Microsoft 365 and email help: Outlook, passwords and account access

Email problems feel bigger because everything depends on email

Email is often the centre of work, accounts, passwords, invoices, bookings, and family communication. When Outlook stops working, it can feel bigger than a normal computer problem.

The best first step is to work out whether the issue is Outlook itself, the device, the password, Microsoft 365, or the internet connection. The fix depends on which one it is.

Common Outlook symptoms

1. Outlook opens but won’t send or receive.
2. Outlook keeps asking for a password.
3. Email works on your phone but not your computer.
4. Email works in webmail but not in Outlook.
5. You see a mailbox-full, disconnected, or authentication error.
6. Calendar or contacts are missing or not syncing.

Quick checks before calling

1. Check that your internet is working by opening a normal website.
2. Restart Outlook. If that doesn’t help, restart the computer.
3. Try signing in to Microsoft 365 in a web browser using the correct sign-in page.
4. Check whether the issue affects one device or all your devices.
5. Write down any error message exactly as it appears.
6. Don’t approve any unexpected MFA prompts while testing.

Password reset advice

Password resets need to be handled carefully, especially for business accounts. A single reset can affect Outlook, phones, tablets, shared mailboxes, scanners, apps, and automated systems.

1. Confirm which account actually needs the reset.
2. Confirm who owns or manages the account.
3. Have a backup contact method ready — a mobile number or alternate email.
4. After the reset, update the password only on trusted devices.
5. Sign out of any old devices you no longer use.

For business users, password and access requests should always come from the right authorised person.

When to ask for help quickly

1. You see sign-ins from places you don’t recognise.
2. Your contacts receive strange emails from you.
3. Rules or forwarding appear in your mailbox that you didn’t create.
4. MFA prompts arrive when you aren’t signing in.
5. A staff member is leaving and access needs to be removed safely.

Simple tip

When you report an email issue, tell us whether email works in three places: Outlook on the computer, your phone, and webmail. That one detail usually shows us where to start.

Still not working? Call us on (08) 6555 6500 or book a Microsoft 365 review.