Email Not Syncing on Computer or Phone

Email sync issues are almost always caused by one of three things: a wrong account setting, a full mailbox quota, or a connection problem between your device and the mail server.

Step-by-step fix

1. 1
   Remove and re-add the email account

   In Outlook: File → Account Settings → select the account → Remove, then add it fresh. On iPhone: Settings → Mail → Accounts → select account → Delete Account, then re-add under Add Account. This refreshes authentication without losing saved emails.
2. 2
   Check your mailbox storage quota

   Log into your email through a web browser (webmail). Most providers show storage usage in Settings. If you're at 95%+ capacity, new emails stop syncing. Delete old large attachments or empty the Trash and Spam folders to free space.
3. 3
   Update your email app password

   If you recently changed your email password, every app and device needs the new one. Go to account settings in each app and update the password. On iPhone, iOS will usually prompt you — but sometimes you have to go to Settings → Mail → Accounts → your account → re-enter credentials.
4. 4
   Check sync settings

   In Outlook, go to Send/Receive → Send/Receive Groups → make sure 'Schedule an automatic send/receive every X minutes' is checked. On mobile, go to the email app settings and make sure sync is set to 'Every 15 minutes' or 'Push' rather than 'Manual'.
5. 5
   Verify server settings

   Contact your email host or IT provider for the correct IMAP/SMTP server addresses, ports, and SSL settings. A single wrong digit in the port number (e.g. 993 vs 995) will silently break sync. IMAP port 993 with SSL and SMTP port 587 with STARTTLS are standard for most providers.