A lot of Mac users faced this issue when sending an email in the Mail app on Mac. This problem will occur if the SMTP server is messed with the wrong accounts to use different servers. It’s really made frustrating. But don’t worry about this. Here I will show you how to fix this issue with simple solutions. Ok, let’s get started.
Table of Contents
Solution 1: Edit SMTP Server list
- Open Mail app.
- Select Preferences.
- In the Accounts tab, choose the account which is Outgoing Mail Server (SMTP) labeled as Offline.
- Click the SMTP server and choose Edit SMTP Server List from the list.
- Enter the right username and password.
Solution 2: Delete and Add SMTP
- Quit Mail app.
- Go to Applications > Utilities > Keychain Access and delete all SMTP passwords from the keychain.
- Enter the name of your SMTP server in keychain search boxes like mail.mailserver.com or smtp.mailserver.com.
- Search and find the entry which starts with SMTP://. Copy and store the password in your hard drive in the different locations (for safety).
- Delete all relevant password entries for SMTP servers.
- Open Mail app and go to Preferences -> Accounts tab.
- Choose your account SMTP server from the Edit SMTP servers list.
- Re-enter the password that you just deleted.
Solution 3: Force Quit your Mac
- Go to Apple menu -> Force Quit.
- Choose Mail app and select Force Quit.
- Restart your computer.
- Open the Mail app and check your issue.
Solution 4: Try DNS Address
Go to Network Preferences -> Advanced section of Ethernet and WiFi interfaces. Add the following DNS addresses.
- 8.8.8.8
- 8.8.4.4
Solution 5: Use Mail Preferences
- Go to Mail Preferences.
- From the left side list, select the account which causes the issue.
- Choose “Edit SMTP Server List” from the outgoing mail server drop-down menu.
- Correct the username by appending domain name 9Ex: @gmail.com or your own domain).
- Re-enter the password.
Solution 6: Quit your Mail App
- Quickly press and release Option + Command + Esc key together.
- From the Force Quit list select the Mail app.
- Now give the Force Quit option.
- After that reopen the Mail app and check if the problem is still occurring.
Conclusion
I hope this helps to fix this issue. If you know of any other solutions for the SMTP server offline Mac mail issue, kindly let me know through the comments section below. Thank you.
I have a serious "Offline" Problem. In spite of trying all the options, the Outgoing Mail Server remains "Offline" only. Initially it does look like it will work, but after a while it turns to "Offline". I have Gmail account and I can only receive e-mail but can not send out. Surprisingly, it does work on my iPhone as well as on iPad, but doesn't work on MacBook Air.
This has happened after my office e-mail was changed to two step security(which is a company e-mail but through gmail only)successfully but my personal gmail id has this problem of going "offline"
Can you help ??
I had been fighting with this for ages and tried all of the solutions listed to no avail. I finally went back into the server list again, opened up my desired offline server and removed my password. I realized that my working servers did not have a password for the smtp server. That did the trick. I tested and tested and I am back in business!
Thank you thank you Melissa! Been dealing with this for weeks on one computer and tried everything. Back on line correctly. So greatful
Solution #2 worked perfectly!
Thank you!
Solution #1 and changed my server name. It's working now. Problem started after the latest update, come to think of it. THANK YOU!
Thank you SO much, solution 1 saved me 🙂
Solution #1 No work.
Melissa idea…can't change password because password doesn't come up. Yes problem started with update
I can't get my yahoo e-mail back it keep saying SPTM is offline.
I fixed he problem by deleting the offline status email from the system and reinstalling it again.
Click Mail, then Open Preferences from drop down menu, choose your account, choose server settings over right side of window should see SMTP server/outgoing mail server with a drop down list, click drop down edit SMTP then type in new password then choose ok.
I found that quitting and then restarting Mail caused it to try again to send the messages that were previously stuck. It then asked me for the password, which I had typo'd sometime previously, and when I had located the correct password, things got sent out ok.
You might have to delete a password in Prefs for that account and it should then ask you for one
Nothing I did fixed the problem. Hope there will be new solutions in the future.
Could it be something to do with syncing through iCloud? If mail prefs are synced then perhaps the port number is being changed. My SMTP server requires I use port 465 on my iMac using Mail but on the iPhone it is 587. I have found some of my email accounts on my iMac set to 587, but not all.
I have this problem of iCloud Outgoing Server (offline) for the last few days that just seem to have occurred suddenly. A few days before then MacOS High Sierra did an update.
Spoken to 4 Apple Advisors (elevated to Senior Advisors) and none of them can figure it out. Tried everything they could think off. It had gotten to the point that now I am told they would have to do an Erase (Wipeout) and then Re-install.
Yes I spent 3 hours with Joseph a senior adviser today and literally we tried everything including sending about 15 screen copy showing iCloud offline etc.
We agreed to accept it is an apple problem and since it works fine on apple iCloud to send and receive using web the issue has to be a block somewhere as my settings are correct. However iPhone, iPad and all the rest depend on a correct outgoing server and not being kicked back by iCloud or going offline.
So until apple accept the problem they are in breach of contract in any legal system in the world. I am patient and actually like apple products for about 15 years. They do need a bit of a push nowadays though and their service is NOT what it used to be sorry to write. The chat takes a long time in that this is my 3 rd attempt and I am still without email sending.
Pity