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Why is my iPhone outlook not updating properly and emails are staying in outbox, and then new inbound emails don't update regularly

Russell Bowyer 25 Reputation points
2026-03-12T11:32:08.1233333+00:00

Hi, Why is my iPhone outlook not updating properly, so that emails are staying in the outbox, and then new inbound emails don't update regularly for all my email addresses.

Also, at the bottom of the outbox I can see a message saying "Updating", which seems to be stuck.

  • I have tried quitting Outlook.
  • I have tried restarting my mobile.

Russell

Outlook | Outlook for mobile | Outlook for iOS | For business
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2 answers

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  1. Daniel-Vo 5,165 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
    2026-03-12T12:14:15.3733333+00:00

    Hi Russell Bowyer,

    If Microsoft Outlook on your Apple iPhone is stuck showing “Updating” and emails remain in the Outbox, it usually indicates a temporary sync, network, or account connection issue.

    To better understand the situation, could you please help confirm the following:

    • Is the account a personal Microsoft account or a work/school account?
    • Are all Microsoft accounts affected, or only one?
    • Does email send and receive normally on the web?
    • Does the same issue occur if the account is configured on another device?

    In the meantime, you may try the following steps that might improve the issue:

    1/ Check for Storage Space

    Please also check if your iPhone has sufficient available storage, as low storage may affect the mail syncing process and cause issues.

    2/ Update the Outlook app

    Please ensure the Outlook app is fully updated from the Apple App Store, as older versions may contain sync-related bugs.

    3/ Check the email in the outbox

    A message stuck in the Outbox can sometimes block synchronization.

    • Open the Outbox folder.
    • Check if there are emails that:
      • Contain large attachments
      • Failed to send
      • You may try:
        • Editing the email and sending it again, or
        • Deleting the message from the Outbox.

    4/ Clear the app cache

    Clearing cached data may help if the local Outlook data becomes corrupted.

    • Go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage.
    • Select Outlook.
    • Tap Offload App.

    5/ Reset the Outlook account

    Sometimes the local account cache may become corrupted.

    • Open Outlook > Profile icon > Settings.
    • Select the affected account.
    • Scroll down and tap Reset Account (if the option is available).

    6/ Remove and Re-add the account

    If the Reset Account option is not available, removing and re-adding the account can achieve a similar result.

    • Open Outlook > Profile > Settings.
    • Select the email account.
    • Tap Delete Account.
    • Restart the Outlook app.
    • Add the account again.

    I hope the information above is helpful. If you have any further questions, please feel free to reach out.


    If this answer resolves your issue, please click “Accept Answer” and consider upvoting it. If you have additional questions regarding this response, kindly click “Comment.”

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    1 person found this answer helpful.

  2. HewerOfWood 0 Reputation points
    2026-03-16T16:07:22.6866667+00:00

    I tried all the solutions suggested without success. However I think I have solved my problem. I deleted the Outlook app from my phone, and re-installed it. Seems to work fine now.


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