still not receiving emails after outage

Incomplete delivery can continue while Outlook.com service is only partially restored, so check the mailbox directly on Outlook.com now and have senders retry time-sensitive messages once service stabilizes. Current reporting indicates that recovery remains in progress and may be uneven across accounts or regions.^1^

Check whether messages reached Outlook.com

Sign in through Outlook.com in a web browser, rather than relying on the desktop or mobile app. Then:

1. Select Filter → All, followed by Filter → Sort → Date.
2. Check Other, Junk Email, Deleted Items, and Archive.
3. In Deleted Items, select Recover items deleted from this folder. Recoverable messages remain available there for up to 30 days.
4. If a wanted message is in Junk, select it and choose Report → Not junk.^2^

If messages appear on Outlook.com but not in an Outlook app, delivery succeeded and the remaining problem is app synchronization. Avoid repairing or reinstalling the app until web-mail delivery has been checked.

Check settings that can affect only certain senders

Because some messages are arriving, inspect settings that can selectively redirect or reject mail:

1. Open Settings → Mail → Junk email → Blocked senders and domains.
2. Remove any missing sender address or domain found there, then ask that sender to resend.
3. Open Settings → Mail → Rules on a computer.
4. Review Inbox rules and Sweep actions. Edit, disable, or delete only rules that could move or delete the affected messages.
5. Check Settings → Mail → Forwarding and disable any forwarding you do not expect.^3^

Also check Settings → Storage. If Microsoft cloud storage is full, Outlook.com cannot receive email; messages sent while it was full are bounced to the sender and cannot later be recovered automatically.^3^

Identify delayed mail versus rejected mail

Ask one affected sender to send a new plain-text test message and report whether they receive a non-delivery notice:

• No failure notice: the message may still be delayed during recovery. Record the sender, subject, and sending time.
• Delivery attempts expired during the outage: ask the sender to resend after service is stable. An “undeliverable” response can mean the sending server could not complete delivery before the message expired.^4^
• Only one organization or domain cannot reach you: send that organization the Microsoft Sender Support in Outlook.com guidance. Sender-side reputation or DNS checks can prevent Outlook.com from accepting mail.^5^

Escalate if delivery remains incomplete

Waiting until full service recovery is practical for non-urgent delayed messages, but it is not required before reporting urgent or persistent failures. In Outlook.com:

1. Select Help on the menu bar.
2. Enter a description such as “some incoming messages missing after outage.”
3. If self-help does not resolve it, scroll to Still need help? and select Yes.^3^

Include affected sender addresses or domains, approximate send times and time zone, whether Outlook.com web also lacks the messages, and the exact text of any sender failure notice. Do not include passwords or verification codes.

References

1. Microsoft 365 outage continues into Friday as company works to restore Outlook, other services
2. Email is missing from your Outlook.com inbox | Microsoft Support
3. Can't send or receive email in Outlook.com | Microsoft Support
4. Sent email in Outlook.com comes back "delivery failed" | Microsoft Support
5. Sender Support in Outlook.com | Microsoft Support