**Meta Description:** Learn how to fix **hotmail account not receiving emails - Microsoft Q&A** with step-by-step verified solutions.
If your **Hotmail account not receiving emails – Microsoft Q&A** concerns have brought you here, you are not in a unique situation. Many Outlook/Hotmail users experience sudden delivery issues where emails fail to appear in their inbox. The good news? Pretty much all of these issues can be fixed by making some simple adjustments.
Here is the complete guide, based on knowledge from the Microsoft Q&A community and real-world troubleshooting steps.
When Hotmail is not receiving emails, the issue usually occurs before the message hits your inbox. It may be filtered, delayed, or blocked altogether. Users will often report:
* Missing emails from specific contacts
* Emails going directly to junk or deleted
* Not receiving verification codes
* Delays or intermittent delivery
Hotmail has multiple layers of spam filtering, rules for the mailbox, and security. It takes just one setting being wrong and emails get misrouted.
How Hotmail's Mail Flow Works
Before fixing the issue, it helps to understand the path incoming mail takes:
1. Your sender's email server sends the message.
2. Outlook servers at Microsoft scan for spam, phishing, or policy violations.
3. The email is sorted by rules, filters, and inbox categories.
4. The message is either received or rejected by your mailbox.
If any one step fails, the email won’t appear.
Spam & Junk Folder Misclassification
Hotmail's filters may misinterpret messages as suspicious.
Inbox Rules Redirecting or Deleting Mail
Automatically created rules - sweep rules may move messages away.
Blocked Senders List
Hotmail sometimes adds addresses to this list automatically.
Step 1 – Check Junk, Deleted and Other Folders
Hotmail often redirects legitimate emails into
* **Junk Email
* **Deleted Items
* **Archive**
* **Clutter / Other Inbox** (if Focused Inbox is on)
In order to correct this:
1. Open Outlook.com
2. Go to the **Junk Email** folder
3. If messages appear, select **Not Junk** to train the system
4. Check **Deleted Items** and restore anything misfiled
5. Turn off **Focused Inbox** so all your mail is in one place
This step itself solves most of the user complaints.
Step 2 – Clear and Adjust Inbox Filters
Emails can be hidden by filters like "Unread only," "From last week," or "Attachments only."
Go to **Filter > Sort > Reset Filters**.
Step 3 – Review Outlook/Hotmail Rules
Go to:
Settings → Mail → Rules
Kill any:
* Move actions
- Delete rules
* Rules classification
* Sweep automations
These may override normal delivery.
Step 4 – Check Blocked Contacts and Safe Senders
If a contact is blocked, then messages will never reach the inbox.
Go to: **Settings → Mail → Junk Email **
Remove e-mail addresses under **Blocked Senders**.
Add trusted emails under **Safe Senders.
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Step 5 – Check Your Hotmail Storage Limit
If your mailbox is full, Hotmail stops receiving new mail.
Delete large attachments or empty folders like
* Sent Items
* Junk Email
* Deleted Items
Step 6 – Disable Email Forwarding
Forwarding to another inbox might cause:
* Delays
* Duplicates
The types of problems that can arise during message transmission are: * Complete delivery failure
Turn it off under **Mail → Forwarding**.
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Step 7 – Verify Outlook / Hotmail Server Status
Sometimes, the problem is not with your account but with Microsoft.
Check the official service page:
[https://status.office.com](https://status.office.com) (external link)
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Search for your issue or ask a question. The Microsoft Q&A platform provides:
* Expert answers
* Community insights
* Real solutions shared by other users
Problems with Configurations of SMTP and IMAP Clients
Apps like iPhone Mail or Thunderbird may have outdated credentials.
Security Lockouts
Microsoft may suspend delivery based upon suspicious sign-ins.
Organize your inbox once a week.
* Keep filters and folders simple
* Update recovery phone and backup email
* Rules reviewed annually
User reported insights include:
Disable antivirus email filtering
* Re-add your account in apps
* Remove old connected accounts
**1. Why is my Hotmail not receiving emails? Most often, this is because of filters, rules, or blocked senders.
**2. Why am I not getting password reset emails? Check Junk and unblock noreply addresses.
**3. Why does Hotmail automatically delete emails? This is usually due to sweep rules or filters.
4. Can email delivery be stopped by a full inbox? Yes — Hotmail doesn't receive new mail when storage is at maximum.
5. What if only one sender can't email me? Check whether they have been inadvertently blocked.
6. Does Microsoft Q&A provide official fixes? Yes—verified Microsoft engineers and MVPs respond there.
Conclusion** These problems with **hotmail account not receiving emails – Microsoft Q&A** can be fixed just by making a few simple adjustments to Junk settings, clearing out rules, unblocking senders, and checking storage limits. With these troubleshooting steps, your inbox should return to normal in no time.
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