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Why has the "Work Offline" button disappeared suddenly from my Outlook 2021 ?

Alban Thurston 0 Reputation points
2025-01-08T14:12:21.6066667+00:00

Hi:

Outlook 2021, running on O. Professional Plus 2021 off a IMAP server and not Exchange, decides today to give me difficulties and problems.

Firstly, it failed to start entirely as an application. Outlook finally fired up only after I attempted my 7th use - I counted - of either the Quick Repair or the slower Online Repair tool. But will it fire up the next time? Or will the app need another 7 attempts for repair, when next I fire it up?

Second, even the restored Outlook 2021 and its folders, now working, still rob me of the "Working Offline" function. Readily available to me as recently as 2 days ago, that "Working Offline" function now appears nowhere within Outlook 2021's control tabs. Its button used to be on the /Send & Receive ribbon, and to the right of tabs labelled "Send & Receive", "Download" and "Server". Now, nothing. I need to work offline, to control an overdue mass email transmission.

With my main, personal email account hosted in an IMAP server, I have no access for that account - as far as I understand the matter - to any Exchange server. No possibility, then off the .PST or .OST - yawn! - data files being in essence re-created by an IMAP server.

Have I described these two problems comprehensibly? I think I have. So what, please, is an MS expert's remedy? Mr Thurston, London, UK

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  1. SokiGuo-MSFT 29,466 Reputation points Microsoft Vendor
    2025-01-09T06:49:12.5366667+00:00

    Hi @Alban Thurston

    Welcome to our forum!

    Based on your description, it seems that you are experiencing two issues:

    Unable to open the Outlook desktop client.

    The offline working option is missing after using the repair method multiple times.

    For these issues, try the following possible solutions:

    If the answer is helpful, please click "Accept Answer" and kindly upvote it. If you have extra questions about this answer, please click "Comment". 

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