Not Receiving Emails

Question

I have not received any emails for 6 days. I do receive Junk Mail. The Geek Squad swept my computer for viruses. They could not get my computer to receive any emails either. Geek Squad said it is a Microsoft issue.

I am an old lady and do not know how to do very much on computers. Please help fix my email.

Answer 1

Hi Beverley A. Brooks

I’m really sorry you’ve been dealing with this for 6 days — I know how worrying it feels when important emails don’t show up. Please confirm:

• What does your email address end with? @outlook.com / @hotmail.com / @live.com / @msn.com, or something else?
• If you sign in on the internet (a web browser) at Outlook.com, do you see new emails there? 

This helps me tell whether the problem is with the account itself or only with Outlook on your computer. While you reply, please try these checks:

Step 1: Check your mail on the web

• Open a web browser (Edge/Chrome).
• Go to Outlook.com and sign in.

Note :

• If emails are showing on the web, your mailbox is okay and the issue is likely just your Outlook program on the computer.
• If emails are missing on the web too, then it’s likely an account/storage/settings issue.
• Reference: Can't send or receive email in Outlook.com - Microsoft Support

Step 2: If emails are missing on the web too, check your storage

Sometimes, if Microsoft storage is full, email can stop arriving properly.

• In Outlook.com, open Settings and search for Storage (or look for a storage warning).
• Reference: Storage limits in Outlook.com - Microsoft Support
• If the storage page looks “wrong” or you think the website is having issues, check posts known problems and workarounds here: Fixes or workarounds for recent issues on Outlook.com - Microsoft Support

Step 3: If emails are still missing on the web, check if they are being “hidden”

On Outlook.com, please look in these places:

• Other tab (if you see “Focused” and “Other”)
• Junk Email folder
• Any Rules or Forwarding settings that might move mail away from Inbox

If emails ARE on the web, but NOT in classic Outlook on your computer. That may suggest Outlook on the computer needs a “refresh” (profile repair).

Step 4: Repair the Outlook account

In classic Outlook:

• Click File
• Account Settings > Account Settings
• Click your email account
• Click Repair (if you see it)

Reference: Fix your Outlook email connection by repairing your profile - Microsoft Support

Step 5: If Repair doesn’t help, create a new Outlook profile

• Hold the Shift key while opening Outlook (it can show a profile chooser), or
• Press Windows key + R, type: Outlook.exe /profiles then press Enter.
• Reference: Create an Outlook profile - Microsoft Support

Please tell me how it goes. If the problem persists, please don’t hesitate to reply to this thread and I will be happy to help. Have a lovely day!  

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Answer 2

Follow these steps in order. After each step, check if new email arrives.

1. Check Microsoft storage is not full
   If Microsoft cloud storage is full, email cannot be received.
   Use the mailbox storage page linked from the article to see what is taking space and delete items if needed. Messages sent while storage was full are bounced and cannot be recovered.
2. Check Outlook.com directly (not the app)
   Open a web browser and sign in to Outlook.com. If email appears there but not in the Outlook program on the computer, the issue is with the Outlook app, not the account. In that case, a local technician can remove and re‑add the account in Outlook, or create a new Outlook profile.
3. Check Junk and “Other” tabs
   In Outlook.com:

• Look in the Junk Email folder for missing messages. If good messages are there, right‑click each and choose Mark as not junk so future mail goes to Inbox.
• At the top of the Inbox, if there are Focused and Other tabs, select Other and see if messages are going there.

4. Check sort order
   In Outlook.com, in the message list choose Filter > Sort > Date so newest messages show at the top. Sometimes mail is there but out of order.
5. Check forwarding settings
   If forwarding is turned on and “keep a copy of forwarded emails” is turned off, messages may be sent elsewhere and not kept in the Inbox.
   In Outlook.com settings, review forwarding and make sure either forwarding is off, or the option to keep a copy in the mailbox is enabled.
6. Check rules and blocked senders
   In Outlook.com:

• Check Rules and make sure there is no rule moving all new mail to another folder (for example, RSS Feeds or Deleted Items). If such a rule exists, turn it off or delete it.
• Check Blocked senders. If important senders or whole domains are listed, remove them so their mail can arrive.

7. If only one device has the problem
   If Outlook.com on the web shows new mail, but the Windows Outlook program does not, remove and re‑add the email account in Outlook or have a technician do it. The article notes that removing the device partnership and re‑adding often fixes sync issues.

If none of these steps restore incoming mail in Outlook.com itself (web), contact Microsoft account support using the sign‑in helper and, if needed, ask a trusted person or technician to help follow the on‑screen steps.

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References:

• Can't send or receive email in Outlook.com
• Where are my email messages or calendar events in Mail and Calendar for Windows 10?
• I haven't received any email in Outlook for several months - Microsoft Q&A
• Stopped receiving emails on my account. - Microsoft Q&A