how do I get my email back

Mary Ann Nore 0 Reputation points
2026-10-07T12:20:42.05+00:00

I can not longer send or receive email, however junk seems to continue to get through. I've changed password, deleted and reloaded the app. What should I do next?? This problem is on All my devices (phone, Mac, laptop, iPad I was hacked just prior to this issue

Outlook | Web | Outlook.com | Email
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  1. Kai-H 28,235 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
    2026-10-08T11:02:42.6866667+00:00

    Hi, Mary Ann Nore

    I’m sorry you’re dealing with this after being compromised. Since it affects every device, I’d focus next on the mail delivery errors rather than reinstalling more apps.

    Here are some suggestions you can try:

    If this is an Outlook.com or Hotmail account, remove your email signature and try sending a short message without attachments. Signatures can sometimes interfere with sending.

    Look for a “delivery failed” message, and ask someone whose email hasn’t reached you whether they received one. Share the exact error wording here, with email addresses and personal details removed. If your outgoing error mentions a spam blocklist, the recipient’s email provider may need to unblock your address or domain.

    If older emails disappeared during the hack, use a browser on your Mac or laptop. Open Deleted Items, select Recover items deleted from this folder, then select the messages and Restore. Messages removed from Deleted Items remain recoverable for 30 days; this recovery option isn’t available in mobile apps.

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  2. AI answer

    2026-10-07T12:21:02.3166667+00:00

    Since junk mail still arrives but normal mail does not, the mailbox is still receiving messages. The most likely next steps are to check for settings changed during the compromise and then secure the account fully.

    1. Check Outlook.com in a browser first
      • Sign in to Outlook.com.
      • Check Inbox, Junk Email, Deleted Items, Archive, and the Other tab.
      • Restore the message list to date order if needed: Filter > Sort > Date.
    2. Check for rules, forwarding, and filters
      • In Outlook.com settings, review Mail rules and remove anything unfamiliar.
      • Check whether email forwarding is enabled and turn it off if it should not be.
      • Check whether filters are hiding messages.
      • If messages are in Junk Email by mistake, move them back and mark them as not junk.
    3. Check account sign-in and security settings
      • Review aliases and sign-in preferences, and remove anything not recognized.
      • Review security contact information and remove anything not recognized.
      • Remove existing app passwords.
      • Remove devices not recognized.
      • Use Sign out everywhere. This can take up to 24 hours to take effect.
    4. Check whether the account is blocked or the password change did not fully propagate
      • If the password was changed recently, update it anywhere the account is connected.
      • If the account cannot sign in normally, use the Microsoft account sign-in helper.
      • If unusual sign-in activity was detected, the account may be temporarily blocked and may need to be unblocked.
    5. Check storage
      • If Microsoft cloud storage is full, Outlook.com cannot send or receive email.
      • Messages sent while storage was full are bounced back to the sender and are unrecoverable.
    6. Reconnect affected apps after the web account is confirmed working
      • For Apple Mail on iPhone or iPad, go to Settings > Mail > Accounts > the Outlook account, re-enter the password, then open Mail and confirm sync.
      • In new Outlook, select the email account name, choose Continue, and sign in again with the new password.
      • In classic Outlook, if the status bar shows Disconnected, Working Offline, or Trying to connect..., go to Send/Receive > Work Offline to return online.
    7. If mail still does not arrive in Outlook.com on the web
      • Ask someone to send a fresh test message.
      • If it still does not appear in Inbox, Junk, Deleted Items, Archive, or Other, use Outlook.com support from the Help menu or the Outlook.com support options.

    Have you changed your password recently?

    If you've changed your password on the website for your email account, you'll need to change it in new Outlook as well.

    1. Select the email account name.
    2. A pop up will appear prompting you to sign in. Select Continue.
    3. Follow the prompts and enter the new password to sign in. Go to Reset a forgotten Microsoft account password for more information. If you know you’re using the correct password for your email account, and you get a message such as: Please create an app password for Outlook on your email provider's site.
    4. Go to your email provider to get the app password. Your email provider will provide instructions for how to generate an app password to use in email applications such as Outlook in place of your regular password.
    5. After you get the app password from your provider, copy it, and then paste it when prompted for your account password in Outlook. For more information, visit Add an email account to Outlook for Windows.

    Classic Outlook

    We've presented the methods in order of quickest to most in-depth. For details around general troubleshooting, visit Troubleshooting Outlook issues for more information. We recommend trying the following solutions in the order listed.

    Is classic Outlook disconnected? Check the bottom of your Outlook window

    On the Outlook status bar, if you get Disconnected, Working Offline, or Trying to connect…, then Outlook can't reach the email server to send your mail. To fix this problem, on the ribbon, select the Send/Receive tab, then, in the Preferences group, select Work Offline to toggle between offline mode and online mode. You might need to open the message and send it again or choose Send/Receive.](https://support.microsoft.com/outlook/i-can-t-send-or-receive-messages-in-outlook#have-you-changed-your-password-recently)

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

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