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Why Is Hotmail Not Working on Apple Mail App? Let’s Fix It

  author
Jamie Kaler   Contribution
Rollins Duke
Rollins Duke  Approved By
Published On September 10th, 2024 • 6 min read

As usual, if you have opened the Mac Mail to check your Hotmail emails, but you can’t send emails. Yes, this is one of the common issues faced by users who have added Hotmail Mail to Apple Mail. If you are someone who has regularly used the Hotmail account on a Mac email client but now the emails are not syncing. Therefore, here we are to find out how to resolve the issue of Hotmail not Working on Apple Mail.

In the guide, we will dive into the most common reasons why Hotmail Mail is not suddenly working on Mac Mail.

Reason for Which the Issue Hotmail Not Working on Mac Occurs

Below are some of the possible reasons why an issue like this occurs. Here have have given the common reasons, in the coming section you will find their reasons and the troubleshooting steps.

  • Incorrect Account settings: The Hotmail is connected to the Mac Mail application for easy access to emails within Mac or a single email client. The common reason for Hotmail not functioning properly could be the incorrect account settings. This includes the wrong email address, incorrect IMAP and SMTP server address or port, incorrect password, etc.
  • Internet connection issues: A weak internet connection prevents the emails from syncing with the Apple Mail app. Troubleshoot this by ensuring a strong or reliable internet connection. Try connecting with a different network or restarting the router.
  • Server Outage: If there is a common issue with the any of the email cleint server, it could prevent you from accessing your Hotmail account. Check if the Hotmail server outage is the issue by accessing the account from a different network or location. If there is some issues with accessing the account, then it is likely to have a server outage.

How Can We Resolve the Issue?

Here we will discuss how we can work on the connectivity issue between Hotmail and Mac Mail. Follow the below steps to fix the issue with Hotmail not syncing with Apple Mail.

1) Incorrect Setting

The common reason why Hotmail not working on Mac Mail could be the incorrect settings. The recurring cause of incompatibility with Hotmail and Mac Mail is due to the incorrect configuration parameter. Ensure to have a correct setting to get a better connection between the email clients.

Here’s a quick checklist to ensure your settings are spot on:

  • Authentication: Verify the credentials you have provided are correct during the configuration.
  • IMAP & SMTP Server Addresses: Double-check all the provided server addresses for Incoming and outgoing mail. The standard IMAP & SMTP server addresses are https://imap-mail.outlook.com/ and https://smtp-mail.outlook.com/ respectively.
  • Port Number: Ensure that you are using the correct port numbers. The standard ports for IMAP and SMTP are 993 and 587.

2) Server Issues

Sometimes the problem lies within the Hotmail server. If the problem is on the server side then we can’t do anything about it. Go to the Hotmail server, to look for any reported outages or maintenance on the Hotmail Website or social media channels. If you suspect any service issue, contact customer support. They will provide more information and assistance.

3) Outdated Software to Fix Hotmail Not Working on Apple Mail App

The outdated software can cause compatibility problems. One of the primary reasons Hotmail not functioning on Mac Mail is due to outdated software. If either Hotmail or Mac Mail is running an older version, it could lead to compatibility issues and prevent the service. Ensure both applications are updated to the latest version to resolve the issue of Hotmail not working on Apple Mail.

4) Remove & Re-Add Account

You can try to remove and add Hotmail to Mac Mail to resolve the Hotmail not working on Mac Mail.

Remove the Account

  • Go to Mac Mail and go to “Preferences“.
  • Click on the “Accounts” tab.
  • Select the Hotmail account and press the minus button to remove

Re-add the Account

  • Click on the plus button to add a new account.
  • Choose “Add another account
  • Select “Hotmail” from the list.
  • Enter the details in the required field.
  • Click on the “Sign In

5) Clear all the Cache

Ensure to close the Mail app completely. If it’s still running force quit using “Command + Option + Ese”.

  • Open Finder.
  • Go to Go>Go to Finder.
  • Now navigate to ~/Library/Mail and press Enter.
  • In the Mail folder, find the files like com.apple.mail.plist.
  • Right-click and choose “Move to bin
  • Now Relaunch the Apple Mail and see if the Hotmail issue is resolved.

6) Firewall or Antivirus Interference

As we discussed before, the syncing issue could be caused by a Firewall or Antivirus app. Temporarily disable the firewall to see if the hotmail is working. Check the antivirus settings to ensure it’s not blocking Hotmail

7) Apple Mail App Issues

Sometimes the issues lie within the Appe Mail itself. Try the below steps once.

  • Update the Mac Mail: Check if the application is outdated, if yes ensure to use the latest version of Mac Mail.
  • Restart Mac: One simple method is to restart the Mac Mail. It resolves any temporary software issues.

Preventive Measure to Avoid Issues like Hotmail Not Working on Apple Mail

Rather than a preventive method, you can use this to get a hold of important emails from Hotmail. Use the Hotmail Backup Tool to extract all the email data from the account to a local device or to migrate to another email client. It has the option to save the emails from Hotmail to multiple file formats as per the user’s preferences.

fix hotmail not working on apple mail

Frequently Asked Questions

Q) Why is my Hotmail email not syncing on the Mac Mail?

A) The reason could be several reasons, including the account settings, network connectivity issues, etc. You can try different methods such as Account settings, checking internet connection, software outdated issues, etc. Check the outlined solution above to know more.0

Q) Can I remove and add the Hotmail again?

A) Yes. There is an option to remove i.e., a minus button to remove the account from Mac Mail and then the user can again add as per the requirement.

Conclusion

There are several reasons why Hotmail might not be working on the Mac Mail application. We have discussed all the possible reasons here and their respective troubleshooting steps. The guide has complete steps for corrective measures. Follow the steps systematically, you should be able to solve the issue of Hotmail not working on Apple Mail app.