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Why you’re not receiving emails (and how to fix it)

Why you’re not receiving emails (and how to fix it)

It’s frustrating when you know someone sent you an email but it never shows up in your inbox. Whether you’re testing a new mailbox or troubleshooting a missing message, understanding why emails fail to arrive can save you hours of confusion. This guide explains the most common reasons you might not be receiving emails — and what you can do to fix them.

Start with a quick email receive test

Before diving into complex settings, run a simple email receive test using SendTestMail.com. It instantly confirms whether your inbox can accept incoming mail. You just enter your address, verify the CAPTCHA, and check if the message arrives. If it doesn’t, you’ll know the issue lies in your email setup rather than the sender.

Common reasons you’re not receiving emails

There are many causes for delivery failure, from spam filtering to DNS errors. Here are the most frequent ones:

  • The message went to your spam or junk folder.
    Modern spam filters can misclassify legitimate messages. Always check your spam, junk, or promotions folders.

  • Your inbox is full.
    Some mail services, especially on older hosting plans, have strict storage limits. Delete large attachments or old emails to free space.

  • Your MX records are misconfigured.
    If you recently changed domain providers or DNS settings, your MX records might not point to the correct mail server. Use a DNS testing tool or ask your hosting provider to verify them.

  • The sender’s IP is blocked or listed on a spam blacklist.
    This can happen if your mail server filters certain regions or networks. Check your mail logs or whitelist the sender.

  • Forwarding rules are broken or looping.
    If your email is being forwarded to another address, confirm that the target mailbox still exists and doesn’t reject incoming mail.

  • Temporary mail delivery delays.
    Some servers queue emails during high load or maintenance. Wait a few minutes and refresh your inbox.

How to troubleshoot and fix delivery problems

If you’re not receiving a test email from SendTestMail.com, follow these steps:

  1. Check your spam or junk folder first.
  2. Verify your domain’s MX records using a DNS lookup tool.
  3. Ensure your mailbox isn’t full or over quota.
  4. Temporarily disable third-party spam filters or forwarding rules.
  5. Run another test after making each change.

If the problem persists, go to the delivery status page to see whether the test email was successfully sent. This proof of delivery helps you determine if the issue is on your end or with your mail provider.

Privacy and transparency

SendTestMail.com is designed to protect your privacy while helping you troubleshoot. All email and IP data are hashed before storage, inbox contents are never logged, and the sender IP is included inside the message for transparency. You can read more about our approach in the privacy policy.

Keep your inbox working

Once your mailbox is fixed, it’s a good idea to run a test every time you change hosting, DNS, or mail forwarding settings. A quick email test ensures that messages reach you before they’re lost or filtered.

Still not sure if your inbox works? Send a test email now and verify delivery within seconds.

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