Can not connect to Incoming imap server to receive emails in Outlook

I am pretty computer saavy and knew that I needed to update my password in Outlook. I have done so...many times. I even reset my password AGAIN and entered the new password into Outlook. Outlook will SEND emails ( when you update Outlook you can 'test settings' and I have been able to access my emails online through Comcast.net Web Mail and the test message gets through....so I KNOW my Outlook settings are correct. Yet again this morning....Outlook will not connect to the Incoming server to get my emails into Outlook. It just keeps popping up the connect box and refuses to connect. I have double checked all settings for the incoming email server (imap.comcast.net), the port numbers etc and everything is correct. TWO different agents have told me that Xfinity is having some sort of issue but it is still not resolved as I still couldn't get my emails in Outlook this morning. I keep being told that it will be resolved in X number of hours but this has been going on now for 3 full days. Please advise.

Please try removing the account fully and adding back to outlook and seeing if this helps. We generally do not troubleshoot third party issues, we ask our customers to contact that owner of that (Microsoft) for further guidance. 

@XfinityWilliam​ This is NOT an Outlook issue....this is an Xfinity issue. Something is wrong with your incoming email server as I am not getting any email through WebMail now. I can get in...but no emails for 2 full days? Not likely. Additionally....Outlook STILL will not connect. I had specifically asked an agent when chatting as to whether Xfinity had had some sort of breach and I was told no. Now...I see that Xfinity has had a breach and all of this mess has come about since I was basically FORCED to change my password as a result of that breach. More is going on here than meets the eye or that we are being told. I would appreciate a little honesty and clarity. I have used this email address for nearly 30 years and do not want to have to change it.

Hello @jannod53, thank you for taking the time to reach out on social media.  I understand your concern with the email, and I'd like the opportunity to check into that for you.

To access your account, will you please send us a direct message with your full name and complete service address to “Xfinity Support”. To do so, click on the chat icon located at the top right of this forums page.

Here's the detailed steps to direct message us:

• Click "Sign In" if necessary
• Click the "Direct Message” icon (upper right corner of this page)
• Click the "New message" (pencil and paper) icon
• Type "Xfinity Support" in the to line and select "Xfinity Support" from the drop-down list
• Type your message in the text area near the bottom of the window
• Press Enter to send your message

I have a similar problem.   Yesterday I updated my passwords as required.   My comcast.net email accounts seemed to be working fine on both my Windows machine using Outlook, and also on my Iphone and Ipad using the IOS mail tool.   Today Outlook no longer can receive emails and wants me to reenter my user name and password.   I have verified that both are correct as are my other email settings.  My Apple devices and also my email via webmail work fine.

Nothing changed at my end.  There is a repeating pattern that Xfinity [Edited: " Language"] up mail access using Outlook. 

@jannod53 We would be happy to look into this and try to help with your email troubles. Could you please send our team a direct message. Our team can most definitely take a further look at this issue.To send a "Direct Message" ("Private") message:
Click "Sign In" if necessary
• Click the "Direct Message chat" icon
• Click the "New message" (pencil and paper) icon
• Type "Xfinity Support" in the "To:" line and select "Xfinity Support" from the drop-down list which appears. The "Xfinity Support" graphic replaces the "To:" line
• Type your message in the text area near the bottom of the window

@XfinityDanielB​ I have sent a Direct Message.

@user_avkkdu​ 

In the future we ask that you post your problem in the correct forum and then wait until an Official Employee requests that you send a direct message.  Doing so without that request is in violation of our Guidelines and the Acceptable Use Policy.

Apparently I was logged in with my second comcast email address so the user name was different. But @user_avkkdu is the same person as jannod53. The responses I have received under Direct Messaging have been of ZERO assistance anyway. Nobody seems to actually READ the messages carefully enough to understand what the issue actual is but rather gives canned responses (check your settings etc etc) as if they are communicating with people who know absolutely NOTHING about computers etc. Currently, Outlook IS downloading my emails. I changed NOTHING so obviously it was some sort of issue that XFINITY had although they were not owning up to it and were not providing any solutions. I will keep an eye on it and see if it stays resolved. 

@XfinityDanielB​  Once again Outlook refuses to connect to the Xfinity incoming mail server. It worked for 2 days and now continues to ask me for my password and will not accept it or connect. I can send emails ok...I just can not receive them in Outlook.  I can connect to Web Mail but as I have previously said....I have 2 Comcast.net email addresses and I have always had my [Edited: "Personal Information"] set up in Outlook so that I do not have to sign out and sign back in in order to check email. I have responded via Direct Message and I am repeatedly asked for the physical address for my services. As I have replied several times, I no longer have a paid Xfinity account because Xfinity services are simply not available where I currently live. I was an Xfinity paid customer for a very long time in Maryland but moved to Washington State 7 years ago and Xfinity just isn't available. However, I have maintained two Comcast.net emails consistently for those 7 years, one of which I have accessed via Outlook and since the changing of my password (as instructed by Xfinity due to the breach) Outlook does not consistently connect to the incoming mail server. The password in Outlook is correct. The settings are correct. It connected for a couple of days but is now once again refusing to connect to the incoming server. Having a super hard time getting any assistance and I know that others are having the same problem.

@rwwaters​ I was told the same thing the first time I called. That was even before they announced that they had had a 'breach'. I even ASKED directly if changing our passwords was because there had been a breach. I was told no. But honestly, I don't think Xfinity bothered to tell all their Support Reps for several days. My email would not work yesterday. This morning...it connected just fine. Very hit and miss and NO ONE seems to want to tell us what is wrong and obviously they are struggling to fix it.

Hello rwwaters

I would love to help get this sorted out. 

Could you please send our team a direct message with your full name and full address? Our team can most definitely take a further look at this issue.

To send a Direct message:
Click "Sign In" if necessary
• Click the "Direct Message" icon
• Click the "New message" (pencil and paper) icon
• Type "Xfinity Support" in the "To:" line and select "Xfinity Support" from the drop-down list which appears. The "Xfinity Support" graphic replaces the "To:" line
https://www.xfinity.com/support/articles/setting-up-auto-payments

@hsherer​ They are obviously working on it....as it worked for 2 days...then stopped working yesterday, and I was able to download my email this morning.  What is bothering me most (besides the inconvenience of all this) is that I don't feel they are being honest about the extent of this 'breach' that caused all this in the first place.

I understand. If you would like to know more about the incident, please visit xfinity.com/dataincident. If you have additional questions, you can also call you can reach them at 1-888-799-2560.

@goodmonkey​ I was told to delete my account out of Outlook and then put it back in. I did that. Worked for a day and then didn't work again. I have been in Direct Message about this issue for many days and the reps keep telling me that they don't own Outlook so they are limited in their support. I KEEP telling them that this is not an Outlook issue but an Xfinity issue. They also keep asking me for the 'physical address' of my service. I have told them at least 3 times that although I was an Xfinity paid customer for YEARS (easily over 25 years) when I lived in Maryland...I moved 7 years ago to a place where Xfinity simply does not provide ANY service so there is NO such address now.  I have carefully maintained my 2 email addresses because I have had them forever and although any information on Xfinity says you can do that....it is impossible to 'manage' your account online. It is like you don't exist. It really does sound like Xfinity is not providing sufficient information to their Support Reps about the extent of this breach and its repercussions so they haven't been able to help us.

Update: I finally decided to completely delete that account from the phone and re-enter it.

That works but it seems silly that you can't just change the password in the app but maybe that is a iOS problem in this case.

@bwhiten​  The connection with Outlook is totally hit and miss. Works one day then not the next. It worked yesterday but this morning I had to go to Web Mail to get my email. I haven't updated the account on my Iphone yet but I know that it hasn't been able to get email since 12/13 so I suspect that is when I changed the password for that account. I was not asked to change the password for the address I download in Outlook until a few days later. I have been in Direct Message about this and they have been no help. They keep wanting to access my old Comcast account which I left 7 years ago when I moved because Xfinity is not available where we currently live. They are now saying they can't help me since they can't find my old account but my email has continued to work just fine for the last 7 years without a paid Xfinity account. No help! and no info. I honestly expect that the reps responding have not bee told the real story about why this is happening and neither have we.

@bwhiten , we are glad to hear that you found a workaround to get your email working again. Should you come across further issues with your emails, definitely reach out to us for assistance here in the Community Forums page. We would be happy to help!

They just want you to delete the account if its free. I have had mine since comcast was new. Their support like all big companies [Edited: "Inflammatory"]

I'm wondering the same thing.  It just started for me yesterday after I was forced to change my Comcast password.  Is there another setting to change?  Weird.

Thank you for taking the time to reach out to us. Please send us a direct message with your first/last name and full address. You can start by clicking the "direct message" icon on the upper right page of the forum page. Once you click on that, input our shared handle "Xfinity Support" to send us a direct message. If you're signed in to your forums profile and because you have already posted to the public page, you should have the option to do so.

You actually directed me to my solution. I have the exact issue on two PC's and my phone. You were correct about being on your home Wi-Fi. I went to just cellular on my phone and it worked fine. I turned on Hotspot and connected laptop and it went through. Took it off went back to Wi-Fi and it once again said IMAP password was incorrect. I have a Netgear RBR50 that was set to Router mode. I set it to AP mode so that it uses the T-Mobile home internet router and bypasses the Netgear and it seems to be working better. I still occasionally get the IMAP popup but not for a couple of days. I still think Comcast has an issue. Not sure what port my Netgear is blocking with the authoritative answer but it is not coming back in through 993.  

I saw where a few folks here mentioned the same thing, which makes me think it was something my router (ORBI RBRE960) or BitDefender or ESET (Antivirus, etc) did to prevent my email from functioning correctly.  But again, everyone has so many different devices/routers yet the common denominator is Comcast.  I'm going to dig into my network one more time to be sure it's not blocking something that needs to get out.  Just odd that on occasion, I can send an email.  Like a window of opportunity shows up once a day to send email.  I'll be back!

@CurtisGo18Go Hello, I am happy to be of assistance. Can you please send us a DM. You can start by clicking the chat icon located in the top right corner of your forums' page when signed in. Once there, you can direct your messages to "Xfinity Support." Please add your full name and service address to help us locate your account. Let me know if you have any questions. 

@Ldeli - Thank you for leaving a comment with your shared concerns. I see your other comment on this post as well, and I would be happy to look into this further for you if you are still experiencing problems using a third party to access your Comcast emails. You are always welcome to start a new post so that our Digital Care Team can take a closer look! Just let us know what your current situation is like, and we're always here for you :)

@jannod53​ It worked off and on then yesterday it worked, then this morning tis not again.  Still not fixed..

Mine worked for about a week then stopped working again today.  Logging in on the web browser first had seemed to be a connection, so I tried that again too, but it still does not work.  Weird.

Thank you for reaching out to us here @user_lbj23i. If you are still experiencing issues with your service feel free to reach out to our team here. 

@XfinityAngie​ He just said it WASNT working. It isn't working for most people on here. Fix the problem.

This is NOT on our end. 

Passwords have been verified, I have even uninstalled Outlook and reinstalled. IT DOES NOT WORK.

Fix the [Edited: "Language"] PROBLEM, Comcast! Your customer service [Edited: "Language"].

Hello and welcome to Comcast @joestef2. I am sorry to hear you are not able to access your email. You are in the right place and we are happy to assist you today.

Please send us a direct chat message with your full name and complete service address to “Xfinity Support”. To do so, click on the chat icon located at the top right of this forums page.

Here's the detailed steps to direct message us:

• Click "Sign In" if necessary
• Click the "Direct Message” icon (upper right corner of this page)
• Click the "New message" (pencil and paper) icon
• Type "Xfinity Support" in the to line and select "Xfinity Support" from the drop-down list
• Type your message in the text area near the bottom of the window
• Press Enter to send your message

Let me know if you have any questions.

@user_goa1ue If your Outlook password did not update automaticly for you, you can remove and re add the email to your profile. You can then re add the email address to your profile.  Use these steps to remove the email: 

1. In Outlook, click File > Account Settings > Manage Profiles

2. Select Show Profiles.

3. Select a profile, then select Remove.

When setting back up use this page to make sure your settings are correct. https://www.xfinity.com/support/articles/configure-outlook-express-xfinity-internet?view=app

@XfinityAmandaB​ THIS DOES NOT WORK! I have removed and added a new profile multiple times. When I re-enter my email information in IMAP format, I am still greeted with the login. I have verified MULTIPLE times. This is NOT on our end - this is on YOUR (COMCAST's) END ......................... FIX. THE. PROBLEM. FOR. THE. LOVE. OF. GOD!

Hello @user_amu967. Please sign out of the outlook account and sign back in. This should sync the account up.

@XfinityWilliam​ Quit with the same responses. This is not working. I, along with many others have done this and it still prompts for a username and password. Fix your settings for imap

Can someone Asssit???

No, my issue just started 2 days ago.  Comcast will not update send receive.  On my phone, I can get email.  Just not on my laptop.  Password is CORRECT.  So annoying!!  I do NOT want to delete my email and re add!!  I am afraid of loosing ALL my saved emails, folders AND contacts  - I do not have them on my phone.  Any other advise since this is now 3/29/24!!

Hi, @user_igauo3. Thank you for reaching out. I hope you are well. We still have many customers that can use outlook successfully, and we can do our best to help. Can you provide more details about your situation and the devices affected?

This is the most frustrating thing ever - I have been in IT for over 40 years and this is definitely a Comcast email sever issue - PLEASE someone from Comcast acknowledge and resolve.  I was OTP with Support and they alerted me to the new webmail login policy, OK, I missed that somehow, I logged into webmail for each of my email accts and viola it worked!  Yeh for one day then same thing - I had emails sitting in my outbox for 2 days - emails critical to my business and to a house closing...   COMCAST WAKE UP!!

Hey @Curtann,

Thank you for visiting our official Xfinity Forums Community support page. We would be more than happy to assist with any email issues you may be experiencing. Have you attempted to log into the Xfinity Email portal again to see if that helps resolve the issue? Would you be able to go into the Xfinity Email settings and verify that you have "Third Party Access Security" checked? 

This will allow access to your Xfinity Connect email through third-party programs (e.g. Outlook, Apple Mail, Thunderbird, etc).