---
title: "Why am I getting a ‘Connection Timed Out’ error?"
description: "Here's why you might be getting ‘Connection Timed Out’ error when connecting and how to resolve it. The complete guide- Smartlead."
url: https://helpcenter.smartlead.ai/en/articles/43-why-am-i-getting-a-connection-timed-out-error
collection: "Email Disconnection Errors"
updated: 2026-10-27
language: en
---

# Why am I getting a ‘Connection Timed Out’ error?

Here's why you might be getting ‘Connection Timed Out’ error when connecting and how to resolve it. The complete guide- Smartlead.

A "Connection Timed Out" error when connecting your inbox to Smartlead means that the SMTP port your account is trying to use is being blocked - either by your Internet Service Provider (ISP), a firewall, or your email provider's server configuration. The connection attempt starts but never receives a response, causing it to time out.

**The Most Common Cause - Blocked SMTP Port**

Smartlead defaults to **port 465** (SSL) for outgoing SMTP connections. However, some ISPs and network configurations block this port. Switching to port 587 usually resolves the issue immediately.

**How to Fix It**

1.  In Smartlead, go to **Email Accounts** and open the settings for the affected account
    
2.  Find the **SMTP Port** field
    
3.  Change the port from **465** to **587** and save
    
4.  Make sure the **encryption setting** is updated to match:
    
    -   Port 465 → **SSL**
        
    -   Port 587 → **TLS / STARTTLS**
        

**Still Not Working?**

If switching to port 587 doesn't resolve the error, contact Smartlead support with the following details:

-   The email provider you're connecting (e.g. Gmail, Outlook, Zoho)
    
-   The port and encryption setting you've tried
    
-   Any additional error message shown