UNABLE TO SEND AND RECEIVE EMAILS

Hello NOTA, 

The sequence of actions you described—successfully logging in from a new browser after previous failed attempts, followed immediately by trying to add new security details—can sometimes alert the system. It is very likely that this triggered an automated Microsoft security block to protect your account, which is why your email sending and receiving capabilities have been temporarily suspended. 

To lift this restriction, please follow these steps: 

Step 1: Use the Sign-in Helper: This automated diagnostic tool can often detect and help lift temporary blocks placed on your account. 

Step 2: Review your Recent Activity. Please navigate to your security settings at https://account.microsoft.com/security. Once you are logged in, select "Review recent activity." Look for the recent login or security update attempt that corresponds to when this issue started. If you see a flagged or blocked activity, click on "This was me." This tells the system that the action was legitimate and authorized by you. 

Verifying your activity should lift the security restriction and restore your inbox functionality so your emails can start flowing again. Please let me know if these steps help, or if you are still experiencing issues afterward! 

Based on the symptoms, there are two main areas to check: account access/security and Outlook.com service status for the mailbox.

1. Confirm the Microsoft account is fully accessible

• If the password sometimes works and sometimes does not, or if sign-in is inconsistent across devices, first ensure the account itself is not blocked or in a partial security state.
• If sign-in ever fails again, use the Microsoft account sign-in helper to resolve sign-in issues: Microsoft account sign-in helper.
• If the username or password stops working entirely, follow the recovery steps in My username and password have stopped working and use Recover your account: Recover your account.

2. Check if the Outlook.com mailbox is blocked or restricted If sign-in works but sending/receiving email does not, the Outlook.com mailbox may be restricted:

• Verify that Microsoft cloud storage and mailbox are not full. If storage is full, sending and receiving email is blocked and messages sent to the account are bounced and unrecoverable. Check mailbox storage using the storage link mentioned in the Outlook.com article.
• If storage is not full and email still cannot be sent or received, check whether the account has been temporarily blocked due to unusual sign-in activity. Use the guidance in Can't send or receive email in Outlook.com to:
  • Update the account password if it was changed recently.
  • Follow the steps to unblock your Outlook.com account if it has been blocked for suspicious activity.

3. Address possible validation/security-info issues Adding or changing security info (like a recovery email) can sometimes put the account into a state where Microsoft requires security verification before normal mail flow resumes:

• Make sure security info (phone/email) is current and accessible. If the system prompts to verify security info, follow the prompts and complete verification.
• If the message “make sure you can receive a security code” appears, security info must be verified or updated; this can be skipped only for a limited time before sign-in or account use is restricted.
• If the recovery email or phone shown is not recognized, or access to it is lost, use the guidance in Common problems with two-step verification for a work or school account to either recover the account or update backup security info.

4. If email still cannot be sent or received

• For Outlook.com specifically, if sending fails due to account validation issues, follow Microsoft account security info & verification codes as referenced in the Outlook.com workaround article.
• If sending/receiving is still blocked after confirming storage, unblocking the account, and completing security verification, follow the steps in Fix Outlook.com email sync issues from the same Outlook.com article.

If at any point sign-in fails again or the account appears blocked, repeat account recovery using the official recovery form and sign-in helper, and wait out any temporary lockout windows before retrying.

References:

• Can't send or receive email in Outlook.com
• My username and password have stopped working
• Common problems with two-step verification for a work or school account
• Fixes or workarounds for recent issues on Outlook.com