Emails Not Showing up in Outlook – Error Resolved

Written By Kiran Sharma
Updated on June 26th, 2024

Summary: Have you ever found yourself staring at an empty inbox in Outlook? Sometimes, when users open Outlook, they encounter emails not showing up in Outlook. You keep searching for the emails and find none. However, there are many ways to resolve the issue. To know the reasons and relevant solutions, read the blog till the end. We have also suggested a professional PST File Recovery for your ease.

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Microsoft Outlook is a very popular email program. It’s the top choice for people using Microsoft Exchange, Microsoft 365, and many IMAP/POP3 email accounts. Additionally, users get multiple advanced features that enhance workflow and boost productivity. However, just like other software on Windows, Outlook also faces different problems and errors. Well, one of them is ‘Outlook not displaying email content.’ But, why is this error caused?

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Why are Emails Not Coming Through on Outlook?

There can be many reasons why are emails not showing up in Outlook. Here are some common ones:

In case, your internet is weak or not working properly.
If, Outlook view settings are changed or not set up correctly.
The Outlook mailbox is full, so new emails might not appear.
Older emails are automatically moved to an archive folder.
If the PST file is damaged or corrupted anyhow.
Outlook Auto-Archive feature is enabled.

But, you need not worry. Multiple troubleshooting solutions will help you effectively fix the error.

How to Fix- Emails Not Showing Up in Outlook?

Here are the solutions to your query ‘My emails are not showing up in Outlook’. Practice any of the given solutions according to the reason for the error to resolve it. Try each of them individually and find the method that best resolves the issue.

Check Spam/Junk Folder

Sometimes authorized and recognized emails can be mistakenly marked as spam. As a result, users face the error ‘Microsoft Outlook emails not showing up’. To restore them, follow the steps as follows:

Go to the ‘Junk Email’ folder and see if the missing emails are there.
If you find any, right-click the email and select ‘Not Junk.’

Properly Setup Email Rules

You may have rules set up that are moving emails to different folders or deleting them. So, it is needed to set the rules correctly. Follow the steps below::

Go to File > Manage Rules & Alerts and review your rules.
Disable or delete any rules that might be affecting your incoming emails.

Blocked Senders

The sender might be on your blocked sender’s list, possibly because Outlook is not displaying email content error. Therefore, follow the below-mentioned to resolve it:

Go to Settings > View all Outlook settings> Mail> Junk email.
Check the Blocked senders and domains section and remove any addresses that shouldn’t be blocked.

Create Outlook Storage Space

Your mailbox may be full. In that case, you need to make some space for new emails. Do as directed:

You need to delete unnecessary emails, especially those with large attachments.
Empty the Deleted Items and Junk Email folders.

Check for Internet Connectivity Issues

Ensure that you have a stable internet connection. Try accessing your email from a different device or network to see if the issue persists. If it does, you need to ensure your internet connectivity is stable.

Fix the Server Connection Issues

There might be an issue with the email server. Check with your email service provider or IT department if there are any known outages or maintenance activities. This might also be a cause and fixing it could be the right solution to resolve ‘Outlook emails not showing in Inbox’.

Email Account Configuration

Another possible reason can be incorrect email configuration in Outlook. To fix the Outlook error and get all emails restored, do as directed below:

Go to File > Account Settings > Account Settings and review the settings for your email account.
Ensure that all settings (incoming and outgoing server details, ports, etc.) are correct.

Are you still stuck with the Outlook emails not showing in Inbox error? No worries, we have other solutions as well.

Look for Outlook Updates

Your Outlook application might need to be updated. Follow the steps below:

Go to File > Office Account > Update Options > Update Now to ensure you have the latest updates installed.

Change the Firewall or Antivirus Settings

Sometimes firewall or antivirus software can block emails. So, temporarily disable your firewall or antivirus software and check if the emails come through. Further, ensure that Outlook has the necessary permissions.

Fix the Synchronization Issue

If your Outlook isn’t showing all emails in your Inbox, it might be due to synchronization issues between Outlook and the mail server. Follow these steps to ensure everything syncs up correctly:

Look for and click on the Send/Receive tab in the Outlook window.
Select Send/Receive All Folders, This action manually triggers Outlook to sync with the mail server.

If the issue of emails not showing up in Outlook persists, you can move to another solution mentioned further.

Disable the Auto-Archive Feature

Many users use Outlook’s auto-archive feature to manage their emails. If your email body disappears in Outlook, it might be due to this feature. To check if this is the cause and fix it, follow these steps:

Open Outlook. Click on File at the top left corner.
Next, in the File menu, choose Options.
In the Options window, click on Advanced > and then, Auto Archive Settings.
Auto Archive dialog box opens. Turn Off the auto archive feature. Then, click OK twice to save your changes.
Close and restart your Outlook account to apply the changes.
Verify if the missing emails have reappeared in your Inbox.

But, what if ‘my emails are not showing up in Outlook’ even after all these troubleshooting steps? Well, then possibly your PST file is corrupt.

Repair Corrupted PST File to Fix Emails Not Showing Up in Outlook

If you’re using a PST file, it might be corrupted. For that, Download Scanpst.exe to repair your PST file. For that, go to File Explorer and find the SCANPST.exe on your computer. Do as directed:

Navigate to one of these locations based on your Outlook version:

Outlook 2019 and 2016 – C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office16\

Outlook 2013 – C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office15\

Outlook 2010 – C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office14\

Outlook 2007 – C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office12\

Double-click SCANPST.exe to open it.
Click on Browse to select your damaged Outlook PST file.
Then, select the file and click Open.
Click Start to begin scanning the damaged file.
After the scan completes, click Repair.
As the repair is finished, a pop-up appears. Click OK.

Well, this may fix the error- emails not showing up in Outlook. However, if you are looking for a quick and easy way to recover PST files i.e., using a professional tool.

Best Tool to Resolve Microsoft Outlook Emails Not Showing Up

Download the MigrateEmails PST Recovery for instant recovery of PST files and restore Outlook emails, contacts, tasks, and more. Additionally, it offers advanced features, making it a reliable choice for retrieving corrupted Outlook data. You can choose the required recovery modes such as Standard, Advanced, and Deep depending upon the level of corruption. Further, it also allows you to save and load snapshots of recovered Outlook items as well. The application is compatible with all versions of Windows OS, ensuring broad accessibility and usability.

If you have never been familiar with any such tool, you can use the free demo version to learn how the tool works. However, you can face some limitations of the free tool, as it doesn’t allow you to save the recovered data. Therefore, purchasing the premium version is mandatory.

Conclusion

Hope, you are now able to understand the error emails not showing up in Outlook. Also, we have mentioned all possible solutions to help you get rid of the problem. However, the professional tool is the ultimate solution for your Outlook error. That will save your important emails and contacts from loss. You can first evaluate the actual cause of the error and later get it fixed accordingly.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Why are my emails not coming through on Outlook?

If your emails are not showing up in Outlook, it could be due to a few reasons:
•Check if you have a disrupted internet connection.
•There might be a problem with the email server.
•Your emails might be redirected to another folder like Spam or Junk.
•Sometimes outdated versions can cause issues.
•If Outlook Auto-Archive is turned on, it can be an issue.

These are some commonly known reasons, but other factors can be responsible as well.

Q. How do I fix missing emails in Outlook?

To resolve missing emails in Outlook, try these steps:
•Sometimes restarting Outlook can help refresh and display missing emails.
•Look in other folders like Junk, Trash, or Archive.
•Use the search box in Outlook to search for specific emails or contacts.
•Review any filters you might have applied that could be hiding emails.
•Confirm that your email account is set up to sync properly with Outlook.
•Disable the Outlook Auto-Archive feature, if it is enabled.

About The Author:

Kiran Sharma

I am Kiran Sharma, a Technical Expert in Content writing. I have technical expertise in the field of Email Backup, Data Recovery, and Email Migration, and resolve technical queries related to Cloud Backup or Email Migration for individuals and businesses.