Fix Anti-virus Blocking Outlook Emails

In our previous article How To Troubleshoot Outlook Email Client, we took you through all the steps to get your Outlook emails sending and receiving again. These steps ranged from checking your internet connection to checking DNS records.

Sometimes, none of these resolve your email issue because your anti-virus is actually the culprit. This article walks you through the steps to check if your anti-virus is blocking your emails and how to resolve it.

For each anti-virus brands the procedure is the same:

1. temporarily disable your anti-virus,
2. test emails,
3. re-enable anti-virus,
4. whitelist Outlook.

ESET

1. Disable anti-virus

Temporarily disable your anti-virus to begin the troubleshooting process

1. Click the upward facing arrow on the taskbar and right-click on the ESET icon.
   

   

2. Click “Pause Protection” and “Pause Firewall (Allow all traffic)”.
   

   

3. Select “Yes” on the User Access Control (UAC) dialog box.
   

   

2. Test emails

Now, open Outlook.

1. Navigate to File
   

   

2. Navigate to Account Settings
   

   

3. Select the problematic account
4. Click on the “Change” button. This’ll bring up the email account in question’s email settings
   

   

5. Click on the “Test Account Settings” button to see if you’re able to connect to the email server and if the test email is sent.
   

   

6. If the test fails, then your anti-virus is not the problem.

3. Re-enable anti-virus

To re-enable the anti-virus and firewall, follow steps 1. a to c.

4. Whitelist email client

1. Open ESET by clicking on the start menu item and typing ESET.
2. Click on Setup in the left-hand menu.
3. Click on Advanced Setup.
4. Navigate to “Web and Email” displayed in the left-hand menu.
5. Click on the “Email client protection” sub menu client to view the anti-virus settings.
   • Email Clients Slider menu
     1. Disable Integrate into ‘Microsoft Outlook’
     2. Disable Received email, Sent email and Read email
   • Email Protocols
     1. Disable email protection by protocol filtering
     2. Ensure that IMAP ports 993 & 143 are added to the “Ports used by IMAPS protocol”
     3. Ensure that POP3S ports 995 & 110 are added to the “Ports used by POP3S protocol”
6. Click on the “OK” button.
7. Test if you’re able to send and receive emails. If not, kindly refer to our guide: How To Troubleshoot Outlook Email Client to find the cause.

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Bitdefender

1. Disable anti-virus

Temporarily disable your anti-virus to begin the troubleshooting process

1. Click on the upward facing arrow on the taskbar and right-click on the Bitdefender icon.
   

   

2. Click “Show” to open Bitdefender
   

   

3. Navigate to the “Protection” menu on the right-hand side of the screen.
   

   

4. Click on the “Firewall” toggle switch to disable the firewall.
5. Click on the “Antispam” toggle switch.
   

   

2. Test emails

Now, open Outlook.

1. Navigate to File
   

   

2. Navigate to Account Settings
   

   

3. Select the problematic account
4. Click on the “Change” button. This’ll bring up the email account in question’s email settings
   

   

5. Click on the “Test Account Settings” button to see if you’re able to connect to the email server and if the test email is sent.
   

   

6. If the test fails, then your anti-virus is not the problem.

3. Re-enable anti-virus

To re-enable the anti-virus and firewall, follow steps 1. a to c.

4. Whitelist email client

1. Open BitDefender by clicking on the start menu or Windows icon and typing Bitdefender.
2. Navigate to the “Protection” menu on the right-hand side of the screen.
3. Click on the “Settings” button.
4. Under the “Rules” tab, scroll down the list until you find Outlook.
   • If you’re unable to make any changes in this list, kindly ensure that the firewall toggle switch is active and is on.
5. Scroll down until you see “outlook.exe” and ensure that the:
   • Protocol is on “Any”
   • Traffic is on “Both”
   • Ports is on “Any”
   • IP is on “Any”
   • The “Access” toggle switch is activated.
     1. If your settings are not as mentioned, then click on the “…” to bring up a menu and click on “Edit rule”.
        

        

     2. Edit the rule accordingly and click on the “Save” button.
        

        

6. Test If you’re able to send and receive emails. If not, kindly refer to our guide: How To Troubleshoot Outlook Email Client to find the cause.

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AVG

1. Disable anti-virus

Temporarily disable your anti-virus to begin the troubleshooting process

1. Click on the upward facing arrow on the taskbar and right-click on the AVG icon.
2. Click on the “Protection is On” toggle button.
   

   

3. Click on the “OK, STOP” button on the pop-up
   

   

2. Test emails

Now, open Outlook.

1. Navigate to File
   

   

2. Navigate to Account Settings
   

   

3. Select the problematic account
4. Click on the “Change” button. This’ll bring up the email account in question’s email settings
   

   

5. Click on the “Test Account Settings” button to see if you’re able to connect to the email server and if the test email is sent.
   

   

If the test fails, then your anti-virus is not the problem.

3. Re-enable anti-virus

To re-enable the anti-virus and firewall, follow steps 1. a to c.

4. Whitelist email client

1. Open AVG by clicking on the start menu or Windows icon and typing AVG.
   

   

2. Click on the “Web & Email” icon/button.
   

   

3. Click on the “Email Shield” toggle button.
4. Select the duration to disable.
   

   

5. Click the “OK, Stop” button on the pop-up.
   

   

6. Click on the “Enhanced Firewall” button.
7. Navigate to “Microsoft Outlook” and click on the 3 vertical dots on bring the side menu and click on “Show app rules”.
   

   

8. Add new rules by clicking on the “ADD NEW RULE” button and select TCP/UDP protocol.
9. Create rules for the following ports based on the “Default Rule” or “Internet Out” rule:
   • SSL Ports
     • IMAP Port: 993
     • POP3 Port: 995
     • SMTP Port: 465
     Non-SSL Ports
     • IMAP Port: 143
     • POP3 Port: 110
     • SMTP Port: 465

   

10. Test if you’re able to send and receive emails. If not, kindly refer to our guide: How To Troubleshoot Outlook Email Client to find the cause.

Avira

1. Disable anti-virus

Temporarily disable your anti-virus to begin the troubleshooting process

1. Click on the upward facing arrow on the taskbar and right-click on the Avira icon.
   

   

2. Click on “Turn off real-time protection” and select a duration.
   

   

3. Select “Yes” on the User Access Control (UAC) dialog box.
   

   

2. Test emails

Now, open Outlook.

1. Navigate to File
   

   

2. Navigate to Account Settings
   

   

3. Select the problematic account
4. Click on the “Change” button. This’ll bring up the email account in question’s email settings
   

   

5. Click on the “Test Account Settings” button to see if you’re able to connect to the email server and if the test email is sent.
   

   

If the test fails, then your anti-virus is not the problem.

3. Re-enable anti-virus

To re-enable the anti-virus and firewall, follow steps 1. a to c.

4. Whitelist email client

Avira makes use of the default Windows Firewall, you can follow the steps below to whitelist outlook.

1. Open Avira by clicking on the start menu or Windows icon and typing Avira.
   

   

2. Click on the “Security” tab on the left of the GUI.
3. Click on the “Firewall” card.
   

   

4. Click on the “Advanced Settings” hyperlink.
   

   

5. Click on “Yes” for the UAC.
   

   

6. Click on “Inbound Rules”, then on “New Rule…”. You’ll find it on the right-hand side under the actions side menu.
   

   

7. Select program and click on the “Next” button.
   

   

8. Click on the “browse…” button and navigate to the Outlook application
   Outlook is generally installed in the following paths C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\root\Office16\outlook.exe or C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\root\Office16\outlook.exe
   

   

9. Click on Next.
10. Select “Allow the connection”.
    

    

11. Leave the profile on default selection and press the “Next” button.
    

    

12. Name the rule e.g., MS Outlook.
    

    

13. Navigate to “Outbound Rules” in the right-hand side and then on click on “New Rule…” on the right-hand side under the actions side menu.
14. Select the “Port” radio button and click on the “Next” button.
    

    

15. Enter the ports below followed by a comma (,) after every port and click on next:
    • SSL Ports
      • IMAP Port: 993
      • POP3 Port: 995
      • SMTP Port: 465
      Non-SSL Ports
      • IMAP Port: 143
      • POP3 Port: 110
      • SMTP Port: 465

    

16. Select “Allow the connection” and press “Next”.
    

    

17. Leave the profile on the default selection then press the “Next” button.
    

    

18. Name the rule e.g., MS Outlook.
    

    

19. Test if you’re able to send and receive emails. If not, kindly refer to our guide: How To Troubleshoot Outlook Email Client to find the cause.

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Avast

1. Disable anti-virus

Temporarily disable your anti-virus to begin the troubleshooting process

1. Click on the upward facing arrow on the taskbar and right-click on the Avast icon.
   

   

2. Click on “Avast shields control” and select a duration.
   

   

3. Select “Ok, Stop” on the User Access Control (UAC) dialog box.
   

   

2. Test emails

Now, open Outlook.

1. Navigate to File
   

   

2. Navigate to Account Settings
   

   

3. Select the problematic account
4. Click on the “Change” button. This’ll bring up the email account in question’s email settings
   

   

5. Click on the “Test Account Settings” button to see if you’re able to connect to the email server and if the test email is sent.
   

   

6. If the test fails, then your anti-virus is not the problem. Kindly refer to our guide: How To Troubleshoot Outlook Email Client to find the cause.

3. Re-enable anti-virus

To re-enable the anti-virus and firewall, follow steps 1. a to c.

4. Whitelist email client

1. Open Avast by clicking on the start menu or Windows icon and typing Avast.
   

   

2. Click on the “Protection” tab present in the left-hand menu.
3. Click on the “Firewall” button.
   

   

4. Click on the “Apps” tab.
5. Navigate to “Microsoft Outlook” and click on the 3 vertical dots then on “Show App Rules”.
   

   

6. Click on the “Add New Rule” Button.
   

   

7. Select TCP/UDP protocol.
8. Create rules for the following ports based on the “Default Rule” or “Internet Out” rule:
   • SSL Ports
     • IMAP Port: 993
     • POP3 Port: 995
     • SMTP Port: 465
     Non-SSL Ports
     • IMAP Port: 143
     • POP3 Port: 110
     • SMTP Port: 465

   

9. Test to see if you’re able to send and receive emails.
10. If your emails are still not working, navigate back to the “Protection” tab present in the left-hand menu.
11. Click on the “Core Shields” button.
    

    

12. Disable the “Mail Shield” using the toggle button.
    

    

13. Select the disable duration.
    

    

14. Test if you’re able to send and receive emails. If not, kindly refer to our guide: How To Troubleshoot Outlook Email Client to find the cause.