If the mailbox is still accessible, these are the supported recovery checks for missing Outlook.com/live.com email:
- In Outlook.com on a computer, check Other if Focused Inbox is enabled. If the message is there, move it back to Focused inbox.
- Check Junk Email. If the message is there, mark it as Not junk.
- Check Deleted Items. If found, select Restore.
- In Deleted Items, select Recover items deleted from this folder. Messages removed from Deleted Items are recoverable for 30 days.
- Check the Archive folder and move any missing messages back to Inbox.
- Check the Filter menu above the message list and set it to All.
- Check Rules settings for Inbox or Sweep rules that may be moving messages. Rules can only be viewed and edited on a computer.
- Check whether email forwarding is enabled.
- If there was unusual account activity, review the Recent activity page for the Microsoft account.
- If cloud storage was full, Outlook.com cannot send or receive email, and messages sent while storage was full are bounced back to the sender and are unrecoverable.
Important limits called out in support guidance:
- Messages removed from Junk Email after 30 days are not recoverable.
- Messages removed from Deleted Items are recoverable for 30 days.
- If the Outlook.com mailbox was not signed in to for one year, the mailbox can be closed and all email deleted.
If all of those checks were already completed and the messages are still missing, use Outlook.com support from within the mailbox:
- In Outlook.com, select Help from the top menu.
- Enter the issue in Search Help.
- If the self-help results do not resolve it, scroll to Still need help? and select Yes.
If sign-in is the problem, use the Microsoft account sign-in helper.
- Email is missing from your Outlook.com inbox | Microsoft Support
- Email is missing from your Outlook.com inbox | Microsoft Support
- Email is missing from your Outlook.com inbox | Microsoft Support
- Email is missing from your Outlook.com inbox | Microsoft Support
- Can't send or receive email in Outlook.com | Microsoft Support
- Can't send or receive email in Outlook.com | Microsoft Support
- How to get support for Outlook.com | Microsoft Support