Windows Live Mail Keeps Work Offline – Simple Solution

If you are using Windows Live Mail, you may encounter the following error message:

“You are currently working offline. Would you like to go online now?” Even though you keep clicking Yes, the pop-up will keep coming up.

Windows Live Mail Offline

So how to solve this? The solution is simple.

1) Open Internet Explorer browser.

2) From the menu bar, click File. (If menu is not shown, press “Alt” button on your keyboard)

3) Uncheck “Work offline” by clicking on it.

IE Work Offline

4) From Windows Live Mail, click Send/Receive button. If you are being asked to go online, click Yes.

Problem solved.

Additional information on showing menu bar – http://kennykee.com/304/internet-explorer-10-show-menu-bar/
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Please like or comment below if this helps you :)

58 thoughts on “Windows Live Mail Keeps Work Offline – Simple Solution

  1. Jonathan

    Thanks also for this, it pointed me in the right direction – in our case, we don’t use internet explorer as the default browser but it looks like a new version was installed by windows update and it was in an offline state because it had not been started. Just opening the Internet Explorer fixed the problem.

    Reply
    1. admin Post author

      If you are using Windows Live Mail as your email client for Gmail, then it work for it as well. You just need to uncheck “Work Offline” in Internet Explorer browser and it will fix the issue.

      Reply
  2. Nagesj

    That works fine for users of IE briwser. In my case, I have Windows 7 and use Google chrome as my browser. Where do I find the Offline menu item please?

    Thanks for your help.

    Reply
    1. admin Post author

      I use chrome and Windows 7 too. But this can be solve in IE browser only. Here’s the method to open IE:

      1) Press Windows start button.
      2) From the “Search programs and files” search box, type iexplore. The first result should be Internet Explorer.
      3) Open iexplore.exe.
      4) Follow the steps above.

      Reply
  3. Denise

    This is so frustrating! My Internet Explorer looks different from the “old” picture in your directions. There is no “file” and when I click on the “tool” button (the little cog button), there is no “work offline” to click. Help!

    Reply
    1. Maurits

      running a Google Search for anything creates the alert that windows is offline and is going online so you don’t even need to uncheck stuff.

      Reply
  4. Lynne

    I don’t believe it! I’ve tried everything but this worked! Thank you, thank you, thank you, will you marry me?

    Reply
  5. David B.

    Thanks so much! I never use IE, and it’s pretty sad that they didn’t design Live Mail “smart” enough to go online by itself without IE’s permission.

    Reply
  6. Patrick

    Thank you! This was useful and worked the first time after much wasted time of trying to figure it out myself!

    Reply
  7. Raljonde

    Brilliant! This was not the first time I’ve ‘gone off line’ but this was by far the easiest and simplest solution. Only about fifteen hours ‘off line’ instead of five days on the last occasion!!

    Reply
  8. Bob H.

    Thank you for this. The Microsoft site implied that the File menu to use was part of Windows Live Mail. They never even mentioned Internet Explorer.

    Reply
  9. Howard

    This works a treat, but the question is… why won’t Windows Live allow you to get back online without having to fire up Explorer? This is clearly a common bug – Windows Live not going back online is a pretty fundamental flaw!

    Reply
  10. Halo572

    Thank you. Pressed it accidentally and this was the first google search result.

    Stupid problem quickly and easily solved.

    Reply
  11. Mike H.

    Absolutely amazing. Just spent a very frustrating couple of days trying to fix the problem of not being able to send or receive email, even my ISP gave me a ridiculous answer to the problem. Can’t count how many times I checked the POP’s and SMTP’s and all related stuff. Just what had changed IE, that I don’t use anyway, I just can’t imagine. I assume WLM uses settings in IE. Many thanks for posting the problem solver, I can relax now, brilliant.

    Reply
  12. Gerardo

    Muy bien dada la solucion de este estupido problema que siempre vuelve gracias a un programador de microsoft,los programas son buenos y no faltos de fallas.

    Reply
  13. Mike

    Works great! Isn’t it completely stupid that a company as prominent as Microsoft has such a silly bug in their Live Mail? I mean, shouldn’t we be able to solve this in Live Mail itself?

    Reply
  14. Mike Wilkinson

    I’m sorry that procedure does not work for me. Using Windows 7, Foxfire web browser and Windows Live Mail. I have uninstalled, re-installed, new password…….. I’m ready to throw the computer out the window. Please, help. If you would like to log into my computer, please feel free.
    Thank you.

    Reply
  15. Deborah Bailey

    Thank you! thank you! thank you! I spent a couple of very frustrating hours trying to figure out what I had done wrong, not thinking about windows update just installed, then found this post which solved the whole problem in a click or two.

    Reply
  16. Pingback: Windows live mail: sempre fuori linea… | The wickerman75

    1. admin Post author

      Try this alternative,

      1) Click Windows button.
      2) From “Search programs and files”, type “windows media player”. (without the quotes)
      3) From result list, click Windows Media Player. This will open the media player.
      4) From Windows Media Player, right click on the top bar. A pop up menu will appear.
      5) Click File > Work offline.

      Reply
  17. alice baker

    I had so many problems with IE I had it removed from my PC. I have windows 7 & office 10 – I can’t get rid of ‘working offline’ on Windows live mail. When ever I Google for help it refers me to IE which I don’t have. Please help b y sending an answer to abaker@usfamily.net Thank you in advance. Alice

    Reply
    1. admin Post author

      Try this alternative,

      1) Click Windows button.
      2) From “Search programs and files”, type “windows media player”. (without the quotes)
      3) From result list, click Windows Media Player. This will open the media player.
      4) From Windows Media Player, right click on the top bar. A pop up menu will appear.
      5) Click File > Work offline.

      In short, you can repeat the steps above on Windows Media Player as well.

      Reply
      1. Adela

        THANK YOU for an alternative, but when I tried this and clicked “File” the “Work Offline” phrase was greyed out. Any other way to do it?

        I don’t use IE anymore but I know it ‘s somewhere in my computer, would anyone know how to get to it so I can change it there?

        Many thanks for any ideas…. :o)

        Reply
  18. Sheree

    Good grief…are we who use Firefox being penalized for shunting IE? This happens so often. Thanks for the reminder about the fix.

    Reply
  19. Andrew Hubbard

    Many thanks – problem resolved. WHen I opened the File menu the Work Offline was not checked but I checked it then unchecked it, went back to Live Mail and the problem was solved.

    Reply
  20. Candace

    I use Windows 7, Firefox, and Live Mail, and this stupid error happens every day! Is there a way to turn this of permanently so I don’t have to open IE everyday and uncheck the box? Or, how can I just uninstall IE? It’s not on the list of programs in the control panel, so I am assuming it’s part of windows. Thank you!

    Reply
  21. C

    Thanks! This tip has saved me countless times. Unlike as in your instructions, I don’t need to click on Send/Receive to get back on-line. It’s there automatically when I go back to Live Mail.

    But why on earth the silly bug? I do think I’ve discovered what trips it. I’m working along, go up to click on Send/Receive, and accidentally hit Work Offline (right next to it). Then it happens–the error message that says I’m offline.

    Thanks again!!

    Reply

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