Many emails are not downloading to Outlook Inbox

[jmt356]

I have a very confounding issue.

I set up Outlook 2010 on a laptop. I then downloaded all emails associated with that account. Many emails are not downloading. For example, I sent two emails with a 3 MB attachment, and these emails did not download. When I checked the accounts online at Gmail.com, they appeared in the Inbox. However, they do not appear in Outlook’s Inbox, nor do they appear in Outlook’s Junk E-mail folder. There are other emails I tried sending as well that are not downloading. Where are they going?

I cannot identify any pattern as to those emails that are being received and those that are not being received.

[Rudi]

Are you using POP to retrieve your Gmail?

If so, try putting it into "Recent" mode. See here for instructions (and click on the sub-link at the bottom of the page: "Emails aren't downloading correctly")

Some other possible scenarios:

- Do you access gmail from other devices? Maybe one of the devices you're accessing your email account with is set to actually downloaded the mail from the server, thereby removing it from the server. So, when you try retrieving email from the PC with Outlook it cannot download email that isn't there.

- Check for anti-malware software on your computer. If you have anti-malware software on your computer that is actively scanning email as it is downloaded, some might be flagged and stopped from downloading.

[jmt356]

I am using POP to retrieve the Gmail emails. I have POP set up on Outlook on two different laptops. It appears that some of them are being downloaded to one laptop and others to the other. However, I set up Outlook to Leave a copy of messages on the server. When I go to Gmail.com, I find all of my emails are present, even after I download them.

If a Gmail account is set up on Outlook on two different computers, will downloading the emails on one computer cause Outlook to not download the emails on a second computer? If so, I believe that may be what is causing the new computer not to download the Gmail emails; have have already been downloaded on another computer.

[HansV]

POP3 access is intended for a single computer, but see How to receive POP email on multiple machines

[jmt356]

Thank you Hans.

I tried the suggestion of adding "recent:" before the username on my laptop (as discussed at https://productforums.google.com/forum/ ... VGzDDcCFsg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;). This caused Outlook on my laptop to downloaded about 325 duplicate emails to from the Gmail account.

I then sent 3 test emails to the email account that was set up on two computers. Here are the results of the test:
- An email sent from the test email account to itself downloaded through the POP accounts on both of the laptops (mine and the second laptop)
- An email sent from another email account to the test email account downloaded through the POP accounts on both of the laptops (mine and the second laptop) when it was downloaded to my laptop first;
- An email sent from another email account to the test email account downloaded through the POP accounts on both of the laptops (mine and the second laptop) when it was downloaded to the second laptop first.

Adding "recent:" before the username in the Account settings of my laptop appears to have resolved the issue and now appears to permit downloading of Gmail email to both my laptop and the second laptop using POP3.

[jmt356]

Putting "recent:" before the username in Account settings causes Outlook to download both sent and received emails to my Inbox. How can I stop sent items from appearing in my Inbox when using "recent:"?

[HansV]

The same thread that I pointed you to suggests to specify the username for outgoing mail. I haven't tested this myself, so I don't know if it will help you.

If you want to try it:
- Select File > Account Settings > Account Settings...
- Select the relevant account, then click Change...
- Click More Settings...
- Activate the Outgoing Server tab.
- Select 'Log on using'.
- Specify your username without prefixing it with recent:

[jmt356]

Hans, after following those steps, I am still receiving sent items into my Inbox.

One of the posts on the thread you cited above states:

"Warning, when you put "recent:" before the user name, you will start receiving all of your Sent e-mail into your e-mail client Inbox.

"See this http://www.google.com/support/forum/p/g ... n&start=40" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;.

I assume then that this is normal behavior.

Perhaps IMAP would be a better solution for receiving email on more than one computer?

[HansV]

Perhaps IMAP would be a better solution for receiving email on more than one computer?

It's worth a try!

[DaveA]

I use POP type accounts on 3 machines. The Prime the messages are removed from the server when downloaded.
The other two are deleted after 7 days, this leaves them there long enough for me to get them on the prime machine.
If I know I will be away from the prime for more than 7 days, then I will change that to whatever will cover while I am gone.

True this does not allow the access to the "Sent" emails from any machine other than the what is sent from each machine.

[jmt356]

In the Gmail Settings, Forwarding and POP/IMAP tab, there is an option to “Enable POP for all mail (even mail that's already been downloaded).” Has anyone tried that option? If so, has it been successful?

On a somewhat related note, is the following behavior normal:
- Gmail email sent from Gmail.com gets downloaded to the Outlook Inbox of the associated POP account;
- Gmail email sent from an iPhone is downloaded to neither the Outlook Inbox nor the Outlook sent items of the associated POP account.

[HansV]

Be careful with the option “Enable POP for all mail (even mail that's already been downloaded).”
You will probably end up with loads of duplicate messages.