Solutions for Outlook Can’t Receive Email but Can Send

If you’re having trouble receiving emails in Outlook but can send them just fine, don’t worry – there are several possible solutions to this frustrating issue.

Check your internet connection to make sure it’s stable and strong enough to receive emails.

Get Help with Microsoft 365 for Business

If you’re having trouble with Outlook not receiving emails but still able to send them, there are a few things you can try. First, check your email server settings to ensure they’re correct. You may also want to try restarting Outlook or your device if the problem persists. Another solution is to sort your inbox by date or sender to see if the missing emails are hiding somewhere. Additionally, check if you have cloud storage space available and if you’re experiencing any billing or account issues. If none of these fixes work, reach out to Microsoft support for further assistance.

If your outlook can’t receive email but can send, it is likely an issue with your email server settings.

Why Outlook is Not Receiving Emails

If Outlook is not receiving emails, there are a few solutions to try. First, check your inbox and spam folders for new messages. If you’re using Outlook 2003, make sure it’s updated with the latest service pack. If you’re using a Microsoft Exchange account, check with your IT department to ensure there are no server issues. If you’re using a Hotmail account, make sure you’re using the correct settings. Try deleting and re-adding the email account to Outlook, and make sure your email client is up-to-date. If you’re still having issues, contact Microsoft support for further assistance.

Proven Methods to Fix “Outlook Not Receiving Emails”

  • Check email filters to ensure incoming emails are not being redirected elsewhere
  • Check junk mail folder to ensure incoming emails are not being marked as spam
    Check email filters to ensure incoming emails are not being redirected elsewhere
Check junk mail folder to ensure incoming emails are not being marked as spam
  • If email filters or junk folder are the issue, adjust settings accordingly

Repair Method 2: Check Email Account Settings

  • Ensure email account settings are correct and up-to-date
  • Check incoming email server settings, including port numbers and authentication requirements
    Ensure email account settings are correct and up-to-date
Check incoming email server settings, including port numbers and authentication requirements
  • If settings are incorrect, update them and test email account again

Repair Method 3: Check Antivirus and Firewall Settings

  • Check antivirus and firewall settings to ensure they are not blocking incoming emails
  • Temporarily disable antivirus and firewall to test if they are the issue
    Check antivirus and firewall settings to ensure they are not blocking incoming emails
Temporarily disable antivirus and firewall to test if they are the issue
  • If antivirus or firewall are blocking incoming emails, adjust settings accordingly or seek assistance from IT support

Repair Method 4: Check Email Quota

  • Check email quota to ensure it has not been exceeded
  • If email quota has been exceeded, delete old emails or increase email storage space
    Check email quota to ensure it has not been exceeded
If email quota has been exceeded, delete old emails or increase email storage space

Repair Method 5: Check Email Server Status

  • Check email server status to ensure it is functioning properly
  • If email server is down or having issues, wait for it to come back online or contact IT support for assistance
    Check email server status to ensure it is functioning properly
If email server is down or having issues, wait for it to come back online or contact IT support for assistance


import win32com.client as win32

outlook = win32.Dispatch('Outlook.Application')
accounts = outlook.Session.Accounts
for account in accounts:
print(account.DisplayName)
print(account.SmtpAddress)

This code will print out the display name and SMTP address of all email accounts set up in Outlook. Checking these settings can help identify any issues with the email account configuration.

2. Test the email account connection:

import imaplib

mail = imaplib.IMAP4_SSL('imap.gmail.com')
mail.login('email_address', 'password')
mail.select('inbox')

This code creates an IMAP4_SSL connection to the email server and logs in with the email address and password provided. If the connection is successful, it selects the inbox folder. This can help identify any network or server issues that may be preventing Outlook from receiving emails.

3. Reset the Outlook profile:

import os

outlook_path = os.path.join(os.environ['LOCALAPPDATA'], 'Microsoft\Outlook')
os.system('outlook.exe /resetnavpane')

This code resets the Outlook navigation pane, which can help resolve issues with the Outlook profile. It uses the Outlook executable located in the default installation path to perform the reset.

Check the Junk Folder

If you can send emails but can’t receive them in Outlook, check your Junk Folder. Sometimes messages get filtered there by mistake. To access the Junk Folder, follow these steps:

1. Open Outlook and go to your Inbox.
2. Look for the Junk Folder on the left-hand side of the screen, under your other folders.
3. Click on the Junk Folder to see if any messages are there.
4. If you find messages that you were expecting in your Inbox, right-click on them and select “Mark as Not Junk” to move them back.

If this doesn’t solve the problem, there may be other reasons why you can’t receive emails. Check your email server settings, billing, and other factors that may affect your account. You may also want to try other methods to fix the problem, such as sorting your emails or using cloud storage.

Check Internet Connection and Outlook Service

To check your internet connection, try opening a website in your browser. If the website loads properly, your internet connection is working. To check your Outlook service, try sending an email to yourself. If the email sends successfully, your Outlook service is working. If you can’t receive emails but can send them, try the following solutions:

1. Check your spam folder to make sure the emails aren’t being filtered there.
2. Check your email filters to make sure they aren’t blocking the incoming emails.
3. Check your email forwarding settings to make sure the emails aren’t being forwarded to another address.
4. Make sure your email account is properly set up in Outlook.
5. Check your email server settings to make sure they are correct.
6. If you use Microsoft Exchange, make sure your mailbox is not full.
7. If you use the Apple Mail app, try deleting and re-adding your email account.
8. If you use Outlook 2003, make sure you have the latest updates installed.
9. If you’re receiving duplicate emails, make sure you don’t have multiple copies of your email account set up in Outlook.
10. If you’re using a Hotmail account, make sure you’re using the correct domain in your email settings.

Note: If you suspect your account has been hacked, contact your email provider immediately. If emails are stuck in your outbox, try restarting Outlook or your device.

Check Inbox for Fullness

Check your inbox for fullness if you’re unable to receive emails in Outlook but can still send them. A full inbox can prevent new emails from arriving. To free up space, delete any unwanted and unnecessary emails and empty your trash folder. Additionally, make sure that your email server isn’t experiencing any issues. You can check this by logging in to your email provider’s website or contacting their support team. If you’re still experiencing issues, try restarting your Outlook application or device. Another solution is to check your email filters and rules to ensure that they’re not automatically moving incoming emails to another folder. Lastly, check your outbox for any duplicate emails that may be blocking new messages. By following these steps, you should be able to resolve the issue and receive your emails in Outlook.

Move Emails to Other Folders

To move emails to other folders in Outlook, simply select the email you want to move and click on the “Move” button located on the Home tab. Choose the folder you want to move the email to and click on it. You can also right-click the email and select “Move to Folder” to choose the folder you want to move it to. If you have multiple copies of the same email in your inbox, select all of them and move them to a new folder to avoid clutter. If you are using the Apple Mail app, drag and drop the email to the desired folder. These simple steps will help you organize your emails and keep your inbox clutter-free.

Reset Inbox Filter

To reset your inbox filter in Outlook, follow these steps:

1. Open Outlook and click on the “View” tab in the top menu.

2. Select “View Settings” and then click on “Filter Email”.

3. Click on the “Clear All” button to remove any existing filters.

4. Click “OK” to save your changes.

Note: If you are still experiencing issues with receiving emails, try checking your email server settings or contacting your email provider for support. It may also be helpful to check your spam or junk folder, as emails may be getting filtered there.

Check Blocked Users List

  • Open Outlook: Launch the Outlook application on your computer.
  • Go to File: Click on the “File” option located in the top left corner of the screen.
    Open Outlook: Launch the Outlook application on your computer.
Go to File: Click on the "File" option located in the top left corner of the screen.
  • Select Options: Click on “Options” from the dropdown menu.
  • Click on Mail: On the left-hand side of the screen, click on “Mail.”
  • Choose Junk Email: From the options available, select “Junk Email.”
  • Click on Blocked Senders: Under the “Junk Email” section, click on “Blocked Senders.”
    Choose Junk Email: From the options available, select "Junk Email."
Click on Blocked Senders: Under the "Junk Email" section, click on "Blocked Senders."
  • Check for Blocked Email Addresses: Look for any email addresses or domains that may be blocked and causing the issue of not receiving emails.
  • Remove Blocked Addresses: If you find any blocked email addresses or domains, remove them from the list by selecting them and clicking on the “Remove” button.
  • Restart Outlook: Close and reopen Outlook to ensure the changes take effect.

Get Rid of Outlook Rules

If Outlook can send but not receive emails, it might be due to rules that are blocking incoming messages. To get rid of Outlook rules, follow these steps:

1. Go to the Home tab in Outlook and select Rules > Manage Rules & Alerts.
2. Choose the rule you want to delete and click Delete.
3. Repeat step 2 for all rules you want to remove.

If this doesn’t fix the problem, check other factors such as email servers, domain settings, and sender information. It’s also important to ensure that Microsoft Office is updated and not hacked. By addressing these issues, you can resolve the “can’t receive email but can send” error in Outlook and get back to using your email client as usual.

Clear Multiple Connected Accounts

Clear Multiple Connected Accounts
Problem: Outlook can send email but can’t receive email
Solution: Clear multiple connected accounts
Steps:
  1. Open Outlook and go to File > Account Settings > Manage Profiles
  2. Click on “Email Accounts”
    Open Outlook and go to File > Account Settings > Manage Profiles
Click on "Email Accounts"
  3. Check if there are multiple connected accounts
  4. If there are, select the account you want to remove and click “Remove”
  5. Repeat step 4 for all other connected accounts
  6. Restart Outlook and test if you can receive email now
    Repeat step 4 for all other connected accounts
Restart Outlook and test if you can receive email now

Unblock a Blocked Account

If your Outlook account can send but not receive emails, it may be due to a blocked account. To unblock it, follow these steps:

1. Go to your Outlook account and sign in.
2. Click on the “File” tab and select “Account Settings” from the drop-down menu.
3. Choose the account that is blocked and click on “Change”.
4. Click on “More Settings” and select the “Advanced” tab.
5. Under “Delivery”, check if the “Leave a copy of messages on the server” is selected.
6. If not, select it, and then click on “OK”.
7. Close and reopen Outlook to check if the account is unblocked and receiving emails.

If these steps do not work, contact your email server provider for further assistance.

Check Automatic Refresh Option

To check the automatic refresh option in Outlook, follow these steps:

1. Open Outlook and click on the “Send/Receive” tab on the top menu bar.
2. Select “Send/Receive Groups” and then click on “Define Send/Receive Groups”.
3. From the options available on the left side, choose the account you want to modify.
4. Under the “Setting for group ‘All Accounts'” section, check the box next to “Schedule an automatic send/receive every” and set the desired time interval.
5. Click “Close” and then “OK” to save the changes.

By enabling this option, Outlook will automatically check for new emails at the specified intervals, ensuring that you receive all incoming messages without any delays. This simple fix can help resolve issues where you can send emails but cannot receive them in Outlook.

Verify Account Settings

To verify your account settings in Outlook, go to the “File” menu and select “Account Settings.” Ensure that your email address and password are entered correctly and that your incoming and outgoing mail servers are correct. Double-check your incoming server settings by clicking “More Settings,” selecting the “Advanced” tab, and checking the port number and encryption method. If your settings are correct and you’re still unable to receive emails, try restarting Outlook or your device. You could also try sending a test email to yourself or checking your email on a different device to ensure the issue isn’t with your email provider. If none of these fixes work, it’s best to contact your email provider for further assistance.

Disable Anti-virus or Firewall Application

To troubleshoot the issue of Outlook not receiving emails, try disabling your anti-virus or firewall application. These applications can sometimes interfere with incoming mail. To disable your anti-virus, follow these steps:

1. Open your anti-virus application
2. Look for the option to disable the software
3. Disable the software temporarily

To disable your firewall, follow these steps:

1. Open the Start menu
2. Search for “Firewall”
3. Click on “Windows Defender Firewall”
4. Click on “Turn Windows Defender Firewall on or off”
5. Select “Turn off Windows Defender Firewall” for both private and public networks

Note: Remember to re-enable your anti-virus and firewall applications once the issue is resolved. If disabling these applications doesn’t work, try the other solutions in this guide.

Fix “Outlook Not Sending Emails But Receiving”

  • Check internet connection and firewall settings.
  • Verify that the SMTP settings are correct.
    Check internet connection and firewall settings.
Verify that the SMTP settings are correct.
  • Refresh your Outlook by restarting the application.
  • Ensure that the Outbox folder is empty.
  • Disable any add-ins that may interfere with email sending.
  • Make sure that the email account is not over its storage limit.
  • Try deleting and recreating the email account in Outlook.
  • Run a virus scan on your computer to check for any malware or viruses.
Scroll to Top