Emails disappearing

Question

Emails disappearing

Neil B 0

I am receiving a notification on my iPhone and/or Mac/Macbook saying I have received an email - when I check in outlook, the email is not there (including junk and deleted folders)

I am now exasperated as at least if I see the notification I am aware of not receiving an email - but if I don't see the notification, then I am not

I just want emails to go the right place - I have no Rules set up

I have tried 3 separate times with Microsoft to address the issue, each time being told to register an alternative query - the last one with no response for 4 days!

Help!!!

Hornblower409 14,600 Reputation points

2026-09-08T02:27:51.6233333+00:00

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2 answers

Your answer

Hornblower409 14,600 Reputation points

2026-09-08T02:27:51.6233333+00:00

If the AI Answer did not solve your problem:

Click the [No] button on the "Was this answer helpful?" or "Did this solve your problem?" bar under the answer. If there is a [Reject] button visible, click that too. This may get a human forum user to respond to your question. But human participation remains voluntary. Community members and moderators answer only those question they choose to engage with.

If that does not get you a human response, type "Not Solved" in the "Add Comment" box below and then click the [Add Comment] button. I will try to offer some suggestions on what you can do next.

Answer 1

Thomas4-N 21,530 Microsoft External Staff Moderator

Hello Neil B,

To narrow this down, could you confirm:

Which email provider is affected, such as Outlook.com, Microsoft 365, Gmail, Yahoo, or AOL?
Do the missing messages appear when you sign in directly through the provider’s webmail?
On the iPhone and Mac, are you using Outlook, Apple Mail, or both?
Can you find a missing message by searching for its sender or subject?

If the messages exist in webmail, this is likely an Outlook display or synchronization issue. If they are also missing from webmail, the cause is likely at the mailbox level, such as a rule, filter, deletion, or delivery issue.

Please remove any email addresses or other personal details before sharing screenshots.

Thomas4-N 21,530 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-09-10T15:02:43.25+00:00

Hello Neil B,

Just check in to see how things are going. Let me know if you need anything.

Answer 2

Since this is happening across iPhone, Mac, and Outlook, first determine whether the messages are missing from the mailbox itself or only from Outlook for Mac.

Check the mailbox in Outlook on the web.
- If the missing messages are visible there, the problem is likely sync or display in Outlook for Mac or on a device.
- If the messages are also missing there, the mailbox is likely moving or filtering them before Outlook for Mac shows them.
In Outlook.com, check the common places where mail is hidden:
- Other tab if Focused Inbox is enabled.
- Junk Email folder and Junk Email settings.
- Deleted Items.
- Filter > Sort > Date to make sure messages are not appearing out of order.
- Check whether email forwarding is enabled.
- Check whether any email rules exist.
Since no rules are visible, also check whether another mail app or device is affecting the mailbox.
- This is relevant because the issue appears on multiple devices.
- Temporarily turn off mail sync for the account on iPhone, then send a few test messages and watch the mailbox in webmail.
- Re-enable one device at a time to see whether one device is causing messages to move or disappear.
If the account is Outlook.com and mail is missing from the inbox, also check whether messages are being marked as junk by another email app.
- In Junk Email, if a message is there, select Report > Not junk.
- If Focused Inbox is on and the message is in Other, move it back to Focused inbox.
If the problem is only in Outlook for Mac, use the Outlook for Mac troubleshooting path.
- Start with the Outlook for Mac guided support tool.
- If the account is Exchange in Outlook for Mac, use the Exchange-specific missing mail help.
If Outlook for Mac is failing to sync because of account or connection settings, verify the account configuration:
- In Outlook for Mac, go to Tools > Accounts.
- Select the account and confirm the email address, user name, and password are correct.
- If this is a POP or IMAP account, incorrect SMTP/server settings, a blocked SMTP connection, proxy requirements, or an unavailable mail server can also cause send/receive problems.
If none of the above changes the behavior, use Outlook.com support from within Outlook.com or the Outlook.com troubleshooter.