.
- AVG (Free version tested) - disable avgoutlook.Addin. Set LoadBehavior 0. (From "Thunderbird": you need to disable two keys for avgoutlook.Addin when using 64-bit Windows 7)
- Bitdefender Internet Security
- Symantec Endpoint Protection
- Social Connector with Outlook 2007
If you are using one of these older applications, look for a newer version:
- Evernote Clipper
- Business Contact Manager (BCM)
- Send to OneNote from Outlook PowerToy
- Outlock
- Outlook Backup Add-in
- Sierra Wireless Outlook Integration - disable in the registry. It's listed at HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Office\Outlook\Addins\ SwiOutlookInt.Addin
- Timeslips add-in
- Attensa for Outlook. Check for upgrade: newer versions not affected.
- Cisco Meetingplace plug-in
- MindJet Mind Manager 6. Disable the add-in in the registry - the key is Mindjet.Mm6OutlookLinker.AddIn.2
- ScanSoft PDF Converter Outlook Addin
- Norton AntiSpam Outlook Plugin
- Norton Internet Security
- Salesforce
- Upshot Outlook integration
- Xobni - Upgrade to the newest version of Xobni.
- Auto-Mate
- RingCentral Add-in
- DesktopSMS.Addin
- ABBYY PDF Addin
More Information
- Authentication problems: Are you logging on to the mail server correctly?
- No default mail account. If you can reply to messages but not send new message, check the account settings and make sure one is set as default. When you use a configuration script created by your mail provider or import accounts, an account is not always set as default.
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Thank you so much. The issue was clearly identified and explained for problem-solving.
It appears that the Google Drive Plugin causes problems like this as well.
this fixed my problem immediately
I have found that the Todoist Outlook add-in causes this behavior
Thank you so much for help with this frustrating problem! Hopefully there is a fix on the way??
Thank you for your correct diagnosis. It was iCloud in my case.
Well, you can add the latest WebEx Productivity Tools to this list. I have delayed send enabled in Outlook and one message will be marked as read when I view the Outbox causing it to not be sent. Disabling this add-in causes messages to work just fine.
Outlook 2013
WebEx Productivity Tools: Version 31.1.0.56
Thank you. I found this page very helpful and reading this page solved my problem.
However -> I'm not sure if the instructions are incomplete.
I followed the procedure:
All add-ins were unchecked on the manage com add-ins dialog box.
No active application addins were listed on the add-ins log
I confirmed the HKEY entry = 0
I restarted outlook.
Yet I still had the problem.
Clicking around to find the exact version of outlook to add a comment here, I noticed
File->Info->Manage Add-Ins (Slow and Disabled Add-ins)
There were two adds listed as having caused problems in the past (both add-ins specific to my company so I won't list them).
Disabling the add-ins through that dialog solved the problem.
Not sure why disabling worked and inactivating was insufficient, but wanted to note that issue.
Well, I think I replied too soon, the procedure may have worked. The error I'm having, which may be a 'feature' not a bug, is that when an email in the outbox gets picked up in a search, if it gets viewed in the search (often as the newest email) it then shifts back to a draft, vs. sent email, remaining in the outbox as unsent.
I personally think this is an undesired effect , a bug. You shouldn't be at risk of 'unsending' emails because they happen to appear in a search while they are pending in the outbox.
So my observation was driven by the fact that in some tests I had already clicked on an earlier mail, before searching for the test email (so it wasn't viewed immediately as a search result) -> those go through. But it still fails if it is the top search result and another search result was not already selected.
Yeah, that is not a desirable effect - i'll report it to the product team but i suspect they will say it's expected due to reading ane settings. If you don't open it and turn off the option to mark mail as read in the preview pane (both after nn seconds or when changing messages) it shouldn't affect it.
Current version of Evernote, as of 10/8/15 causes the outbox problem that this thread addresses.
Still have the complain about search triggering the same effect.