Not receiving emails

Sign in to Outlook.com in a computer browser, check the mailbox’s storage, rules, forwarding, filters, and blocked-sender settings, then have each affected sender check for a delivery-failure message.

1. Check the mailbox on Outlook.com

Since the messages are not in Junk, investigate the other server-side controls:

1. Open Settings → General → Storage.
   • If Microsoft cloud storage is full, Outlook.com cannot receive email.
   • Messages sent while storage was full are returned to the sender and cannot later be recovered. Free space, then request a new login email. ^1^
2. Open Settings → Mail → Rules.
   • Disable or delete any rule that moves or deletes mail from those senders.
   • Rules must be reviewed from a computer. ^2^
3. Open Settings → Mail → Forwarding.
   • Turn off forwarding if messages are being redirected to another address.
4. Open Settings → Mail → Junk email.
   • Look under Blocked senders and domains for both the complete sender address and its domain.
   • Remove any matching entry.
   • Add the office manager and the login service’s sender or domain to Safe senders and domains.
5. Check Other, Deleted Items, Archive, and custom folders.
   • Above the message list, select Filter → All, then Filter → Sort → Date.
   • In Deleted Items, select Recover items deleted from this folder. Removed items can remain recoverable for 30 days. ^2^

2. Determine whether Outlook.com accepted the messages

Ask your office manager to send a new, simple test message without an attachment. Also request another login email after completing the checks above.

For each sender, ask:

• Did they receive a non-delivery report or “bounce”?
• What is the complete SMTP error code and message?
• What date and approximate time was the message sent?

If there is a bounce, the sender or their IT administrator must investigate that exact error. Sender authentication, IP/domain reputation, or other sender-side delivery conditions can cause Outlook.com to reject a message before it reaches your mailbox; adding the address to Safe Senders may not override such a rejection. Microsoft provides a dedicated sender-delivery process for Outlook.com and Hotmail recipients. ^3^

If there is no bounce and the message does not appear anywhere in Outlook.com, ask the sender to use that Sender Support process as well. Microsoft specifically directs senders there when an individual message never arrives and no visible error is available. ^1^

3. Escalate if the test still disappears

In Outlook.com:

1. Select Help on the menu bar.
2. Search for cannot receive emails.
3. Scroll to Still need help?
4. Select Yes and proceed to Outlook.com support. ^1^

Provide the approximate start date, affected sender domains, test-message timestamps, and any bounce codes. Do not post full email addresses publicly. For urgent login access, ask the service whether it supports another verification method or an alternate email address while delivery is investigated.

References

1. Can't send or receive email in Outlook.com | Microsoft Support
2. Email is missing from your Outlook.com inbox | Microsoft Support
3. Sender Support in Outlook.com