Home > Empowering Tips > Why Didn’t I Receive That Email? Simple Troubleshooting Tips

If you’ve ever waited for an important email that never arrived, you know how frustrating it can be. Whether it’s a password reset, a job offer, or a client’s reply — not receiving it can leave you feeling stuck. The good news? Most email issues are easy to fix. Here’s a simple guide to what might have gone wrong and how you can get things working again.

Common Reasons Emails Don’t Reach You

1. The Email Was Sent to the Wrong Address

Even a small typo (like john.tan@ instead of john.tang@) will cause the email to be undeliverable or end up in someone else’s inbox.

How to Fix: Double-check with the sender. Ask them to copy and paste your correct address before resending.

2. The Email was Marked as Spam

Most email services automatically try to protect you from junk mail by sending suspicious messages to the Spam or Junk folder. But sometimes, even legitimate emails get filtered by mistake.

How to Fix:

• Check your Spam or Junk folder.
• If you find the email there, click “Not Junk” or “Not Spam” to move it to your inbox.
• Request your administrator to whitelist the sender, or add the sender to your Address Book to help prevent this in the future.

3. The Email Was Moved by a Filter or Rule

Email filters (also called “rules”) can automatically sort your emails into folders. For example, you might have a rule that moves all invoices into a folder called “Billing”.

How to Fix:

• Check all folders, including Promotions, Updates, or any custom folders you’ve created.
• Try searching for the sender’s name or subject.
• Review your filter or rule settings in your webmail or email app, and update or remove any that could be causing the issue.

4. Your Inbox Is Full

Yes, it’s possible! When you email storage reaches its limit, your mailbox can’t receive new messages — they might bounce back to the sender or get delayed.

How to Fix:

• Delete old emails, especially ones with large attachments.
• Empty your Trash or Deleted Items folder to free up space.
• Consult your email administrator to increase your email storage space.

5. Your Internet Connection Is Interrupted

Without a stable connection, your device can’t sync with the mail server to fetch new emails.

How to Fix:

• Check if your internet connection is working by visiting a website.
• Try switching between Wi-Fi and mobile data, or reconnecting to your network.

6. You Have Blacklisted the Sender

Most email systems let you block specific email addresses or domains to stop unwanted messages. But it’s also possible to accidentally block someone you actually want to hear from.

How to Fix:

• Check your blacklisted senders list in your webmail or email app settings.
• If you see the sender there, remove or unblock them.
• After unblocking, ask the sender to resend the email.

7. Temporary Server Delays

Sometimes, email servers are just experiencing delays or undergoing maintenance. This is rare but can cause emails to arrive late.

How to Fix:

• Wait a few minutes and refresh your inbox.
• If the delay continues, check with your email provider or support for updates.

8. The Email Was Never Sent

In some cases, the sender might think they sent the message, but forgot to hit send, or their own system encountered an error.

How to Fix: Simply ask them to resend and confirm the email was actually sent.

Preventing Email Delivery Issues in the Future

Here are a few simple habits that can help prevent missing important emails:

• Add Key Contacts to Your Address Book: This helps your email provider recognize trusted senders. If you are using Lookafter Email Services, find the steps here.
• Check Spam Regularly: Scan your spam or junk folder occasionally to catch any emails that were wrongly flagged.
• Clear Out Old Emails: Avoid hitting your storage limit by deleting emails you no longer need, especially those with large attachments.
• Use Webmail as a Backup: If your email app isn’t showing new emails, try logging in through your web browser to check your inbox directly.
• Whitelist Trusted Domains: If your provider allows it, mark the entire domain (like @yourbank.com) as safe (See whitelisting domains using Global Email Rules).

Final Thoughts

Most email delivery problems are simple to fix once you know where to look. With a few checks — and sometimes a little help — you can find those missing messages and make sure it doesn’t happen again.

If you’re using Lookafter Email Hosting, you can contact our support team for help with checking your inbox, settings, and filters. We’re here to make sure your messages reach you.