inbox empty

Question

suddenly found my inbox is empty and got a note "All done for the day - Enjoy your empty inbox" ... need to advise how i can back up these disappeared mails

Answer 1

Hi Amr Hussein

I understand how worrying it is to suddenly see your inbox empty.

To avoid repeating the same suggestions with the Q&A Assist, could you please confirm if you've already tried those steps yet? If so, what you found (for example, whether you saw anything in Deleted Items folder or in the “Recover items” option)?

One more check that you could try:

Since this happened suddenly, it’s also important to confirm whether anything triggered the change:

• In Outlook.com, go to Settings > Mail > Rules and check for any rule created recently that might move or delete emails
• Also check Mail > Forwarding to ensure emails are not being redirected elsewhere

As you have already been hacked before, please make sure that you have completed all the necessary security steps to secure your account:

• Go to: https://account.microsoft.com/security > Manage how I sign in
• Remove any unfamiliar sign‑in methods
• Check the list of devices associated with your account
• If you notice anything unusual, change to a strong password and Sign out everywhere
• Turn on Two-step verification: How to use two-step verification with your Microsoft account - Microsoft Support
• Check Recent activity: https://account.microsoft.com/activityand choose This wasn’t me/ Secure your account for anything you don’t recognize.

Please feel free to let me know how it goes so I can guide you further. Thank you for your understanding.

Answer 2

In Outlook.com or Outlook on the web, when the inbox suddenly appears empty and shows “All done for the day – Enjoy your empty inbox,” the messages are usually either:

1. Moved to another view/folder (Focused/Other, Deleted Items), or
2. Deleted but still recoverable.

To locate and restore them, then back them up:

1. Check Focused/Other tabs
   • If Focused Inbox is on, select the Other tab and see if the messages are there.
   • If found, select the messages and choose Move to > Move to Focused inbox so they return to the main inbox view.
2. Check Deleted Items
   • In the left pane, open the Deleted Items folder.
   • If the missing messages are there, select them and choose Restore to move them back to their original folders.
3. Recover items removed from Deleted Items
   • In Deleted Items, at the top of the message list, select Recover items deleted from this folder.
   • Select the messages to recover and choose Restore.
   • Notes:
     • Messages removed from Deleted Items are recoverable for 30 days.
     • This recovery action must be done from a PC or Mac (not a mobile browser or Outlook mobile apps).
4. Stop automatic emptying of Deleted Items (so future deletions remain recoverable longer)
   • At the top of Outlook on the web, select Settings.
   • Select Message handling.
   • Under When signing out, clear the checkbox Empty my deleted items folder.
5. Back up recovered mail
   • If using the Outlook desktop app with Outlook.com or Exchange/IMAP:
     1. Open Outlook desktop.
     2. Select File > Open & Export > Import/Export.
     3. Choose Export to a file > Next.
     4. Select Outlook Data File (.pst) > Next.
     5. Select the mail folder(s) to back up (for example, Inbox) and select Next.
     6. Choose a location and file name for the .pst, then select Finish.
     7. Optionally set a password for the .pst.
   • The .pst file is your local backup and can later be opened or imported in Outlook if needed.

If the messages do not appear in Deleted Items or in Recover items deleted from this folder, they have likely been permanently removed and cannot be restored.

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References:

• Email is missing from your Outlook.com inbox
• Recover and restore deleted items in Outlook
• Back up your Outlook email