many incoming hotmail e-mails are not showing up and being rejected

Steve and Mary Tyrrel 20 Reputation points
2026-06-17T19:15:19.4933333+00:00

I am having issues with many incoming e-mails not showing up. I do not have any rules set, the sender is not on any blocked list. They are not in Junk, or any other alternate folder. I have lost access to several of my sites because the authentication e-mails do not come through. Several of the sites are reporting that their e-mail was returned as undeliverable. This is creating a huge issue with being able to do business or access several sites that I use often. I have tried to submit the question to Microsoft but cannot get into a live chat or get a phone call back. I need suggestions please!

Outlook | Web | Outlook.com | Email
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AI answer

2026-06-17T19:15:37.6266667+00:00

Use the following checks in Outlook.com/Outlook on the web to identify why messages are missing or being rejected:

  1. Check filters and focused inbox
  • In Outlook.com, above the message list select Filter and make sure All is selected so no messages are hidden by filtering or sorting.
  • Also check the Other tab (if using Focused/Other) to ensure messages are not being separated there.
  1. Check Junk Email and mark valid mail
  • Open the Junk Email folder and look for any messages that should be in Inbox.
  • For each valid message, right‑click it and choose Mark as not junk to move it back to Inbox and train the filter.
  1. Check rules and forwarding
  • Go to Outlook.com Rules settings and verify there are no rules moving or deleting incoming mail. If a rule is incorrectly moving messages, edit or delete it.
  • Check if email forwarding is enabled and whether there is an option like “keep a copy of forwarded emails” that might be turned off. If this is disabled, messages can be forwarded to another account but not kept in Outlook.com.
  1. Check blocked senders and junk settings
  • In Outlook.com/Outlook on the web, open Settings > Mail (or Options) and review Blocked senders / Block and allow and Junk Email settings.
  • Remove any legitimate senders or domains that may have been added by mistake.
  1. Confirm messages are not archived or moved
  • Check the Archive folder and any custom folders to ensure messages are not being moved there.
  • If a message is found in Archive, select it and choose Move to > Inbox.
  1. When senders see “undeliverable”
  • Since some sites report their email is returned as undeliverable, ask those senders to follow the Outlook.com sender guidance at Sender Support in Outlook.com. Their IT/admins can use the troubleshooting form there if Outlook.com is rejecting their mail.
  1. If nothing is visible anywhere
  • Review the Recent activity for the Microsoft account to ensure there is no unusual sign‑in or compromise that might have changed settings.
  • If the above checks do not resolve the issue, use Outlook.com in a browser, select Help on the menu bar, enter the issue, then scroll to Still need help? and choose Yes to reach Outlook.com support while signed in.

These steps cover the main Outlook.com causes for missing mail (filters, junk, rules, forwarding, archive) and give senders a path to resolve “undeliverable” problems on their side.

References:

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  1. Anonymous
    2026-06-18T00:42:02.95+00:00

    Hi Steve and Mary Tyrrel

    I understand how frustrating this is, especially when you're unable to receive authentication emails that are needed to access other services.

    Have you already tried the Q&A Assist suggestions? In addition, I'd like to narrow down the cause a bit further:

    1. Are all missing messages from specific websites/domains, or are you also missing emails from regular personal contacts?
    2. When a sender reports the message was undeliverable, can you ask them for the exact non-delivery report (NDR) error code or bounce message?
    3. Have you checked Settings > Mail > Forwarding and confirmed that forwarding is disabled?
    4. Approximately when did this issue start?

    In the meantime, since some senders are receiving "undeliverable" reports, one useful test is to have one of the affected senders provide the complete bounce-back message. The error code can help determine whether the message is being rejected before reaching your mailbox or failing on the sender's side.

    About contacting live chat, I'm really sorry about your experience. If you'd still like to contact Microsoft Support, you can follow these steps:

    • Visit  Contact Us - Microsoft Support 
    • Select the product or service you're having issue with.
    • Click  Get Home Support
    • Type a brief description of your issue in the search box.
    • Click Get Help  and select  Contact Support  below. 
    • Go to the Products and services tab, and choose the appropriate product.
    • On the Category tab, choose the appropriate category or an alternative option.
    • Go to  Confirm.
    • Look for and select "Chat with a support agent in your web browser" (during business hours) if available. Explain your situation clearly.

    Please kindly note that this is a public community forum, I do not have the ability, tools to unblock, recover accounts or bypass security. Only Microsoft’s official recovery process can restore access.

    Once you provide the NDR error (if available), I can help determine the next step.

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