Hi, where are you composing the message? Is this on your email provider's website in a tab in Firefox, or through a separate program on your computer, such as Thunderbird, Outlook, or Microsoft Mail?

(When I send messages from Outlook, they first go to the Outbox and then the next time my mail program contacts the server, they are sent and move over to Sent Items. The Outbox is a temporary waystation.)

I am composing messages in Outlook. I'd never had any trouble before. it always sent them right out.

But now my emails are staying in the outbox. For instance i have a simple message that's been sitting in the outbox for 6 to 7 hours.

The geek squad techs kept trying to send things thru Microsoft Edge. I had made it clear that I used Firefox. but they never attempted to check that. Both Techs reported that they had solved the problem. But... but... no the messages they supposedly sent through Edge never left the outbox either. And i don't want to use Edge. I like Firefox!

Curiously, messages or responses sent internally from a program seem to go though. Like this one. hopefully. I am sending this at 3:34 PDT. (the messages in the outbox changes the time sent to that time, not the time prepared.) Hope this isn't to confusing.

Thank you for your help.

Ida Martin

Hi Ida, the stand-alone Outlook application connects to mail servers directly, it doesn't use a browser (unlike when you sign on through a browser tab and compose your messages there). On your Outlook, does tapping the F9 key trigger a send and receive?

nope that didn't help. Also, my response to you using the "Reply" just sent that reply to the outbox, where it remains. But this will go because it's within an app. ???? who knows.

Well, this is a forum that operates through a web server, not related to email. Are you getting any error message in Outlook? On mine, there's a line at the bottom which indicates

All folders are up to date. Connected to: Microsoft Exchange

Does yours say anything along those lines?

I couldn't find anything like that on my Outlook.

Do you have the one that constantly updates (Outlook 365) or one of the older versions (like Office 2016 Outlook)?

It says it's Microsoft 365 and that outlook would automatically update.

I appreciate all you're doing to help. Unfortunately i have to attend a meeting. So maybe we can followup on this tomorrow. I have no idea what to do. I really need to be able to send email messages and often with attachments.

Thank you

Ida

Hi Ida, it's off-topic for this forum, but these are the only settings I know about in Outlook that would be relevant, from File > Options > Advanced (screenshot attached):