Error Code 80072EFD - Cannot sync Outlook mail on WP8.1 devices. Anyone else too?

[mc_razza]

In the last 24 hours my Lumia 640, 735 and my dad's 635 (all running Windows Phone 8.1) have been unable to sync Outlook email. Each attempt gets the error code 80072EFD. I've tried switching off wifi (data is always off), rebooting, and performed soft resets on all devices but only got limited success. All devices managed to sync sporadically a couple of times in the last few hours but keeps failing again afterwards.

If the issue was just confined to my two Lumias then I would just wait it out and see what happens, however my dad's 635 is having the same problem too, which suggests it may be a wider issue.

I'm just wondering if anyone else has encountered this issue in the last day?

Also, can anyone offer other potential solutions?

Cheers in advance.

 

[Kevin Rush]

Just checked and my Outlook email works.

 

[mc_razza]

Update:

Success and failure. Earlier in the day I performed a hard reset on the Lumia 735 and then restored it from a backup made a couple weeks ago. Still had the same problem.

I then found a fix online whereby I go into Outlook on the web > Settings > Options > General > Mobile devices > delete the mobile devices to sever the device partnership. Then I turn off both phones, wait a few seconds, restart the phones, and then sync the mailbox again. It worked for a few hours until later tonight when it failed to sync again (at least sync sporadically at random intervals). So yeah, I'm neither hither or thither.

Is Microsoft having server difficulties with eas.outlook.com or is it just me and my dad's 635?

Can anyone confirm their settings or something?

 

[anon(7929613)]

Works on my device. Change the sync settings to 15 minutes which is the minimum I guess. Then leave it. It will update.

 

[mc_razza]

Works on my device. Change the sync settings to 15 minutes which is the minimum I guess. Then leave it. It will update.

Tried it but no dice. It synced once in 3 hours but won't sync on demand.

 

[mc_razza]

Update:

No progress. Still have the same problems. I had three goes at Microsoft's online chat assistance and although they were helpful they could not get to the heart of the issue. Anyway the error code 80072EFD is a server issue. Whether it's server issues on their end or what, I don't know.

Anyway I will continue to update the thread in case anyone in the future has a similar issue.

 

[anon(7929613)]

Why don't you hard reset your device?

 

[mc_razza]

Why don't you hard reset your device?

Update:

Success and failure. Earlier in the day I performed a hard reset on the Lumia 735 and then restored it from a backup made a couple weeks ago. Still had the same problem.

 

[shmsnh]

That error code is quite common. It's a temporary server-side issue. Just try again later.

 

[mc_razza]

That error code is quite common. It's a temporary server-side issue. Just try again later.

Perhaps, but for 10 days running?

Update 3:
I contacted @MicrosoftHelps on Twitter last Sunday and, after some backwards and forwards over the next few days, my inquiry was escalated to Tier 3 support and arranged the time for a callback. Around lunch time today I got the call. I talked to a helpful bloke named Aman of Microsoft Global Escalation Services in the US who, thankfully, was fully abreast of my issue. After narrowing down what had and hadn't been done, he suggested I perform a hard reset and use a test email account to see if this issue was limited to my email account, the device, or perhaps the nearest server to me here in Australia. No surprises - the test email account failed to sync.

Unfortunately nothing more can be done. He's amassed all information about my issue and has passed it on to the relevant people in Microsoft Australia. He hypothesises that it might be a local server issue limited to Windows Phone 8.1 devices because they've checked other Lumia devices in the US and India and tried to replicate the problem, but everything's okay their end. W10M devices like my mum's 640 XL remain unaffected. Anyway they'll keep me informed, however I'll have to wait until Monday at the earliest for an update.