Fix Outlook 500 Error in Office 365

Fix Outlook 500 Error in Office 365

Table of Contents:

1. Introduction
2. Outlook 500 Error: Causes and Solutions 2.1. Error Occurrence on New Mailboxes 2.1.1. Delay in Mailbox Provisioning 2.1.2. Forcing the Opening of the Mailbox 2.2. Troubleshooting for Admin Accounts 2.2.1. Checking Mailbox Provisioning Status 2.2.2. Granting Permissions to Another User 2.3. Troubleshooting for User Accounts 2.3.1. Creating a New Profile in Outlook Application 2.3.2. Adding the User Account to the Existing Profile 2.4. Checking Assigned Rules 2.5. Temporary Solution for Admin Accounts 2.6. Contacting Support

Outlook 500 Error: Causes and Solutions

Outlook 500 error is a common issue that users encounter when trying to access their mailbox. This error is particularly prevalent in new mailboxes. In this article, we will explore the causes of the Outlook 500 error and provide step-by-step solutions to resolve it.

Error Occurrence on New Mailboxes

Delay in Mailbox Provisioning

When creating a new user account with a license assigned to it, the mailbox is typically provisioned within minutes. However, there are instances where this process may take longer. If You encounter an Outlook 500 error on a new account, it is crucial to wait for at least 10 to 15 minutes before exploring other troubleshooting steps.

As an administrator, you can monitor the user's mailbox creation progress in the Office 365 admin center. Open the admin center and navigate to the user's account. Check the mailbox tab to see if the mailbox has been provisioned. If it is still being prepared, give it some more time to complete the provisioning process.

Forcing the Opening of the Mailbox

If the mailbox is still not accessible after the provisioning period, you can attempt to force open it using another user's mailbox. In the admin center, grant mailbox permissions to a user who has an already provisioned mailbox. Then, open Outlook using that user's account and try to access the new mailbox. If it opens successfully, the issue may be related to the provisioning process, which should eventually be completed in a few minutes.

Troubleshooting for Admin Accounts

Admin accounts may require slightly different troubleshooting steps compared to regular user accounts. Here's what you can do to resolve the Outlook 500 error on admin accounts.

Checking Mailbox Provisioning Status

In the Microsoft 365 admin center, navigate to "Users" and select the affected admin account. Check the status of the mailbox on the "Mail" tab. If the mailbox information is displayed, it means the mailbox exists, but it may still be loading due to provisioning delays. In such cases, wait for 10 to 15 minutes to see if the issue gets resolved.

Granting Permissions to Another User

If the mailbox is still inaccessible, you can grant permissions to another user to open the affected mailbox. Open the mailbox using the admin account that has the necessary permissions. If the mailbox opens successfully, wait for some more time, and the issue should be resolved. However, if the problem persists, proceed to the next troubleshooting steps.

Troubleshooting for User Accounts

For user accounts facing the Outlook 500 error, follow these steps to troubleshoot and resolve the issue.

Creating a New Profile in Outlook Application

If you have Outlook installed on your computer, consider creating a new profile specifically for the user account experiencing the error. Open Outlook and go to the "File" menu. Click on "Add Account" and follow the steps to add the user account with the respective password. Once added, check if you can configure the mailbox successfully. If the new profile works, wait for 10 to 15 minutes and check the Outlook on the web as well.

Adding the User Account to the Existing Profile

Alternatively, you can add the user account to the same profile in Outlook. Open Outlook and go to the "File" menu. Click on "Add Account" and enter the email address of the user account. This will allow you to determine if the Outlook application is able to successfully open the mailbox. If successful, wait for the provisioning process to complete, and the user should gain access to the mailbox.

Checking Assigned Rules

To ensure a smooth functioning mailbox, it is essential to check the rules assigned to the user account. For admin accounts, navigate to the admin center and access the "Admin Center Access" section. Make sure only one rule is assigned, preferably the global administrator role. This will grant the user access to all tenant resources.

For user accounts, no rules are typically assigned. However, if you are encountering the Outlook 500 error on an admin account, check the rules assigned to it. If multiple rules or categories are assigned, it may lead to issues. Remove any unnecessary rules and retain only the global administrator role.

Temporary Solution for Admin Accounts

If you are an admin facing the Outlook 500 error, a temporary solution is available. In the admin center, navigate to "Manage Role" and select "Admin Center Access." Choose the "Global Admin" role, save the changes, and wait for five minutes. Sign out of the affected user's account in the browser and sign back in to check if the Outlook on the web error persists. This temporary solution often resolves the issue by allowing the user to access the mailbox.

Contacting Support

If all the troubleshooting steps fail to resolve the Outlook 500 error, it is advisable to contact the support team. As a support ambassador, we have various syncs and processes in place to address such issues promptly. Inform the support team about the error you're experiencing, and they will initiate the necessary synchronization processes to fix the problem.