Updating Outlook account details

When you are setting up Outlook, the username has to be that of your full VM email address (not the third party one) and the password is the app password.

You also need to make sure the settings within Outlook match those below

https://www.virginmedia.com/help/broadband/manage-email-account

in the section 'Connecting your Email to a Client App'

In Outlook double check the setting for SMTP is ticked for 'My outgoing (SMTP) server requires authentication' with the option checked for 'Use same settings as my incoming mail server' as this is one which has caused recent issues for many

You should be able to make the changes through - Account Information/Account Settings/Server Settings

hi Alessandro, thanks. I have checked those parameters and as far as I can tell it is the first bit that I needed to change. When I tried to change the password I get an Outlook message "Something went wrong and Outlook couldn't save your account settings. Please try again."

If I try to download new mail I get the same message - "

Task 'Synchronizing subscribed folders for  [REMOVED]ntlworld.com.' reported error (0x800CCC0E) : 'Outlook cannot synchronize subscribed folders for [REMOVED]ntlworld.com. Error: Cannot connect to the server. If you continue to receive this message, contact your server administrator or Internet service provider (ISP).'

I should add that I have tried to send test emails. Not only have they not sent, but they are in an apparently new set of folders in italics with the root folder saying gmail.

Tony

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From an online search the error code seems to suggest an issue with your server settings or the Outlook program.

Are you on a Windows 10 computer?

It is a Windows 10 64 bit PC and Outlook 2019. Other than normal updates nothing has changed.

The really irritating part is that everything works fine for years then VM change something and then it stops. This happened earlier in the year and after extended discussion with support it magically started working again, without me changing anything. Hence my feeling that it is a VM issue and no amount of changing settings at my end will cure it

Now it seems to be the same thing again.

VM's email service is in a permanent state of crisis for many customers but, in fairness, a search on that error code and message did turn up a lot of references to some random Outlook behaviour from earlier this year.

I use Outlook 2016 on Windows 10 and, when I check/change the server settings, I do that with Outlook closed and I go via the 'Control Panel' route and the Mail option in the old control panel interface.

I find this much more intuitive than the 'wizard' type settings from within Outlook and it also means that Outlook is not running when I make the changes.

If you can, see if you can double check the server settings via that route, when Outlook is closed.

From the old 'Control Panel' and with the View set to large icons you should see an icon for Mail (mine says 'Mail (Microsoft Outlook) (32 Bit)' )

From the window that appears use the 'Email Accounts' button.

This should pop up a window 'Account Settings' and you should see the mailboxes you have configured. Select the mailbox you want and click the 'Change' button. It should bring up a 'Change Account' window

In the part for 'Logon Information' you use your full VM email address (not the third part address) and the password is your app password.

Then use the 'More settings' button to access the server settings. In the 'Outgoing server' tab you need 'My outgoing (SMTP) server requires authentication' with the option checked for 'Use same settings as my incoming mail server'.

On the 'Advanced' tab you use the server settings below

https://www.virginmedia.com/help/broadband/manage-email-account

in the section 'Connecting your Email to a Client App'

and 'Use the following type of encrypted connection' SSL/TLS

Once all set, OK out of that back to the previous screen and try the 'Test account settings' button.

There are general instructions here and a video (but you obviously have to use VM's own server settings as above)

https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/office/change-or-update-email-account-settings-in-outlook-for-windows-560a9065-3c3a-4ec5-a24f-cdb9a8d622a2

If you still have an error, with all of the settings above correct, you may have an issue with the Outlook program (some general reports from earlier in the year from Outlook said they were finding the synchronisation was working intermittently)

Final suggestion would be that VM's email service exists in a state of perma-crisis. It is widely speculated on here that its future is uncertain (though VM has confirmed no plans to close it as yet). The best way to solve all VM email issues is to give up using it and migrate your accounts and services to a third party email provider which is reliable. That also has the advantage of freeing you from a tie to VM should you ever wish to change broadband provider.

Hope you can manage to get it working.

Hi Gareth

No I have not managed to get Outlook working. things have progressed though. I was using Outlook 2019 and I read that that would not work in future. I upgraded tp Outlook 2024, which is the current standalone version, but the problem is the same. I tried renewing my outlook profile, but I still get the same sort of messages - cannot connect to the incoming IMAP server using the current encryption method. I have checked many times that the settings are as VM state.

I do not understand why it is so difficult, but if you have an answer that would be brilliant.

Tony