When Gmail “isn’t receiving” email, it’s usually one of three things: the message is somewhere else (Spam/All Mail), delivery is delayed upstream, or your device/app isn’t syncing. This decision-tree style guide starts with a quick checklist, then gets more detailed.

Envelope stopped at a split path signpost

Work top to bottom and stop as soon as your if/then matches.

1. If the sender says “sent” but you don’t see it: check the right place in Gmail

  • If you can search for the subject/sender and it appears: it’s received—now check where it landed (label, archive, category).
  • If it’s not in Inbox: look in Spam, All Mail, Trash, and any tabs like Promotions or Updates.
  • If you use categories or lots of labels: open All Mail first; Inbox can hide things that were auto-labeled or archived.

If you find the email in Spam, mark it “Not spam” so future messages from that sender have a better chance of landing correctly.

2. If it’s in Spam/Trash: fix the reason it keeps going there

Two-compartment mail tray with a warning shield

  • If it keeps going to Spam: add the sender to contacts, and create a filter to “Never send it to Spam.”
  • If it lands in Trash: you likely have a filter or an app moving it. Go to Gmail settings and review Filters and Blocked Addresses.
  • If it’s missing entirely but you suspect auto-deletion: check if you have any “clean up inbox” rules in third-party email apps.

One overlooked cause: a filter that matches a single word (like “invoice”) can quietly reroute lots of mail.

3. If emails arrive late (minutes to hours): decide whether it’s Gmail or the sender

  • If only one sender is delayed: it’s usually on their side (their mail server queue, rate limits, or authentication problems).
  • If many senders are delayed: it could be a sync/notification issue on your device, or Gmail is temporarily backlogged.
  • If you see the email on web Gmail but not on your phone: it’s almost certainly device sync, not delivery.

A quick reality check: Gmail can’t speed up an email that hasn’t been handed off by the sender’s system yet.

4. If you’re using the Gmail app and it looks stale: fix sync, battery, and background restrictions

Sync arrows around an inbox with a battery icon

  • If you’re on Android: confirm Gmail sync is on for the account, and that Battery Saver/background limits aren’t restricting Gmail.
  • If you’re on iPhone: check that Background App Refresh is enabled for Gmail and that Low Power Mode isn’t delaying fetch.
  • If notifications are late but mail is present when you open the app: that’s a background/notification delivery issue, not missing email.
  • If you recently changed passwords or enabled 2-step verification: remove and re-add the account on the device if it keeps failing silently.

As a test, pull to refresh in the Gmail app. If messages appear immediately, the issue is background fetch/sync timing.

5. If Gmail storage is full (or close): unblock delivery

  • If your Google storage is full: new mail can bounce or fail to arrive until space is freed.
  • If you freed space but mail still seems stuck: wait a bit, then ask the sender to resend one message as a test.
  • If you have huge attachments: clear large emails, large Drive items, and trash—emptying trash matters.

This is one of the few cases where Gmail truly “can’t receive” new mail.

6. If you have forwarding or POP/IMAP involved: make sure another app isn’t taking the mail

  • If you forward from Gmail to another address: confirm forwarding is configured correctly and not failing.
  • If you fetch mail from another account into Gmail: delays can be normal because fetch happens on a schedule.
  • If you use a desktop client via POP: POP can download and remove mail from the server depending on settings.
  • If you use IMAP in multiple apps: one app can move messages to Archive/Trash and it will sync everywhere.

When troubleshooting “missing” mail, temporarily sign in to Gmail on the web and check All Mail. That view is closest to source of truth.

7. If messages are genuinely not arriving: ask the sender for proof and check basic deliverability signals

  • If the sender can provide a bounce/DSN message: read the reason code. “Mailbox full” points to storage; “policy” or “blocked” points to authentication/reputation issues.
  • If there’s no bounce and no trace in your Gmail search: the message may never have been accepted by Gmail, or it was stopped upstream (sender’s server, their provider, or a corporate gateway).
  • If it’s a work/school account in Google Workspace: admin rules can quarantine or reject mail before you ever see it.

If you control the sending domain, check that SPF, DKIM, and DMARC are set correctly. Misconfigured authentication is a common reason Gmail won’t accept or will heavily delay delivery.

8. If you suspect account security or tampering: do a quick safety check

  • If you see unexpected filters, forwarding addresses, or “Send mail as” entries: change your password and remove anything you don’t recognize.
  • If you notice logins you don’t recognize: sign out of other sessions and review account security activity.
  • If mail is being marked read or moved: check connected apps with account access and revoke anything suspicious.

This is especially important if missing emails started suddenly and you didn’t change any settings.

Final thoughts

Most “Gmail not receiving” reports boil down to location (Spam/All Mail), device sync restrictions, or storage limits. The decision tree above is meant to help you stop early when you find the cause.

If you confirm the message never reached Gmail and the sender has no bounce, the next step is on the sender’s side: they’ll need to check their outbound mail logs and authentication.