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My Email is Not Working!

Posted on Last Updated: Reading Time: 3 minutes
Why is my email not working? Troubleshoot here.

Unfortunately, “not working” doesn’t help anyone determine what is happening. If you read no further, remember to jot down any error messages you see when things are “not working” moving forward. That’s the first thing you do with the date and time.

Email isn’t always instantaneous or as zippy as you may like 24/7 365. There will be hiccups or slowdowns. I track enough stuff online that I often see 2-5-minute “downtimes.” They clear up, but network traffic is a thing.

Sometimes, geographic issues slow a particular area of the pipeline. For example, if a backhoe hits a fiber-optic cable in St. Louis, it could trigger a domino effect, making email take longer to get from point A to point B.

Error messages will point us to the issue. So, let’s think through the troubleshooting process!

Email Troubleshooting Tips

How do you determine what, if anything, isn’t working? First, wait 30 minutes to see if the issue resolves on its own. If your email is still “not working”…

  • Are emails bouncing back, or are you getting error messages? Both will tell you precisely what the issue is to investigate.
  • If you just set up a new email account in your software, the first thing to do is verify that your settings are exactly as they should be. If you cut and paste the settings, be sure you don’t accidentally have an invisible trailing space after each setting. Incorrect settings are often the culprits for new setups. Are your incoming and outgoing mail server settings as per your provider? Check that the correct port and account type (POP or IMAP) are designated in your settings. Let’s go through each…
  • If you can send an email but cannot receive it, check your INCOMING server settings. If correct, contact your internet service provider (ISP) or website host. They will verify your settings with you to eliminate this as the cause.
  • If you can receive but cannot send, your email program should throw an error message when sending fails. What is that message? Check that your outgoing server settings are accurate. You should then contact your ISP to see if the OUTGOING server (SMTP) is experiencing issues.

Patience is a Virtue

Most of the time, if you wait a bit instead of panicking, things do clear up. While you are waiting, check your ISP’s connectivity provider or web host’s “Network Status” page (bookmark it). Before you change any settings, check whether they are aware of any problems that may be causing network delays in email delivery.

Your service provider will certainly appreciate it if you provide as many details as possible when contacting them with concerns. This is the best approach to help you determine what is going on and whether anything on your side needs to be addressed.

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