Gmail is one of the most used email services among users all over the world. While the email service is reliable and doesn’t run into issues frequently, however, like other email services, it is also vulnerable to some common issues like not receiving emails. If you are also facing issues receiving emails in your Gmail account, you can follow the workarounds suggested below.
Guide to Fix “Gmail Not Receiving Emails” Problem
- Check the Status of Google Servers
Although it is quite rare that you may find Google’s server status going down due to maintenance or unforeseen conditions, it is still suggested to check Google’s Workspace Status (https://www.google.com/appsstatus#hl=en&v=status). Visiting this page will help you to know if Gmail is currently down or was down recently. In case you find that Google’s servers were temporarily down, then it could be the reason that your email was not handled properly. In such a case, it is recommended to request the sender to resend the email back to you.
- Send Yourself A Test Email
Another basic step that you should consider to ensure that Gmail is working properly is sending two test messages to your Gmail account (one message from your Gmail account and another from a non-Gmail account). If you receive the message as usual from both email accounts as expected, skip to the next solution. However, if you don’t receive the message from one or both of the email services, check your email account (from which you sent the message) for the bounced back notification. These bounced back messages will help you know the reason for failed delivery of a message.
- Check The Spam Folder
As Gmail takes the security of your email account strictly, Google may sometimes filter some of the genuine emails from a sender as spam and move them to the Spam folder instead of the Inbox folder. So, if the sender confirms that email from his/her side has been successfully sent but you haven’t received it in your Inbox folder, consider checking the Spam folder of your Gmail account. However, it is to be noted that emails in the Spam or Trash folder are kept for only 30 days. If it has been more than 30 days, you will need to request the sender to again send the message.
Moreover, you can also check the Trash folder to ensure that the message was not accidentally deleted from your Gmail’s Inbox folder.
- Update The Gmail App
In case you are using the Gmail application on your mobile device (Android or iOS smartphone or tablet), make sure that both your device and Gmail app are running with the latest updates.
To Update the Device, you will generally find the option in the Settings application. So, go to the settings section of your mobile device check for available updates. If any update is available, install it and restart your device.
Similarly, to update the Gmail app, go to the Play Store app (for Android) or App Store app (for iOS device), find the Gmail App and check for updates. If available, install the updates and restart the app to see if the problem is fixed.
- Use a Different Web Browser
Using an incompatible or outdated web browser to access a Gmail account can also lead to issues including problems receiving emails. If you are already accessing Gmail using a supported browser like Google Chrome, Apple Safari, Mozilla Firefox, or Microsoft Edge, make sure that the browser is running with the latest updates. You are most likely to find updates for these web browsers under the Settings section.
Another thing that you can consider is to try accessing your Gmail account on a different browser. For example, if currently, you are using a Chrome browser, use Mozilla Firefox, Microsoft Edge, or any other supported web browser.
- Clear Cache and Cookies
Generally, all browsers are configured to store caches and cookies of the websites you visit to provide faster loading the next time you visit these websites again. However, when these caches and cookies get overloaded, they tend to affect the performance of the browser and the websites, leading to different issues including problems receiving emails in your Gmail account. In such a case, it is suggested to clear the cache and cookies from your web browsers and then try to access your Gmail account. The problem. should fix in most cases by following this step.
- Enable JavaScript for Browser
If you have disabled JavaScript for your browser, sometimes, it can also lead to issues with your Gmail account. So, consider enabling JavaScript in your web browser and see if it helps overcome the problem with your Gmail account.
- Check Storage Space
Google is known for offering a certain amount of storage space for your Gmail account. If it ever gets exhausted, you may not be able to receive emails and files in your Gmail account. In such a case, you can either purchase additional storage space from Google, or you can delete unwanted emails and files from your Email account to accommodate new incoming emails in your account. You can check storage space by visiting google.com/settings/storage.
In most cases, following these steps should help you overcome the problem of receiving emails in your Gmail account.