as of tuesday only some emails appear inbox, many seem to have shifted to bulk

Because Outlook.com shows the correct Inbox, reset Classic Outlook’s local views first, then create a fresh Outlook profile if the incorrect “Bulk” placement remains.

1. Reset the Inbox view

1. In Classic Outlook, select the affected Inbox.
2. Open View → Reset View.
3. Repeat this for the Bulk folder if it appears in the folder list.
4. Set any message filter to All.

If that does not correct the folders:

1. Close Outlook completely.
2. Press Windows key + R.
3. Enter:

outlook.exe /cleanviews

4. Select OK and allow Outlook to reopen.

The /cleanviews switch restores all default Outlook views, so any custom views will be lost.^1^

2. Repair the Outlook profile

If the messages still appear differently from webmail:

1. Select File → Account Settings → Account Settings.
2. On the Email tab, select the Outlook.com account.
3. Select Repair, complete the wizard, and restart Outlook.

The Repair option is not available for every Outlook/account combination. If it is absent, proceed directly to a new profile.^2^

Also verify that the account is configured as Outlook.com. Microsoft specifically states that Hotmail.com and Live.com accounts should use Outlook.com as the account type rather than Microsoft 365 or another account type.^3^

3. Create a new profile if repair does not work

A new profile is safer than immediately deleting local Outlook data:

1. Close Outlook.
2. Hold Shift while starting Outlook.
3. In the profile picker, select Options.
4. Enable Prompt a profile to be used so the current profile remains available.
5. Select New, give it a name, and add the Outlook.com address.
6. Start Outlook with the new profile and let synchronization finish.
7. Compare its Inbox and folders with Outlook.com before removing the old profile.

Microsoft documents the profile picker and these profile-creation steps for Classic Outlook.^4^

Do not remove the old profile until the new one displays the mailbox correctly. Removing a profile deletes its offline cached content, and locally stored PST data should be backed up first.

If a new profile still shows the same mismatch

Because the web Inbox is correct, avoid moving or deleting large batches of messages in “Bulk” while troubleshooting. In Outlook.com, check a known missing message using All folders search and review Rules, Archive, Junk Email, and the Other tab. Microsoft’s missing-mail guidance also documents setting the message filter to All.^5^

If the web mailbox later begins showing the incorrect placement too, contact Outlook.com support from Help → enter the issue → Still need help? → Yes.^6^

References

1. [Classic Outlook](https://support.microsoft.com/office/lifecycle/command-line-switches-for-microsoft-office-products)
2. Fix your Outlook email connection by repairing your profile
3. Troubleshoot Outlook email setup | Microsoft Support
4. Create a profile in classic Outlook for Windows
5. Email is missing from your Outlook.com inbox | Microsoft Support
6. Mail goes to the Junk folder by mistake | Microsoft Support