How to Fix Outlook Error 0x800CCC92 (Email Server Rejected Login)

By ErrorFix · Updated October 17, 2026 · 7 min read

What error 0x800CCC92 means

Outlook error 0x800CCC92 pops up during a send/receive cycle with a message along the lines of your email server rejected your login. It tells you to verify your username and password in your account settings. In plain terms, Outlook knocked on your mail server's door and the server did not like the credentials it was given — so it refused to hand over any mail.

This is one of the more frustrating Outlook errors because it almost never means your account is deleted or broken. In the vast majority of cases, the cause is something small: a recently changed password that Outlook does not know about yet, a stored credential with a typo, Secure Password Authentication switched on when the server does not support it, or a server setting such as the port number or encryption type that no longer matches. The fixes below go from the quickest checks to the deeper repairs, and one of them will get your email flowing again.

Common causes

• Changed or mistyped password: the number-one cause. You updated your email password (or made a typo) and Outlook is still offering the old one at every send/receive.
• Username not in full-email format: many servers reject a login unless the username box contains your complete email address, not just the part before the at-sign.
• Secure Password Authentication enabled: Outlook's SPA option is switched on while your mail server does not support it, so the handshake is rejected immediately.
• Two-step verification without an app password: Gmail, Yahoo, and Outlook.com accounts with two-step verification need a provider-generated app password inside Outlook — the regular account password fails on purpose.
• Wrong server, port, or encryption settings: an outdated port number or an encryption mismatch (SSL versus STARTTLS) makes the server refuse the whole connection, which Outlook reports as a login rejection.

How to fix error 0x800CCC92 — step by step

Work through these fixes in order. Most people clear this error by step 2 or 3.

1. Verify your password in webmail first Before touching Outlook, log in to your email account in a web browser using the same address and password. If webmail accepts the password, the password itself is fine and the problem sits inside Outlook's stored credentials or settings. If webmail rejects it too, reset your email password with your provider, then update Outlook with the new password. This one test tells you which side of the problem you are on.
2. Re-enter your password and fix the username format Open Outlook and go to File, then Account Settings, then Account Settings again. Double-click the affected account, and in the User Name box make sure it contains your FULL email address, not just the part before the at-sign — most servers reject a bare username. Re-type your password carefully in the password box, tick Remember password so Outlook stops prompting you, and click Next so Outlook runs its automatic connection test.
3. Turn off Secure Password Authentication With the account open, click More Settings and then the Security tab. If the option labeled Log on using Secure Password Authentication (SPA) is checked, uncheck it — almost no modern mail server uses SPA, and Outlook will get an instant rejection when it is on. While you are there, on the Outgoing Server tab make sure My outgoing server (SMTP) requires authentication is checked with Use same settings as my incoming mail server selected. Click OK, then Next to test.
4. Check your server settings, ports, and encryption Still in the account settings, open More Settings and the Advanced tab. Compare your numbers against your email provider's official settings — the classic mistake is a wrong port or encryption mismatch. Typical values: IMAP incoming 993 with SSL, or POP3 incoming 995 with SSL, and SMTP outgoing 587 with STARTTLS (or 465 with SSL). Many providers also publish an app password requirement for Outlook — for example Gmail and Yahoo users with two-step verification must generate a 16-character app password and use it in Outlook instead of the normal account password.
5. Rule out antivirus or firewall interference Security software that scans email traffic can corrupt or block Outlook's login handshake, producing a rejection the server never actually sent. Temporarily disable the email scanning feature of your antivirus, then click Send/Receive and choose Update Folder to test. If Outlook suddenly connects, re-enable protection and add outlook.exe to the antivirus's list of excluded applications instead of leaving email scanning off. Also check Windows Defender Firewall: allow Outlook through both private and public networks under Control Panel, System and Security, Windows Defender Firewall, Allow an app.
6. Repair or recreate your Outlook profile If the credentials and settings are right but the error persists, the local profile itself is corrupted. Go to Control Panel, switch the view to small icons, open Mail (Microsoft Outlook), and click Show Profiles. Add a new profile, enter your email address, and let Outlook auto-configure it. Set the new profile as the default under Always use this profile, restart Outlook, and confirm send/receive works. If it does, you can delete the old profile. As a final fallback, repair Office from Settings, Apps, Installed apps: select Microsoft 365 or Office, click the three dots, choose Modify, and run the Online Repair.

Did this fix it? Quick checklist

• Test emails send and receive with no 0x800CCC92 pop-up
• Outlook completes a full send/receive cycle (Send/Receive, then Update Folder)
• Webmail login works with the same password, proving the password itself is correct
• Outlook still connects normally after a full restart of your PC

If the error persists after all six steps, contact your email provider's support and ask them to check your account's connection logs — they can see exactly which credential or setting the server is rejecting, including whether logins from Outlook are being blocked by a security policy on their side. This is especially common with work or school email: some organizations require the account to be approved for the classic Outlook desktop client, and only the mail administrator can flip that switch.