How to Fix Outlook Inbox Not Updating on Windows?

When the Outlook Inbox fails to update, users receive emails only upon clicking the update folder option under the Send/Receive tab in Outlook. You may also experience a delay in sending or receiving emails, and the search function may be slow or unresponsive.

The issue of an Outlook inbox not updating can stem from server problems, conflicts with antivirus or firewall settings, and outdated software. Other potential causes include a poor network connection, an oversized local cache, damaged or corrupted PST files, or synchronization issues between offline and online items.

Simple actions such as restarting your computer, verifying your internet connection, or relaunching Outlook can often resolve the error of the Outlook inbox not updating.

The following are some solutions that may help you address this issue:

1. Clean Up a Folder

An overloaded email inbox may lead to the Outlook Inbox not updating. Thus, cleaning up unnecessary emails or folders can free up space for new messages. Note that redundant emails are transferred to the Deleted Items folder.

1. Right-click the folder you wish to clean.
2. Select the Clean Up Folder button from the drop-down menu.

   

3. Click Clean Up Folder in the pop-up window that appears.

   

4. Confirm your action by clicking OK in the warning dialog box.

   

2. Create a New Outlook Profile

A corrupted profile could be causing the problem. Creating a new one might resolve the issue, allowing you to toggle between the old and the new account, thus updating emails and recovering any missing data.

1. Close Outlook and go to the Control Panel.
2. Find and click on Mail (Microsoft Outlook) (32-bit), then select Show Profiles.

   

3. Press Add, assign a new profile name, and click OK.

   

4. Enter your email credentials manually, including your username and password, then click Next.

   

5. Complete any additional steps as prompted, and select Finish when the account has been added.

3. Clear OST Files

Corrupt or damaged OST files can prevent your Outlook Inbox from updating. Deleting these files may alleviate the problem and create additional storage space for incoming emails.

1. Press Windows key + R to open the Run dialog.
2. Type %localappdata%\Microsoft\Outlook and hit Enter.

   

3. Locate the OST files within the Outlook folder that opens, right-click them, and select Delete.

   

4. Increase Inbox Refresh Rate

Outlook is configured by default to automatically refresh every 30 minutes when connected. During this time, it downloads incoming messages and sends any messages in your outbox. This interval might be causing your Outlook inbox not to update your emails promptly.

However, this interval might be too slow for some users. You can increase the refresh rate, but be cautious not to set it below five minutes, as Outlook could be interrupted mid-download.

1. Open Outlook and select the File tab.
2. Click on Options and then Advanced.
3. Go to the Send/Receive section.
4. In that section, adjust the settings in the Send/Receive box.

   

5. Set a preferred interval for automatic send/receive.
6. Close the dialog box and click OK to save your settings.

   

5. Enable Send Immediately Option

In Microsoft Outlook, the option to send emails immediately is crucial, as without it, emails may remain in your inbox until a set schedule. Enabling this option can rectify the issue of the inbox not updating since emails might be stuck in the outbox.

1. Open Outlook, navigate to the File tab.
2. Choose Options, and proceed to Advanced.

   

3. Find the Send and Receive section.
4. Tick the box for Send immediately when connected, and then press OK.

   

6. Verify Outlook Settings

It’s essential to ensure that email credentials and account settings are correctly configured to connect with the mailbox server and synchronize mail items.

1. Open Outlook and access the File tab.
2. Select Account Settings and choose your email account.

   

3. Click on Change.
4. Review and, if necessary, update your email information, then select Next.

   

5. Once the verification is complete, click Done.

   

7. Repair Your Microsoft Office

If Microsoft Office itself is corrupted or damaged, this could be impacting Outlook’s ability to update the inbox. Repairing Microsoft Office might solve this issue.

1. Open the Control Panel, select Programs, and then click on Uninstall a program.
2. Locate Microsoft Office in the list, and click Change.

   

3. Opt for Repair in the following window and click Continue.

   

4. Choose Quick Repair from the repair window, then click Repair.

   

5. Complete the repair process following the on-screen instructions.
6. Once finished, a message stating Done Repair should appear on the screen.

If these steps fail to correct the issue, you may seek further assistance by contacting the Microsoft Support team.