Online Microsoft Outlook.com Cloud Email Inbox will not sync new email messages since March 18th, 2025

Question

Hello Microsoft Support Community forum,

I have recently noticed trouble with receiving new email messages in my online Outlook.com email account since a few months ago.

I have purchased a Microsoft 365 Personal Subscription since November 2025 but it has since expired in December, so I reactivated it just a few days ago. This meant I have an active Microsoft 365 monthly subscription with my personal email Outlook account.

I have gone through the Self-help Articles and the Interactive Troubleshoot Windows related to this issue but none of the solutions offered are of any help and does not address the root cause of the problem.

I have enough memory storage with this Outlook personal account (just one year old), no suspicious activity noted of late to prompt a lock or restriction on my account, no issues signing in or out of this account (I use MFA with my mobile device to receive a prompt to sign in). Following advice from the Self-help Articles I have also removed and unlinked all devices from this Microsoft Account (I had three devices previously linked to this MS account).

I also have not received any error messages pertaining to this "Email Inbox Syncing issue" with this Outlook Personal Account.

Any suggestions, tips or advise from the MS Support Community or the MS Technical Support Team would be most appreciated !!

Thank you for reading my post and Happy Holidays!

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Moved from: Microsoft 365 and Office | Office Online Server

Answer 1

It seems you are experiencing issues with your Outlook.com email inbox not syncing new messages. Here are some steps you can take to troubleshoot this issue:

1. Check for Service Issues: Sometimes, the problem may be related to service outages. You can check the Microsoft 365 Service health status to see if there are any ongoing issues affecting Outlook.com.
2. Run Microsoft 365 Diagnostics: If you have access to a Microsoft 365 administrator account, you can run the Microsoft 365 Diagnostics tool to check for connectivity issues and receive possible solutions.
3. Update Your Outlook: Ensure that your Office applications are up to date. Sometimes, syncing issues can arise from outdated software. You can check for updates in any Office application by going to File > Office Account > Update Options > Update Now.
4. Clear Browser Cache: If you are using Outlook.com in a web browser, clearing your browser's cache and cookies can help resolve syncing issues.
5. Try a Different Browser or Device: Sometimes, the issue may be specific to the browser or device you are using. Try accessing your Outlook.com account from a different browser or device to see if the issue persists.

If none of these steps resolve the issue, you may want to consider reaching out to Microsoft Support for further assistance.

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References:

• Fix Outlook connection problems for Microsoft 365 account
• Can't send or receive email in Outlook and "Metered Connection Warning" is triggered

Answer 2

Hello Yvonne Shi,

Welcome to the Microsoft Q&A forum! 

I understand the frustration of not receiving new emails in your Outlook.com inbox, especially after trying the self-help resources. I appreciate you sharing the specific timeline and the information about your Microsoft 365 subscription. 

I have reviewed your post and also see that Q&A Assist has generated an initial response. While some of the suggestions, like checking service health or trying a different browser, are good starting points, I would like to add more specific information to investigate your scenario further, as the reactivation of a subscription can sometimes cause a delay in account provisioning. 

1. Confirm Subscription & Account Status: Please visit your Microsoft Services & Subscriptions page and confirm your Microsoft 365 Personal subscription is listed as "Active". A recent reactivation sometimes requires a service refresh, and this is the most important detail to verify. 
2. Perform a Send/Receive Test: You've mentioned your online Outlook.com inbox. To confirm the scope, please try sending an email from this account to itself. Do you receive it? If not, do you get any "undeliverable" or bounce-back message? 
3. Double-Check Specific Storage Limits: Even though you mentioned having enough memory, please double-check the "Microsoft Storage" vs. "Email Storage" limits at Settings (gear icon) > General > Storage. Sometimes the OneDrive portion of the storage can affect the ability to receive emails. 

In the meantime, let's review two key inbox settings: 

• Check Rules and Forwarding: Occasionally, sync issues are actually caused by rules moving mail to other folders or accidental forwarding. Please check Settings > Mail > Rules and Forwarding to ensure nothing is redirecting your incoming mail. 
• Check Focused Inbox: If enabled, please check both the "Focused" and "Other" tabs to ensure new messages aren't being filtered there. 

I look forward to your next update for further analysis. Your patience and cooperation are highly appreciated. 

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