If you are having trouble with the “Outlook inbox showing unread messages but none exist” issue, then don’t worry! In this blog, we will discuss the reasons why does my Outlook show unread messages and the best possible solutions to fix this issue. So let’s start with step-by-step.
Outlook is the world’s most widely used email client for managing emails, storing contacts, and creating notes or tasks. It offers many advanced features and security but it is also true that users face many problems with Outlook from time to time. One such problem is that the Outlook inbox shows unread emails but there are none.
Before moving to the solution to fix it, let us know the reasons behind this issue.
Why Does My Outlook Show Unread Messages?
There are many causes of Outlook inbox showing unread messages but none exist issue. Some of them are listed below:
- Server sync issues
- New email notifications
- Email filter issues
- Number of junk or spam emails
- Deleted email messages
So these are the most common reasons for this issue. Now, let us know the solution to fix it.
Methods to Fix Outlook Inbox Showing Unread Messages But None Exist
5 methods are available that can be used to solve why does my Outlook show unread messages problem. These solutions are:
- Check your internet connection
- Investigate server availability
- Change Mail to Keep Offline setting
- Reset Outlook default settings
- Disable automatic archive settings
Method 1: Check Internet Connection if Outlook Inbox Shows Unread Emails
If Outlook show unread messages, then first you need to check your internet connection. To do this, you can simply disconnect and reconnect to the Internet. After that, you can check whether the issue is resolved or not. If not, you can move on to the next method.
Method 2: Investigate Server Availability When Outlook Inbox Showing Unread Messages
If your inbox only showing unread emails in Outlook, you can check your connection to the server. For this, go to the bottom right corner of the Outlook interface.
Method 3: Change Mail to Keep Offline Setting if Outlook Inbox Shows Unread Emails
- Go to the File tab and select the Account Settings option.
- Then double-click your Microsoft Exchange account on the Email tab.
- In the Change Account dialog box, adjust the mail to keep the offline slider at the number of months you want, or set it to All to sync all email messages.
- Then click the “Next” button and click OK to restart Outlook and save the changes.
- Now, click on the Finish button.
- Finally, restart your MS Outlook email application.
Method 4: Reset Default View Settings When Outlook Inbox Showing Unread Messages
- First, open your MS Outlook application.
- Next, go to the View tab and select the Reset View option.
- A confirmation pop-up will appear asking if you want to reset the view. Click Yes to confirm the changes. This will reset your Outlook email display settings.
- Now, open your Outlook inbox and start the “Send/Receive” process to check if the email is being received as expected.
Method 5: Disable Auto Archive Settings If Outlook Show Unread Messages
- Open your email client right-click on the Inbox folder and select the Properties option.
- Then, “select Do not archive items in this folder” option in the Inbox Properties window.
- Lastly, click OK to save your changes.
Expert Solution to Solve Outlook Inbox Showing Unread Messages But None Exist
If you are still facing why does my Outlook show unread messages problem, then it is advisable to save all emails from Outlook to hard drive or local computer. To create a backup of your emails, you can use the Yota Email Backup Tool on your PC. Creating a backup is the best way to secure your important emails and access them at any time.
Apart from that, if you want to switch from Outlook email client, then it is advisable to go with the best email migration tool. This allows you to transfer Outlook emails to another account securely, Outlook to Thunderbird, and other email clients. Moreover, you can import Outlook emails to several email accounts with this tool.
Final Thoughts
The above blog has explained the best techniques to solve the problem of Outlook inbox showing unread messages but none exist. We also discussed the reasons why does my outlook show unread messages. If you want to back up your important emails on the computer or migrate emails from Outlook, we also recommend the best tool here.