Gmail Not Receiving Emails? 10 Fixes That Work

If Gmail has stopped receiving emails, the cause is usually one of a handful of settings: a full storage quota, a filter that’s sending mail to trash or archive, an active forwarding rule, or a problem with the sending server. This guide walks through the most common fixes in order, from quick checks to deeper settings, so you can get new messages flowing again.

What You’ll Need

Access to the Gmail account you’re troubleshooting (web browser or mobile app)
Your Gmail password (you may need to sign in again)
A device with internet access
If you use a custom domain with Google Workspace, admin access to the Google Admin console (for some fixes)

Step-by-Step

Check Gmail’s status. Before changing anything, visit the Google Workspace Status Dashboard (status.cloud.google.com) to confirm Gmail isn’t experiencing an outage. If there’s a red indicator, wait a few hours and try again.
Check your internet connection and sign out/in. A weak connection can prevent Gmail from syncing. Refresh the page, or close and reopen the app. If that doesn’t help, sign out of Gmail and sign back in.
Look in All Mail and Spam. In the left sidebar (web) or menu (app), click All Mail. If the missing emails are there, they were archived or filtered. Also open Spam and look for messages that were incorrectly flagged. If you find any, select them and click Not spam.
Check your storage quota. Go to Settings (gear icon) > See all settings > Accounts and Import > Storage. If you’re at 100%, Gmail will reject new incoming mail. Free up space by deleting large emails or attachments, or purchase more storage.
Review your filters. In Settings, go to Filters and Blocked Addresses. Look for any filter that deletes, archives, forwards, or marks as read. If a filter is too broad (e.g., matches all mail), it could be hiding your emails. Delete or edit the filter.
Check forwarding settings. In Settings > Forwarding and POP/IMAP, see if forwarding is enabled. If a copy is being forwarded elsewhere, your inbox may look empty. Disable forwarding if you don’t want it.
Review blocked senders. In Settings > Filters and Blocked Addresses, scroll to Blocked Addresses. If the sender is blocked, you won’t receive their emails. Unblock them if needed.
Check your inbox categories and tabs. If you use tabs (Primary, Social, Promotions), the email might be in a different tab. Click each tab to see if the message is there. You can also drag a message to the Primary tab to teach Gmail to sort it there.
Check for email client conflicts. If you use an email client (Outlook, Apple Mail) with POP, it might be removing messages from the server. In Gmail settings under Forwarding and POP/IMAP, disable POP access or change it to “Keep Gmail’s copy in the Inbox.”
Check your custom domain (if applicable). If you use Google Workspace with a custom domain, verify your MX records are correct in your domain registrar’s DNS settings. Also check the Google Admin console for any email routing rules that might be blocking or redirecting mail.

Common Mistakes

Assuming the email was sent. Ask the sender to confirm the message was sent to the correct address and that they didn’t get a bounce-back error.
Overlooking the “All Mail” view. Archiving is easy to do accidentally (e.g., swiping on mobile), and many users don’t realize archived mail isn’t in the Inbox.
Forgetting about the “Promotions” tab. Newsletters and receipts often land there, not in Primary.
Ignoring storage warnings. Gmail will warn you before you hit the limit, but many users ignore it until mail stops.
Changing settings without understanding them. Disabling all filters or forwarding might not be necessary; be specific about what you change.

Tips

Use the search bar in Gmail to find the missing email by sender, subject, or date. If it appears in search results, it’s in your account somewhere.
Create a filter to automatically label and skip the inbox for certain senders if you want to keep your inbox clean without losing mail.
Set up a secondary email address as a backup and occasionally send a test email to your Gmail to verify it’s working.
If you use two-factor authentication, make sure your recovery options are up to date in case you get locked out.

Troubleshooting

If you’ve tried the steps above and still aren’t receiving emails:

Test with a different sender. Have a friend send you a message from a different provider (e.g., Yahoo, Outlook). If it arrives, the issue is with the original sender’s server, not your Gmail.
Check the server logs (if you own the sending domain). If you’re expecting emails from your own domain, check the sending server’s logs for bounce messages or delays. Common errors include “mailbox full” or “greylisting.”
Try a different device or browser. Sometimes the app or browser cache causes display issues. Use incognito mode or a different phone to see if the email appears.
Check your Gmail settings for “Disable IMAP” or “Disable POP” – if you use a client, make sure the protocol is enabled.
If you’re a Workspace admin, check the Email Log Search in the Admin console to see if the message was delivered, deferred, or rejected.
If nothing works, contact Google Workspace support (for paid accounts) or use the Gmail Help Forum. For free Gmail accounts, you can report the issue via the “Send feedback” option in Gmail.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is Gmail not receiving emails but I can send them?

This usually points to a storage quota issue, a filter that’s deleting or archiving incoming mail, or a forwarding rule that sends copies elsewhere. Check those settings first.

How do I know if my Gmail is full?

Go to Settings > See all settings > Accounts and Import. You’ll see a storage bar. If it’s full, you’ll see a message that you can’t receive new mail.

Can I recover emails that were deleted by a filter?

If the filter deleted them, they may be in the Trash for up to 30 days. Go to Trash and restore them. If they were permanently deleted, they cannot be recovered.

Why are my emails going to spam?

Gmail’s spam filter may be misclassifying them. Check the Spam folder and mark the sender as “Not spam.” Also, ask the sender to add you to their contacts and ensure their email isn’t flagged as bulk.

Does Gmail have a limit on how many emails I can receive per day?

For consumer Gmail, there’s no hard limit on incoming messages, but there are sending limits (around 500 per day). For Workspace accounts, limits vary; check Google’s documentation.

What should I do if I use a custom domain and email stops?

First, check your MX records in your domain registrar. Then, log into Google Admin console and check the Email Log Search for errors. Also verify that your domain isn’t expired.

General steps for current mainstream versions; menus can differ by device and version. See the disclaimer or report an error.

More in this bed

The whole Tech How-To bed →