How to fix error 0x80072746 on Windows 10

While trying to sync Windows Mail client or loading new e-mails, have you recently seen Error 0x80072746 on your system? In this event, when you load a specific Mail; you see an error message which reads:

We're having a problem downloading messages. Make sure you have a connection and your account info is correct, and then try again, Error code 0x80072746.

The VPN error 0x80072746 indicates an existing connection was forcibly closed by the remote host or the existing HTTP doesn't support VPN connections. Today we look at the best fixes to resolve this error.

Fix Error 0x80072746

Typically, a user encounters this error in the Windows Mail app when trying to sync the application to view new e-mails.  Few users have come across this issue when using a VPN connection from Outlook (or similar email client) to Windows Mail. If the problem occurs explicitly on a VPN connection, it's most likely because:

• The server machine certificate binding to HTTPS is not done on the VPN server
• The server machine certificate is not installed on the VPN server.

In case you are not using a VPN connection to protect your privacy, there's a good chance that an external firewall is instigating the issue. Even though the built-in firewall (Windows Defender Firewall) will not cause problems with the email app, BitDefender and AVG are identified to cause this particular issue.

We are going to now list down the best possible hacks to fix this issue:

1. Manually set up your email client
2. Allow svchost.exe in third party firewall
3. Change VPN Settings
4. Using Windows Defender Firewall
5. Check if the relevant machine certificate is installed on the VPN server

Option 1: Manually set up your email client:

Most of the time, using an email client which are less popular like GoDaddy, TalkTalk, or any company-provided specific email can cause error 0x80072746. In this case, the Windows client might not be acquainted with the appropriate automatic settings. Hence you will have to look up the manual settings for POP & IMAP and configure your email account. Here's a step-by-step guide:

• From the 'Start' menu, open your Windows Mail client
• Click the 'Settings' icon and go to 'Manage Accounts'
• Click on the e-mail account causing the error and 'Change Settings'
• In 'Account Settings', click 'Remove this account from your device' under 'Delete account' and hit the 'Delete' button to confirm
• This will remove the email account
• Now visit the email provider website and copy the manual settings for IMAP. If IMAP setting is not listed here, select POP3.
• Return to Windows Mail client, click the 'Settings' icon and go to 'Manage accounts' and 'Add account.'
• Scroll down and click 'Advanced Setup.'
• Select 'Internet email' to add your credentials and manual settings for IMAP which you got from your email provider and apply settings

Now tap 'Sign In' button to see if you are getting the error message or not.

If you're still unable to sync your emails and receive the same error 0x80072746, try the next option.

Option 2: Allow svchost.exe in third party firewall:

Configure the svchost.exe application in the Windows firewall. The exact steps of doing this will be different depending on your firewall solution. But most firewall solutions have an 'Allow/Exclusion' option in their app settings. Once you identify it, hit on the 'Add' button, navigate to C:\Windows\system32 and allow 'svchost.exe'.

Once the Svchost is permitted in your Firewall settings, get back to your Windows Mail client and check if you can sync your emails without the 0x80072746 error.

Option 3: Change the VPN Settings:

According to few users, changing your VPN settings may fix error 0x80072746 on Windows PC. Here a quick walkthrough of the steps:

• Press 'Win + I' to open 'Settings.'
• Go to 'Network & Internet' section and then hit 'VPN' on the left pane
• Ensure 'Allow VPN over metered network' toggle switch is turned 'ON.'
• Now, select 'Change adapter options' under 'Related Settings'
• Right-click on your LAN (Wi-Fi) connectivity and select 'Properties' from the context menu
• Select 'Internet Protocol Version 6 (TCP/PV6)' on the list hit 'OK' to save the changes

Now, close all the tabs and check if the error is fixed.

Option 4: Using Windows Defender Firewall:

Sometimes temporarily disabling the firewall then deleting and re-adding the problematic account on to your mail client helps in resolving this error. Once the email is successfully added back, you will need to enable Windows Firewall once again. Here are the steps:

To delete and re-add the email account:

• From the 'Start Menu' open 'Mail' and click on 'Settings.'
• On the pop-up window select 'Manage Accounts' and click on the troublemaker
• Select 'Delete this account' and hit the 'Delete' button to confirm
• Go back to the Windows mail homepage and select the Account category at the left column.
• From the right-hand pane under 'Manage Account' select 'Add account.'

Now follow the procedure to re-add the email using the on-screen instructions.

To enable Windows Defender Firewall:

• Right-click on the 'Windows' button and select the 'Run' option from the menu
• In the void box, type 'wf.msc' and hit 'OK' to launch 'Windows Defender Firewall with Advanced Security.'
• Select the 'Windows Defender Firewall Properties' link under 'Public Profile'
• On the properties window, click on the 'Domain Profile' tab and set 'Firewall state' to 'On.'
• Hit 'Apply' and 'OK' to save the changes
• Reboot your system

Now reopen your mail client, it may start without the error 0x80072746.

Option 5: Check if the relevant machine certificate is installed on the VPN server:

This option works when the issue is on the VPN connection. Here you will need to contact your VPN server administrator to check whether the relevant machine certificate is installed on the VPN server or not. If it is installed correctly, you need to check the HTTPS binding by running the following command at the VPN server command prompt: “netsh http show ssl”.

We hope one of the above-listed fixes helped you in fixing this common error. If you have any queries, do ask us in the below comment section.

Also read: Common VPN error codes troubleshooting & solutions.