I encountered an error recently when a user attempted to access Outlook on the Web (Outlook Web App). The user couldn’t access their emails through the web version but could do so through the Outlook desktop client
A 500 error code can have various causes, leading to different error messages. Let’s explore some common error types. It’s important to note that these errors can occur regardless of the internet browser you are using:
- Outlook on the Web Error 500 – Repeating redirects detected.
- Outlook on the Web Error 500 – We Couldn’t find a mailbox for this account.
Table of Contents
Error 1 – Repeating redirects detected
Let’s go through the steps to resolve the ‘Repeating redirects detected‘ error message in Outlook on the web.
The ‘Repeating redirects detected‘ issue typically arises when a user attempts to access Outlook on the Web. It’s not a problem affecting the entire organization but is often isolated to specific users, common for users with admin roles assigned.
A user can have multiple admin roles for example A user can be an Exchange administrator, PowerBI administrator, Security Administrator, Sharepoint administrator, teams administrator, Helpdesk administrator, or User Administrator. Cause of this Error – Too many admin roles assigned to the user.
Solution 1: Remove unnecessary admin roles
- Sign in to the Microsoft 365 admin center using Global admin rights
- Go to Users > Active Users > Select the user who reported this issue
- On the right-hand side pane, Select Manage Roles under Roles.
- Select the admin roles that aren’t necessary and only retain those required by the user. For instance, in the case of the user Jatin Makhija, we’ve selected only the Exchange Administrator role, removing all other admin roles.
- Click on the Save Changes button to complete this change.
Solution 2: Sign out from Everywhere
The next step may not always be necessary, but it’s a best practice, especially when testing to ensure that Outlook access is fully restored. Instead of manually logging out from Outlook on each device, you can opt for the shortcut by clicking on the ‘Sign out everywhere‘ link to expedite the process.
- Login on myaccount.microsoft.com
- Click on Security Info on the left-hand side pane
- Click on OK.
- After signing out, you can wait for a few minutes and then try accessing Outlook again. With any luck, the error should now be resolved.
Error 2 – We Couldn’t find a mailbox for this account
Let’s go through the steps to address the Outlook Error 500 – ‘Something went wrong. We couldn’t find a mailbox for this account.’
| Error 500 – Something went wrong |
|---|
| We Couldn’t find a mailbox for this account. Either they don’t have a mailbox or don’t have a license assigned. To fix it, contact your Email Admins and ask them to assign a valid license to your account using M365 Admin Portal per instructions. |
This error typically occurs when the account you’re trying to log in with doesn’t have a mailbox associated with it. It can also happen if the Exchange Online license has not been assigned or has been removed from the user’s account in the Microsoft 365 admin center
I faced an unusual situation where an Exchange Online License was assigned to the user, but no mailbox was created when checked in the Microsoft Exchange admin center. In such cases, you can try removing the Exchange Online license from the user and then re-adding it to see if a mailbox is generated.
If the issue persists, you can use a PowerShell command like ‘Get-MsolUser -HasErrorsOnly‘ to check for any errors related to the user account.
To ensure the user has a mailbox associated with their account and that an Exchange Online license has been assigned, please follow these steps:
- Login on Microsoft 365 admin center using Global admin rights
- Go to Users > Active Users > Select the user who reported this issue
- Click on the License and Apps tab
- Make sure a License has been assigned to the user and if a License is assigned then make sure Exchange Online Plan 1 or Plan 2 is also checked.
Other Solutions to Fix 500 Error
Most likely, the solutions mentioned in the previous sections of this blog post should help resolve the Outlook Error 500. However, if those solutions do not work, you can also consider the following alternatives
1. Clear browser cache and cookie Info
First, attempt to access Outlook on the web using the browser’s Incognito or In-Private mode. If you can log in successfully, this suggests that the browser cache may be causing the problem.
Clear your browser’s cache and cookies. Regardless of the browser, you’re using, you can access your browser’s settings, search for ‘Cookies,’ and then clear both cookies and browser cache from there.
Clear browser cache and cookie in Google chrome
2. Check Service Health in the Microsoft 365 admin center
Regularly monitor the Service health status in the Microsoft 365 admin center, especially if a significant number of users in your organization are experiencing the same issue. If there are any problems with Exchange Online services, you can often find relevant information in this section.
To check the Service health, please follow these steps:
- Login on Microsoft 365 admin center using admin rights
- Go to Health > Service health
In this section, you can examine the status of Exchange Online services to identify any ongoing incidents or advisories that might indicate the error is related to a service health issue.
Conclusion
In this blog post, we’ve explored various troubleshooting options to resolve the ‘Error 500’ when attempting to access Outlook on the Web. It’s our hope that one of these solutions will effectively address the issue and provide a lasting resolution. Additionally, don’t forget to maintain regular monitoring of Exchange Online service health, which can greatly assist administrators in their tasks
