How to Fix “Outlook Web App Not Working”?

Accessing emails via Outlook on the web should be simple and seamless. But there are times when issues like the Outlook Web app not working properly could occur. This issue is a wide range; it could be like throwing some errors, not loading properly, looping in the login pages, or failing to send or receive emails. In the article, we will cover all the causes of this issue and then find better troubleshooting steps and an advanced approach to save the important emails if such things occur again.

Outlook Web App is web web-based version of Microsoft Outlook that is designed to access the emails, calendar, contacts and tasks directly from the browser without the installation of the software. It is a part of Microsoft 365 and can be accessed from any device with an internet connection. The interface is designed to resemble the desktop Outlook application, offering all the essential features like composing, replying and setting up rules and filters. Therefore, if anything happens with the OWA, it is completely within itself.

Pro Tip: If you can’t read your emails in Outlook Web App, try using the Outlook desktop application. While it has a slightly different interface, you can still access your messages. Otherwise, follow the advanced method to download your emails locally.

Why is Outlook Web App not working?

There are some simple to complex reasons why OWA is not working. It could be due to poor internet connection, outdated browser, corrupted cache or cookies or temporary server issues from Microsoft’s end. Check out the points below to understand the possible causes, or skip straight to the solution section if you want to fix it right now.

• Browser Incompatibility Issues: Web apps rely on modern and certain features such as cookies, site permissions, etc. If the browser is outdated or has any disabled features or any problematic extensions, Outlook on the web might fail to load.
• Cache, Cookies or corrupted temporary data: Any old or corrupted browser cache or cookies might interfere with signing in or loading data on the web. There are many cases where clearing cookies has resolved the stuck-on-loading issue in Outlook.
• Browser Extension / Site Permission / Ad-blocker: Some browser add-ons or site-specific permission settings can break Outlook’s web versions. Thus, ensuring these settings are properly set up and checking if the “Outlook web app not working” problem.
• Server-side problem: Apart from the above reasons, there could be an issue with the server side. That is the issue might not in the user’s end. Therefore, it is recommended to check the official service status will see if there is anything wrong from the server’s end.

Find out how to print multiple emails in Outlook Web App.

Resolve the Issue – Outlook Web App Not Working

Go through each of the methods below to understand which case the Outlook web app does not perform properly. Identify and use the troubleshooting steps.

Check Internet Connection

Before we go into the advanced methods, ensure the internet is stable.

• Check by trying other websites like Google.com.
• If the site is slow, then restart the router.
• Else switch to another network (eg, Mobile hotspot)

Verify Outlook Web Server Status

If the problem isn’t with the browser, it might be on Microsoft’s side.

• Visit the Microsoft Service status page.
• If Outlook has an Outage, the warning will be shown.
• Then, wait until the issue is resolved.

If Outlook Web App not Working, Clear the Browser Cache and Cookies

Any corrupted cache or old cookies can block Outlook from loading properly.

On Chrome:

• Open Chrome and go to Settings>Privacy and Security >Clear Browsing Data.
• Choose Cookies and other site data and Cached image, and files
• Select All time > Clear Data.
• Restart the browser and sign in again to Outlook.com.
• Otherwise, try using the browser in Incognito mode.

Try using a Different Browser to Open OWA

If the “Outlook Web App not working” issue occurs, it might be an issue with the browser. Try using another browser to access the webmail emails.

• Ensure you have the latest version of the current browser you are using.
• Disable any ad blocker or extension (explained in the next section) temporarily and reload Outlook.

Disable Browser Extensions and Add-ons

The browser extensions could cause conflicts with the Outlook web.

• In Chrome, go to chrome://extensions/.
• Turn off the extensions > reload Outlook Web.
• If it works, then re-enable them one by one to find out which one is problematic.

6. Check the login Credentials and Account Access

If Outlook Web App is not working, as if it is showing the login page again and again, then there might be an authentication error.

• Go to https://outlook.office.com and sign in manually.
• Open https://account.microsoft.com > Security > Sign Out from everywhere.
• Sign in again to refresh the session

Check Firewall or VPN

If​‍​‌‍​‍‌ the Outlook Web App is not opening in any way, then maybe access is being blocked by a VPN or a Firewall.

• Turn off the VPN and try loading Outlook again.
• If you’re on a work or school network, ask the admin to check whether Outlook URLs are blocked.
• Additionally, you can perform a test with the mobile ​‍​‌‍​‍‌hotspot.

Also, check out the article “Fix Outlook Web App Cannot Download Attachments“.

Conclusion

The Web version of Outlook, i.e, Outlook web app, is extremely complex, but like other web applications, to operate properly, many layers need to work together, such as browser, network, account and server. Most problems why “Outlook Web App Not Working” are caused primarily by simple browser-side issues or service outages. By checking service status, account settings, and browser environment, we can resolve the problem ourselves. Even after checking if the issue lies within the server itself, try contacting Microsoft Support. Don’t risk losing important data — use the tool mentioned here to safeguard your emails efficiently.