How to Fix Email Error 550 in Outlook 2013, 2016, 2010 & 2007

This blog explains the email error 550 and how to fix them with the manual approach. If you got the error 550 messages when the outgoing server (SMTP) does not know you as an authorized user, therefore, sending mail rejected or returned. In this blog, we will discuss what is error 550? What are the reasons behind this error and how to fix this error? So let’s get straight into it without wasting any of the time.

What is Error 550?

When you attempt to send emails through Microsoft Outlook or Outlook Express, the mail encounter a send error and the mail will return with a 550 error message stating as

“550 Requested action not taken: mailbox unavailable”
“550 5 2 1 mail from refused spam site”

What this error represents is that your SMTP server was not able to deliver your send email. The SMTP servers are configured for authentication to outgoing emails. So if you want to fix this error have to authenticate your email client.

What are the causes of error 550?

There are 4 main reasons for this error:

• Unconfigured SMTP Server settings
• Incorrectly email address typed.
• ISP restrictions.
• Virus or Malware

How to Fix Email Error 550 in Outlook?

Whatever is the reason for the error 550, I would recommend you to repair and fix it quickly to avoid future hindrance. So here are some of the most efficient ways to fix this problem.

 Also Read: How to Fix Error 0x8004010F in Outlook

Solution 1. Configure your email client.

To resolve this error all you need to do is configure your email client to go through SMTP authentication. It is a very easy process but depends on the tool and the version you are using. Now follow these steps to configure your email client and fix error 550 in no time.

1. For MS Outlook:

Open MS Outlook >> Tools menu >> Email Accounts >> View or change existing email accounts >> Next >> Highlight an email account >> Change >> More Settings >> Outgoing Server tab >> “My outgoing server (SMTP) requires authentication” option.
Make sure to “Use the same setting as my incoming server” is selected.
Lastly Ok >> Next >> Finish.

 Also Read: How to Fix Sending & Receiving Error in Outlook

2. For Outlook Express:

Open MS Outlook Express >> go to Tools menu >> Accounts >> Highlight an email account >> Properties >> Server tab >> Under the Outgoing Mail Server >> now check the “My server requires authentication” checkbox >> Settings button.
Verify that “Use same setting as my incoming mail server” is selected.
End it with OK >> Apply >> OK >> Close.

Solution 2. Fix recipients email address.

Having this error doesn’t mean that you are facing some major problem. Many times the error may occur just because you entered an incorrect email address. In this type of scenario, all you need to do is just check the recipient’s email address and correct it if wrongly inserted and send it right away.

Solution 3. ISP blockage

Another but rare reason for error 550 is ISP blockage. Whenever there is an upsurge in your junk emails folder, the network administrators straightforwardly restricts SMTP server to prevent from spamming on the network. So if this is the reason then contact your ISP administration to fix the problem.

 Also Read: How to fix Outlook Error 0x800ccc0d in Outlook

Solution 4. Remove virus and malware from the system.
Virus and malware can also cause error 550 every now and then. So remove all the virus or malware including all Trojans and spyware. You can use any antivirus to do so and always keep your firewalls On and updated.

But if anyhow your PST file gets corrupted or inaccessible, then you can use MS Outlook PST Repair tool to fix your PST file without wasting any time. This tool has amazing features like it can recover all the data from the corrupted file without losing any data, it can every recover data from encrypted files, no size limitation and many more.

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