Email not sending or receiving?
Separate an account problem from an app problem without deleting your messages.
Before removing an email account, check that your messages exist on the provider’s website and back up any local-only mail. Removing an account can remove downloaded messages from the device.
Try these steps in order
After each step, check whether the problem is fixed. You can stop as soon as it works.
Check that the internet works
Open a normal website in your browser. If it does not load, fix the connection first using our Wi-Fi guide. Restart your email app once the connection works.
Try your provider’s website
Open the email provider’s official website directly and sign in. If email works there, focus on your app. If it fails there too, check the provider’s service status and account help.
Check the missing or stuck message
For missing mail, inspect Junk, filters and any forwarding rules. For unsent mail, check the recipient address and Outbox. A large attachment can block sending: save a copy, reduce the attachment and retry.
Check your storage
A full mailbox can stop delivery. Outlook.com also depends on available Microsoft cloud storage. Review what is taking up space and save anything important before deleting it.
Reconnect securely
If your password changed, sign in again through the app’s own account settings. Follow the provider’s instructions if it requires an app password. Never share a password or one-time code with a repair company.
Check the app-specific setting
In classic Outlook, look for Working Offline or Disconnected and use Send/Receive → Work Offline to return online if needed. On iPhone or iPad, review Mail’s Fetch New Data settings; not every provider supports immediate Push delivery.
Still not working?
If webmail works but the app does not, use the official app guide below. If both fail, contact your email provider. Record the error rather than repeatedly changing settings.
Have your device, email app, provider and exact error ready. A helper should not need your password. Keep locally saved mail backed up before deeper repairs.
Official instructions
Use the instructions for your exact model and software version. These links open in a new tab.
How we chose these topics
These are five common problem areas highlighted in Which?’s August/September 2026 tech support report (opens in a new tab). We reviewed evidence published during 1 April–30 September 2026. We could not verify a complete UK search-volume ranking for that period, so these pages are an editorial selection, not a measured top five. Troubleshooting steps were checked against the official sources above.