Email is an important way to communicate—whether for business or personal reasons. But what happens when your email stops working and you’re left offline? The disruption can affect productivity, compliance, customer service—and in today’s cybersecurity-aware environment—even your liability. In this post, we’ll explore the most common reasons email fails, share what recent incident data tells us, and provide practical steps to fix and prevent the problem.
How Email Really Works
Email may feel simple: you hit “send,” someone else receives it. But beneath the surface lies a complex infrastructure with multiple moving parts that must all function correctly. Understanding this will help you diagnose issues more effectively.
Email Protocols: Two common protocols are POP (Post Office Protocol) and IMAP (Internet Message Access Protocol). IMAP keeps your emails synced across multiple devices, while POP downloads emails to a device and typically removes them from the server. If IMAP is misconfigured or your server is blocking IMAP ports, you may lose the multi-device sync.
Email Clients: Applications like Outlook, Gmail (web or app), Apple Mail, Thunderbird—all act as clients connecting to email servers. If your client software is outdated or misconfigured, it may fail even if your server is fine.
Email Servers: When you press “send,” your email goes to an SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol) server. On the receiving end, your client connects to an IMAP or POP server to fetch messages. If either end fails—server down, network issue, or incorrect DNS—the email flow breaks.
DNS (Domain Name System) & MX Records: DNS translates human-readable domains (e.g., yourfirm.com) into machine-readable IP addresses. The MX (Mail Exchange) record tells sending systems which server handles email for that domain. If MX records are incorrect or expired, mail flow can silently break.
Authentication Protocols (SPF, DKIM, DMARC): These ensure the email you send is genuine and not a spoofed phishing attempt. When these records are misconfigured or removed, your domain may get flagged, blocked, or see degraded delivery—effectively “email isn’t working” because your messages fail to arrive.
Why Email Apps Sometimes Don’t Work
Even when all the pieces above exist, email can still fail. Here are the typical causes you should check:
1. Incorrect Login Information:
Often, the culprit is wrong credentials. Passwords are case-sensitive, or you may have switched account types (e.g., from hosted to SaaS). If you can’t log in at all, start with credentials: reset password, check account status, ensure the email account still exists.
2. Email Server Issues:
Servers can go offline because of maintenance, hardware failure, or overload. A recent example: On July 10, 2025, Microsoft Corporation’s Outlook service suffered a global outage—users couldn’t access inboxes or send mail for hours. (AP News) If you suspect server issues, check your provider’s status page or try another device/network to isolate the issue.
3. Internet Connection Problems:
If your internet is unstable, your email client may connect intermittently or not at all. According to a 2024 survey, network failures account for 35% of IT downtime incidents. (DevOps.com) Verify connectivity by loading other websites or testing via mobile hotspots.
4. Software or App Glitches:
Outdated email clients, conflicting add-ins, or OS compatibility issues can prevent correct operation. If you recently updated your software and lost functionality, consider rolling back or reinstalling the client.
5. Security Settings or Firewalls:
Modern email relies on specific ports and encryption. Over-zealous firewalls, router settings, or antivirus software might block SMTP, IMAP, or TLS connections. In large organizations, misconfigured network security was flagged as a rising cause of outage in 2025’s infrastructure report. (resilienceforward.com)
How to Fix Your Email When It Stops Working
Let’s get hands-on. If your email is down, do the following steps in order:
- Check Internet Connectivity:
Open a browser and navigate to a few websites. If your link is broken or extremely slow, fix your network first. - Verify Login Credentials:
Attempt to sign in via webmail (if available). If login fails, reset the password and ensure your account is still active. - Update/Reinstall the Email Client:
If your app is crashing or malfunctioning, check for updates. If none solve it, uninstall and reinstall the client to clear any corrupted configuration. - Check Server Status:
Visit your email provider’s status portal. If outages are reported (like the Microsoft incident), you must wait for resolution. Meanwhile, use alternative communication methods (phone, temporary accounts). - Test Another Email Client or Device:
Create or access your email on a different device or client. If it works elsewhere, the issue is local to your original device. - Scan for Malware/Compromise:
If you suspect a breach (e.g., you received weird mail, login alerts, or your credentials were reused), run a full antivirus/malware scan. Disconnect from the network during this process to avoid spread.
Preventive Steps: Keeping Email Flowing Smoothly
Prevention is always better than a full outage. Here’s how to avoid major disruptions:
- Keep Your Software Updated:
Updates often include compatibility and security fixes. Outdated clients are at higher risk. - Use Strong Unique Passwords + MFA:
Password reuse and missing MFA make account takeover easier—one root cause of email-related incidents. - Monitor Email Server/ DNS Configuration:
Ensure your MX, SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records are current. When these break, email delivery suffers. - Maintain Backup Communication Channels:
According to a 2025 survey, 88% of executives expect major IT incidents within the next year. (PagerDuty) If email goes down, your alternative channel (e.g., secure chat) ensures continuity. - Educate Users on Phishing and Spoofing:
Many email “outages” are caused by internal issues after phishing leads to compromised accounts. Teach users to spot spoofed domains, urgency tactics, and incorrect sender addresses. - Segment Your Network & Restrict Email Client Access:
Make sure that a compromised workstation doesn’t bring down the mail flow for the entire firm.
When to Call for Expert Help
Sometimes the problem signals bigger issues—call in help if these are true:
- Persistent Login Failures:
If you’ve reset passwords dozens of times and still can’t log in, your account or domain may be under compromise or locked/disabled. - Server Issues Prolonged Without Resolution:
If mail servers show repeated errors, timeouts, or constant back-and-forth with support, you may need forensic help or architecture review. - Frequent App Crashes Across Devices:
This may signal more pervasive OS or network issues. - Signs of Account Compromise or Data Breach:
Unfamiliar emails, account activity, login alerts, or messages coming from your domain you didn’t send—call your cybersecurity team.
The Bigger Picture: Email Isn’t Just “Broken”—It’s a Risk
Every minute your email is offline is a window of risk: missed client communication, compliance violations, malicious actors exploiting confusion. The global case of the Microsoft outage showed how even well-resourced platforms aren’t immune.
Put simply: your email system is only as strong as the weakest link in the chain. Protocols, clients, servers, DNS, authentication must all align—and be monitored.
Conclusion
Email failure isn’t just inconvenient—it can harm your business resilience, client trust, and security posture. By understanding how email works, diagnosing common problems quickly, and putting preventive controls in place, you can minimize downtime and risk.
Need help reviewing your email architecture, securing your email clients, or creating incident-response plans for mail outages? As a cybersecurity firm, we’re ready to assist. Let us help you make sure your email stays online, compliant, and secure.
Stay connected. Stay protected. Your email matters.