Using Classic Outlook on Windows for personal email, calendar, and contact management
To check whether emails are still on the server, first identify the account type in Outlook:
- Open Outlook.
- Go to File > Info > Account Settings.
- In the Account Settings window, check the Type column.
What this means:
- Exchange or IMAP: email is stored on the server, so messages may still be available there.
- POP: email is downloaded to the computer and may be removed from the server after download unless Leave a copy of messages on the server was enabled.
If the account is POP3, check whether Outlook was set to keep mail on the server:
- In Outlook, go to File > Account Settings > Account Settings.
- Select the POP3 account and choose Change.
- Select More Settings > Advanced.
- Check whether Leave a copy of messages on the server is enabled.
If the account is Exchange and not using Microsoft 365 email, or if the server settings are needed to connect and check mail on the server:
- Sign in to the account using Outlook Web App.
- In Outlook Web App, select Settings > Mail > POP and IMAP.
- Review the POP3, IMAP4, and SMTP server names and settings listed there.
If the account uses a provider such as Gmail or Yahoo, the provider must be contacted for help accessing server-side mail. If it is a work or school Microsoft 365 or Exchange-based account, the Microsoft 365 admin or technical support should be contacted.