cannot receive mails, but i can send mail

Linda M. Wood 0 Reputation points
2026-09-18T21:16:28.9233333+00:00

i can send emails but i get non in my inbox

junk mails come thru just fine

i need to get my mail for business

Outlook | Windows | Classic Outlook for Windows | For business

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  1. AI answer

    2026-09-18T21:16:45.1966667+00:00

    Since sending works but inbox mail does not arrive while junk mail still does, focus on filtering and mailbox-side issues first.

    1. Check Outlook on the web.
      • If new mail appears there, the problem is likely with Classic Outlook sync/profile.
      • If new mail does not appear there either, the messages are likely being filtered, forwarded, deleted, or never reaching the mailbox.
    2. Check mailbox rules.
      • In Outlook on the web, go to Settings > Mail > Rules.
      • Make sure no rule is moving, deleting, or redirecting incoming mail.
    3. Check forwarding.
      • In Outlook on the web, verify forwarding is turned off unless it is intentionally configured.
    4. Check Junk Email and Deleted Items.
      • If valid messages are in Junk, move them back and mark them as not junk.
    5. Check message sorting and filters.
      • In Outlook.com, restore the message list to chronological order with Filter > Sort > Date.
      • Also check the Other tab if applicable.
    6. Check mailbox storage.
      • If Microsoft cloud storage is full, mail cannot be sent or received, and messages sent during that time are bounced back and are unrecoverable.
    7. If this is only happening in Classic Outlook for Windows:
      • Remove and re-add the account to force a resync.
      • Rebuild the .ost file: close Outlook, open Run, enter %LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft\Outlook\, delete the file for the mailbox, then restart Outlook. This forces Outlook to download mailbox data again.
    8. If mail is missing in Outlook on the web too, ask the Microsoft 365 admin to run a message trace.
      • This helps confirm whether messages reached Exchange Online or were blocked before delivery.

    Because this is a business mailbox, if Outlook on the web also does not receive the missing messages after checking rules, forwarding, Junk, Deleted Items, and storage, the next step is admin investigation with message trace.

    References:

    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

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  2. Ryan-N 16,005 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
    2026-09-18T21:28:35.27+00:00

    Hi Linda,

    Welcome to the Microsoft Q&A forum.

    Based on your description, you can send emails, but you are unable to receive them.

    You can try the following steps to troubleshoot and resolve the issue:

    1. Check Outlook on the web

    Please check whether the issue also occurs when you use Outlook on the web. This can help determine whether the problem is related to the Outlook desktop application.

    1. Try creating a new Outlook profile

    You can try creating a new Outlook profile by following these steps:

    Step 1: Completely close Outlook.

    Step 2: Open Control Panel > Mail (Microsoft Outlook).

    Step 3: Select Show Profiles > Add, and then create a new profile.

    Step 4: After creating the new profile, select Always use this profile, and then select the newly created profile.

    Step 5: Open Outlook again and check whether the issue still occurs.

    You can refer to the following documentation for more information about how to create a new Outlook profile:

    Create a profile in classic Outlook for Windows | Microsoft Support

    1. Check the Junk Email folder

    You mentioned that junk emails are still being received normally. Could you please clarify whether the emails you are expecting from the senders are being moved to the Junk Email folder, or whether only regular junk emails, such as promotional emails, are being delivered to this folder?

    Additionally, please check whether there are any rules automatically moving emails from these senders to the Junk Email folder or another folder.

    1. Check with the sender

    It is also possible that the issue is not on your side but on the sender's side. If there is an issue with the sender's email system or DNS configuration, their emails may not be successfully delivered to your email address.

    Please contact the sender and ask them to verify whether their emails were sent successfully. If they received a non-delivery report or any error message, you can share the error details so that we can better identify the cause.

     I hope this information is helpful.

    If you have any questions or need further assistance, please feel free to share them in the comments on this post so I can continue to support you.

    I look forward to continuing the conversation.

    If the answer is helpful, please click "Yes" and kindly upvote it.

    Note: Please follow the steps in our documentation to enable e-mail notifications if you want to receive the related email notification for this thread.  

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