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Issues with my original Hotmail email account

Nancy Minnick 0 Reputation points
2026-04-30T20:15:41.8+00:00

Why can’t I receive or send emails on my [PII: removed]@hotmail.com account

Outlook | Web | Outlook.com | Email
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  1. Alice-N 9,285 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
    2026-05-01T06:52:07.0966667+00:00

    Please note that our forum is a public platform, and we will modify your question to hide your personal information in the description. Kindly ensure that you hide any personal or organizational information the next time you post an error or other details to protect personal data.


    Hi Nancy Minnick

    I understand you can’t send or receive emails on your Hotmail/Outlook.com account in Outlook.com (web). Could you confirm:

    • Can you sign in to Outlook.com successfully, or is sign-in failing/looping?
    • When you try to send, do you see an on-screen error or do you receive an NDR/bounce (what does it say)?
    • Are you using iPhone “Mail” app or any non‑Microsoft mail app with this account?

    I would love to hear from you soon. Have a lovely day! 


  2. Q&A Assist
    2026-04-30T20:18:34.0366667+00:00
    AI generated content. This question contains an answer created with AI from Q&A Assist. Learn more

    For a Hotmail address that no longer sends or receives mail in Outlook.com, the most common causes and fixes are:

    1. Mailbox or cloud storage is full
      If Microsoft cloud storage (including Outlook.com mailbox) is full, sending and receiving stops. Any messages sent to the account while storage is full are bounced and cannot be recovered.
    • Open Outlook.com in a browser and check the mailbox storage page (linked from the Outlook.com settings) to see what is using space.
    • Delete large messages and attachments, empty Deleted Items and Junk Email, and free space in Microsoft cloud storage as needed.
    1. Account security or password issues
      If email stopped after a password change or security event:
    • If the password was changed on the web, update that same password in any apps or devices using the Hotmail account so they can connect again.
    • If the account was temporarily blocked due to unusual sign-in activity, follow the steps in Unblock my Outlook.com account to restore normal mail flow.
    • If sign-in fails, use the Microsoft account sign-in helper to recover access.
    1. Device-specific sync problems
      If Outlook.com webmail works but a particular phone, tablet, or Outlook app does not send/receive:
    • Remove the partnership between that device and the Outlook.com mailbox, then re-add the account on the device. This often resolves sync issues.
    1. Email address / alias problems
      If an error appears such as “The recipient server did not accept our requests to connect,” the address configuration may be wrong or outdated.
    • Review the address and aliases for the account using Add or remove an email alias in Outlook.com and update as needed.
    1. General Outlook client issues (if using Outlook app)
      If using Outlook (classic or new) with the Hotmail account and messages are stuck:
    • Confirm the correct password is set in Outlook after any password change.
    • If prompted to use an app password by the provider, generate and use that app password in Outlook.
    • If problems persist in classic Outlook, repair the Outlook program, repair or recreate the Outlook profile, or start Outlook in safe mode to rule out add-ins.

    If these steps do not restore sending and receiving, use the Outlook.com interactive troubleshooter and the in-product Help option to run guided checks and contact support while signed in.


    References:

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