Things to Do When Gmail Is Not Receiving Emails

Gmail is, by far, the most popular email provider in the world.

And while it works well most of the time, sometimes users notice that they are not getting emails on Gmail.

So, how do you get your inbox back on track? Here are some things to do when Gmail is not receiving emails. 

Things to try when Gmail emails are not coming through

Check your internet connection

One of the first things you should do is check your internet connection. For example, if Gmail is not receiving emails on your iPhone but receiving emails on your PC, you likely have a poor connection on your phone. 

Check the spam or trash folder

If you do have an Internet connection, check your spam folder. Google sometimes flags emails as spam and sends them directly to your spam folder. 

Sometimes it’s not Google’s fault. Virus protection software, in particular, is known for sending emails to the trash folder if it deems them dangerous.

Check the status of Google’s servers

Your Gmail might not be receiving emails because of issues with Google’s servers. It happens rarely but the company’s services occasionally go down for maintenance or due to unanticipated issues. 

If Google’s servers have gone down, it’s best to ask the sender to send the email to you again.

Click on the “All Mail” option

Gmail gives users the option to divide their inbox into two parts: a “Focused” tab and an “Others” tab. If you think that no emails are coming through Gmail, you can check the “All Mail” box, where you’ll find all of your emails, including archived and draft messages.

Update the Gmail app

 An out-of-date Gmail app might cause syncing issues and you may notice that you’re not receiving Gmail emails on your Android. You can update your Gmail app via the App Store or Google Play Store.

Try a different browser

If you haven’t located your email yet, try switching to a different browser. Gmail officially supports only four browsers, including Google Chrome, Firefox, Microsoft Edge, and Safari.

Another reason that your Gmail account is not receiving emails is that you’re using a browser with an in-built ad-blocker, VPN protection, or other add-ons, all of which can hinder Google’s services. 

Log out and back into your account

Logging out and logging back into your Gmail address can potentially solve the issue by forcing your Gmail account to sync with Google’s servers.

Check your Google account storage

Unfortunately, there is no such thing as unlimited storage. Gmail has a storage limit, which is 15 GB by default for free users,  and once you reach it, you won’t be able to receive any more emails. 

You can check your storage via your Google Drive account. If your storage is full, you’ll have to delete some messages from your inbox. Make sure you erase them from the trash folder as well.

Turn off email forwarding

Email forwarding is a convenient alternative for people who want to change their email addresses. If this gets accidentally switched on, your Gmail stopped receiving emails. 

Check Gmail filters

If you’ve set certain filters for your messages, Google might apply these settings to emails that you’re expecting in your inbox. If you’re not receiving any emails, you can double-check the filter settings to make sure you haven’t checked any boxes by mistake. 

Disable your antivirus software

Antivirus software can filter messages if it suspects that there are files that are infected.

You can check if your antivirus program is blocking messages by disabling this option or you can use the Task Manager to stop your antivirus program altogether.

Bottom Line 

Seeing your inbox empty for days can be frustrating, especially if you’re waiting for an important email from a client or potential employer. Luckily, there are plenty of things to do when Gmail is not receiving emails that are well tested and work.

If all fails, you can always reach out to Google and ask them for help.