Forum Discussion
Outlook and NordVPN
Just in case you are receiving 0X800CCC0E errors and you have NordVPN.. That is likely the source of the problem. I've set up split tunneling, added Outlook as an excluded application, modified port settings and still have issues that required me to turn off NordVPN. At least I now know the root cause...
Just an FYI
8 Replies
My further reply (which you'll see above here when it has been approved) suggested that setting up split tunnelling to add Outlook as an excluded application (see image below) worked on my Outlook 2021.
Which it did on the first occasion.
However, it has now reverted to Outlook NOT working even though it is excluded and therefore should be unaffected by the VPN, and still even when the VPN itself has been paused!
Absolutely infuriating, and the only workaround I now have (not counting using the clumsy webmail instead of Outlook) is to restart Windows without NordVPN being configured to restart automatically, then do my Outlook work, before finally restarting NordVPN.
Then repeat that nonsensical procedure each time I want to use Outlook.
Microsoft and NordVPN, please get your acts together and make your respective products work competently with each other!!!I've now found an abbreviated workaround.
(Previously, I had to restart Windows without NordVPN being configured to restart automatically, then do my Outlook work, before finally restarting NordVPN.)
Now I find that the quicker workaround is to use Task Manager to end the NordVPN task, then do my Outlook work, then restart NordVPN. It should still not be necessary, but it is quicker than having to restart Windows.
The moment that the NordVPN task is ended, the emails which had been stuck in the Outbox immediately send, proving definitively that this problem is an incompatibility between NordVPN and Outlook.
However, I have now instated split tunnelling by adding Outlook as an excluded application (i.e. an application which bypasses the VPN and connects directly to the mail server) and this seems to be successful.
H_Webster64 (above) tried this without success, but it seems to work well with my Outlook 2021.To Enable Split Tunnelling, the configuration path within your NordVPN app is -
NordVPN Settings > Split Tunnelling > Add Outlook app (from the dropdown list of apps)
Strange that I have never had this problem until the latest update of NordVPN which coincided with a couple of Windows updates in March 2025. I blamed the Windows updates until today when I discovered it was NordVPN all along.
McAfee also causes this error.
Exactly, both my antivirus and Nord VPN causing this issue. Just got rid from both of them and problem fixed.
Thanks. I'm getting the same error, but couldn't find the source of the problem. Now I know that Nord VPN is causing this error. I think I won't be renewing my subscription this month.
I have exactly the same issue - I have to disable my NordVPN for n minutes in order to send / receive emails.
Which rather defeats the purpose of having a VPN.
And makes me wonder why two major companies like Microsoft and NordVPN cannot work competently together, since this incompatibility problem has existed for years.
