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How to Fix Outlook Desktop App Not Receiving New Emails While Webmail Works Fine

Microsoft 365 & Office KB-891

Summary

This guide helps you troubleshoot and resolve: How to Fix Outlook Desktop App Not Receiving New Emails While Webmail Works Fine. Follow the steps below to fix the issue.

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Common Causes

If your Outlook desktop app is no longer receiving new emails, but messages are arriving normally when you log into webmail (Outlook on the web), the issue is usually a local sync problem rather than an account or server issue. This guide will help you restore email flow in Outlook for Windows or Mac.

Quick Fix Steps

  1. Restart the Outlook desktop application.
  2. Check your internet connection by opening a website in your browser.
  3. Press F9 (Windows only) to manually send and receive. On Mac, there is no default keyboard shortcut; use the Send/Receive button instead.
  4. Check the bottom status bar of Outlook. If it shows Disconnected, Working Offline, or Trying to connect, proceed to the detailed steps below.

Detailed Instructions

1. Switch from Offline to Online Mode (Windows and Mac)

Outlook may be set to work offline, which prevents new emails from downloading.

Windows

  1. Open Outlook.
  2. Go to the Send/Receive tab on the ribbon.
  3. Look for the Work Offline button. If it is highlighted or pressed in, click it to disable offline mode.
  4. Wait a few moments and check if new emails arrive.

Mac

  1. Open Outlook.
  2. Select Outlook > Work Offline from the menu bar to toggle offline mode.
  3. Wait a few moments and check if new emails arrive.

2. Repair Your Email Account Profile (Windows Only)

Account settings can occasionally become corrupted, stopping synchronisation. This repair option applies to POP/IMAP accounts; Exchange and Microsoft 365 accounts are repaired differently or may require profile recreation.

  1. Select File > Account Settings > Account Settings.
  2. Choose your email account from the list and click Repair.
  3. Follow the prompts to let Outlook diagnose and fix the account configuration.
  4. Restart Outlook when the repair finishes.
On Mac, go to Outlook > Settings > Accounts, select your account, and check the account details for errors. There is no built-in repair button for Exchange/Microsoft 365 accounts on Mac.

3. Update Outlook

Outdated software can cause sync issues with Microsoft 365 servers.

Windows

  1. In Outlook, select File > Office Account (or Account).
  2. Click Update Options > Update Now.
  3. Install any available updates and restart Outlook.

Mac

  1. Open the App Store.
  2. Go to Updates.
  3. Install any pending updates for Microsoft Outlook.

4. Create a New Outlook Profile (Windows Only)

If your Outlook profile is damaged, creating a new one often resolves persistent receive issues.

  1. Close Outlook completely.
  2. Open the Windows Control Panel and search for Mail.
  3. Click Show Profiles.
  4. Click Add, enter a name for the new profile, and follow the prompts to set up your email account.
  5. Select Always use this profile, choose your new profile from the dropdown, and click OK.
  6. Open Outlook and test email reception.
Creating a new profile will not delete your emails stored on the server, but any local signatures, rules, or custom view settings will need to be recreated. Refer to our guides on Managing Email Signatures in Outlook and Organizing Emails with Rules and Alerts in Outlook to restore those settings.
On Mac, profiles are managed differently. If issues persist on Mac, try removing and re-adding the account via Outlook > Settings > Accounts.

Troubleshooting

Outlook Still Shows "Disconnected" or "Trying to Connect"

Only One Folder Is Not Updating

Emails Are Delayed but Eventually Arrive

Related Articles

If you have tried all the steps above and Outlook is still not receiving new emails, Open a Ticket with our Brisbane support team for further assistance.

Still Having Issues?

Need more help? If the issue persists after trying these steps, please open a support ticket and our team will assist you.

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