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Hotmail Ac - Mail disappeared from 18/12/2025 to 17/01/2026

Jay V 0 Reputation points
2026-02-18T09:02:24.4966667+00:00

Hi,

My mails disappeared from 18/12/2025 to 17/01/2026

I checked delete folder, Archive folder etc but unable to locate any mail between above duration

Can someone please help me

Outlook | Windows | New Outlook for Windows | For home
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  1. Alice-N 10,120 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
    2026-02-20T01:38:47.3533333+00:00

    Hi Jay V

    I hope you are doing well ! I just want to check if you have had a chance to test the steps earlier? Please let me know if they helped resolve the issue or if you are still experiencing any difficulties. I am here to assist you further.

    Best Regards

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  2. Alice-N 10,120 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
    2026-02-19T04:27:08.6866667+00:00

    Dear Jay V

    Thank you for reaching out to the Microsoft Q&A forum. I understand you are having problem with Hotmail emails missing specifically between 18/12/2025 and 17/01/2026 in New Outlook for Windows (For home), and you already checked Deleted and Archive but could not find them. Please follow these steps:  

    • Confirm whether the emails are actually missing on the server or only not showing in the app
      • Sign in to Outlook on the web for the same Hotmail mailbox and use Search to look for a known sender, subject, or keyword from that date range. The Search box can find content in subject/body and supports search operators such as from:email@domain to narrow results.  
    • Recover messages that were removed beyond Deleted Items (Recoverable Items) 
    • Check if an Inbox rule moved mail into an unexpected folder (not Deleted/Archive) 
      • In new Outlook, rules are managed under Settings > Mail > Rules, where you can review, disable (toggle), edit, or delete rules. A rule can move or delete messages automatically, so temporarily disable suspicious rules and re-check mail/search.  
    • Check for automatic forwarding or redirect rules if compromise is suspected 
      • If someone gained access, they often add forwarding/redirect rules. To review forwarding in Outlook.com (Settings > Mail > Forwarding), please turn it off if enabled. To review rule-based forwarding/redirecting under Mail > Rules (Outlook.com / Outlook on the web / Outlook.com) and remove them.  
    • Ensure messages are not being separated into Focused vs Other  
    • If you suspect hacking or unauthorized access, secure the account before continuing recovery 
      • Scan for malware before changing passwords, then reset the password and check account settings (including forwarding/automatic replies/connected settings). You can also sign out of your Microsoft account everywhere from the Advanced security options page; sign-out can take up to 24 hours.  

    If the answer is helpful, please click "Accept Answer" and kindly upvote it. If you have extra questions about this answer, please click "Comment".  

    Please follow the steps in our documentation to enable e-mail notifications if you want to receive the related email notification for this thread. 

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  3. AI answer

    2026-02-18T09:02:32.75+00:00

    If your emails have disappeared from your Hotmail account between 18/12/2025 and 17/01/2026, there are a few steps you can take to investigate and possibly recover them:

    1. Check Deleted Items and Archive Folders: Since you mentioned checking these folders, ensure you thoroughly look through them, as sometimes emails can be accidentally deleted or archived.
    2. Search for Missing Emails: Use the search function in Outlook to look for specific keywords or subjects that might help locate the missing emails. Sometimes, emails may not appear in the expected folders due to filters or sorting options.
    3. Check Filters and View Settings: It's possible that a filter has been applied to your view settings, causing certain emails to be hidden. To check this:
      • Go to the View tab in Outlook.
      • Select View Settings and then Filter to review any active filters that might be hiding your emails.
    4. Audit Logs: If you have access to Microsoft Purview audit logs, you can investigate deletion activities to see if the emails were deleted and by whom. This requires administrative access.
    5. Contact Support: If you still cannot find your emails, consider reaching out to Microsoft support for further assistance.

    These steps should help you in locating your missing emails or understanding what might have happened to them.

    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

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