Email Stopped Working? How to Find and Fix the Problem
Email problems usually fall into one of four types: you cannot sign in, you cannot receive, you cannot send, or email is arriving somewhere you do not expect. Identifying which one you have is the fastest route to the fix.
The steps below apply to Gmail, Outlook, Apple Mail and email from an internet provider or your own business domain.
Start With These Checks
- Confirm you are online. Open a website to make sure the internet is working. If it is not, fix the connection first. See our guide to Wi-Fi not working.
- Try webmail in a browser. Sign in to your email through the provider website. If webmail works, your account is fine and the problem is in the email app on your device. If webmail fails too, the problem is with the account or the service.
- Check for a changed or expired password. If email stopped working right after a password change, update the saved password in your email app. Repeated password prompts are almost always an out-of-date saved password.
- Check whether the mailbox is full. A full mailbox stops new email arriving. Delete large attachments and empty the Deleted and Junk folders, or check your storage allowance with your provider.
- Look in Junk and filters. If email is missing rather than failing, check Junk or Spam, and look for a rule or filter that moves, forwards or deletes messages.
- Check for a security alert from your provider. Providers sometimes lock an account after unusual sign-in activity. Look for a notice in webmail or a security email, and follow the official recovery steps.
- Restart the app and install updates. Close and reopen the email app, restart the device, and install pending updates.
- Remove and re-add the account. If one account in an app is failing, removing and adding it again with the provider recommended settings often clears a corrupted configuration.
If You Can Receive but Not Send
Sending problems are usually caused by the outgoing (SMTP) server settings, a blocked port, or a sending limit. Messages stuck in the Outbox indicate the app cannot reach the outgoing server. Check the outgoing server name, port and sign-in settings against your provider help page.
If Your Business Email Is Going to Spam
Customers not receiving your emails, or receiving them in Junk, is often a missing or incorrect SPF, DKIM or DMARC record on your domain. These records prove your messages are genuine. We configure them as part of business email set-up.
When to Ask for Help
If you have worked through the checks and email still fails, we can look at the account and your device together over a secure remote session. Email, Outlook and Gmail configuration is one of the most common jobs we handle.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does my email keep asking for my password?
Repeated password prompts usually mean the saved password is out of date, the account has two-factor authentication that the app has not been set up for, or the provider has flagged unusual activity. Updating the password or re-adding the account normally fixes it.
Why can I send email but not receive it?
The most common causes are a full mailbox, a filter or rule diverting messages, or incorrect incoming server settings. Check webmail first. If messages are in webmail but not your app, the app settings are the cause.
Can you set up my email remotely?
Yes. We configure Outlook, Gmail, Apple Mail and business email on your own domain, on computers, phones and tablets, over a secure remote session.
Need a Hand?
If you would rather have this done for you, Grimace Remote can help remotely from Bairnsdale. The first hour is $89, and every session is backed by our No Fix, No Fee guarantee.
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Make an Enquiry
Please complete the form below, email support@grimaceremote.com.au, or text 0407 464 371. Enquiries are typically answered within a few hours during business hours, and within 24 hours outside business hours.
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