My Emails Are Not Arriving — Troubleshooting Guide
If you're expecting emails that aren't showing up, work through the checks below in order. Most missing email problems have a simple fix.
Check 1: Look in Webmail First
Before assuming emails aren't arriving, log into webmail directly at webmail.yourdomain.com and check whether they're there. If emails appear in webmail but not in Outlook or your phone, the issue is with your email client's sync settings — not with email delivery itself.
Check 2: Check Your Spam / Junk Folder
Check both your email client's spam folder and your webmail spam folder — they are separate. If emails are landing there, mark them as "Not Spam" and add the sender to your contacts. You may also need to adjust your spam filter settings in DirectAdmin.
Check 3: Check Your Mailbox Quota
If your mailbox is full, new emails will bounce back to the sender. Log into DirectAdmin, go to Email Accounts and check the storage used next to your email address. If it shows 100% used, delete old emails or increase the quota.
Check 4: Check Your Email Forwarding and Filters
If you have set up email forwarding or filters in DirectAdmin, emails may be being redirected somewhere else or deleted automatically. Log into DirectAdmin, go to Forwarders and Email Filters to check.
Check 5: Check if the Sender Got a Bounce
Ask the sender to check whether they received a bounce message (also called a Non-Delivery Report or NDR). The bounce message will contain an error code that explains exactly why the email wasn't delivered. Common reasons include:
- Mailbox full — your quota needs increasing
- User unknown — the email address doesn't exist — check for typos in your address
- Rejected by spam filter — your spam filter is too aggressive
- Domain not found — your domain's DNS is not set up correctly
Check 6: Verify Your MX Records
MX records tell the internet where to deliver email for your domain. If these are wrong, email sent to you will go nowhere. Check your MX records at mxtoolbox.com by entering your domain name.
Your MX record should point to mail.yourdomain.com or to Hostking's mail servers. If it's pointing somewhere else (e.g. a previous host), log into DirectAdmin, go to DNS Management and update the MX record.
Check 7: Check If Your Domain Has Recently Propagated
If you recently moved your domain to Hostking or changed your nameservers, DNS propagation can take up to 24–48 hours. During this time some email may be delivered to your old host. This resolves itself once propagation is complete.
Still Missing Emails?
Open a support ticket at my.hostking.host with:
- Your email address
- The sender's email address
- Approximate date and time the email was sent
- Any bounce message the sender received
Our team is available every day from 7am to 10pm.
