How-To

How to Fix Outlook Not Syncing

By Brian Burgess

Updated October 1, 2023

When you don’t get email in a timely manner, it can cause problems. If Outlook isn’t syncing, fix the problem using this guide.

You don’t get your emails promptly if Microsoft Outlook doesn’t sync correctly. If this is happening to you, you’ll need to troubleshoot and fix Outlook not syncing on your device.

There are various reasons why Outlook doesn’t sync correctly. First, you might have a poor internet connection or no data connection at all. The problem could also reside within the app itself.

To troubleshoot this Outlook problem, follow the steps below.

Verify Internet Connection

Your internet connection is the first place you should look when not getting your messages. Whether it’s Ethernet, Wi-Fi, or mobile data connectivity—if you don’t have a connection, you won’t be able to send or receive emails.

One straightforward way to test your connection is to launch a browser and see if you can reach another site. Also, if the page loads, you can double-check your connection using a service like SpeedTest.net to ensure you get the proper speed and ping rate.

Of course, if there isn’t a connection, you can check cables, reboot the router and/or modem, and restart your device.

For example, if you’re on your mobile, you could be stuck between Wi-Fi and a data connection. Open your device settings and only use the one with the best connectivity if this is the case.

Check Offline Mode in Outlook

Another reason Outlook isn’t syncing could be the Work Offline mode is enabled. Offline mode allows you to work with your emails without an internet connection.

It’s easily accessible, and possible to turn it on inadvertently.

To disable Outlook’s offline mode:

1. Open the Outlook app.
2. Click the Send / Receive tab at the top.
3. Under the Preferences section, toggle off the Work Offline button.

Manually Update Your Outlook Emails

If the automatic sync feature doesn’t work, you can make Outlook update your inbox manually.

To manually update your Outlook inbox:

1. Open the Outlook app.
2. Click the Send / Receive tab at the top of the ribbon.
3. Click the Send/Receive All Folders button.

So, here, provided you have a connection to the internet, Outlook will sync all your folders and messages. But if emails continue not to sync automatically, use one of the following options.

Manage Sorting Options in Outlook

Outlook will put new emails at the top of your inbox by default. However, if the sorting settings are wrong, older emails may appear at the top instead. So, in that case, you might think Outlook is not syncing.

To fix email sorting options in Outlook:

1. Open Outlook to your Inbox.
2. Click the By Date option at the top of your email list.
3. Select Date under the Arrange by section of the menu.
4. In the Sort section, ensure the Newest of Top option is selected.

Repair Your Outlook Email Account Settings

If problems with your account prevent Outlook from syncing, you can repair your email account. The repair option can automatically detect issues and fix them.

To repair email account in Outlook:

1. Open Outlook.
2. Click the File tab at the top and select Info in the left column.
3. Click the Account Settings dropdown and select Account Settings from the menu.
4. Select the problematic email account, click the Repair button, and follow the onscreen wizard instructions.
   Note: If connected to Exchange Server, the Repair option will not be available.

Check for Blocked Senders in Outlook

If you aren’t getting emails from a specific sender, you may have inadvertently blocked them. To verify a person’s email address isn’t blocked,  you can check over your Blocked Senders list.

To check for blocked senders in Outlook:

1. Launch Outlook and select the Home tab.
2. Click the Junk dropdown in the Delete section of the ribbon.
3. Select Junk E-mail Options from the menu.
4. When the Junk Email Options window appears, scan through the address to ensure a needed contact isn’t listed.
5. To unblock an address, highlight the email address, click the Remove button, and click OK.

Update the Outlook App

Updating apps for security, features, and bug fixes is important, like your operating system. So, you want to ensure the Office 365 suite of apps is updated.

If you have a problem with Outlook not syncing, it could be due to a software bug, and an update may resolve the issue.

To update the Outlook app:

1. Launch Outlook on your desktop.
2. Click the File tab and choose Office Account in the lower left corner of the sidebar.
3. Click the Update Options dropdown and select the Update Now option.

Wait while Office checks for and installs any available updates. Note that you need to save your work in other Office apps to begin an update process. Once complete, restart Outlook and see if the syncing issue is resolved.

Clear Outlook App Cache

Clearing the app cache on your phone improves app performance and fixes problems. The same holds true for your desktop browsers and the Outlook desktop app.

After an extended period, the cache of history files builds up and can become corrupt, causing sync issues.

To clear the Outlook app cache:

1. Press Windows key + R to launch the Run dialog window.
2. Type in the following path and click OK or press Enter:

   %localappdata%\Microsoft\Outlook\RoamCache

   

3. Press Ctrl + A to select all files in the RoamCache folder and press Delete.

Note: Deleting the cache files doesn’t delete any account data, but it’s a best practice to back them up before deleting. You will then be able to restore them if needed.

Repair the Outlook App

If you continue to have problems with Outlook not syncing, you can use Office’s built-in repair tool to fix all apps in the productivity suite, including Outlook.

For step-by-step instructions, check out our Microsoft Office Repair guide.

Getting Your Emails Quickly

When you don’t get your emails promptly, it can be frustrating. However, you can fix Outlook not syncing using one of the above steps. Remember, you can always manually check for new emails by clicking the Send/Receive All Folders button under the Send / Receive tab.

Of course, there are other features in Outlook you may need to use. For example, you might want to find and delete an email by date or make an important email stand out in Outlook.

If you work out of the email app all day, you might be interested in tips for boosting your Outlook productivity. And sometimes you need a physical copy of important messages. In that instance, you can print email from Outlook from the desktop or your phone.