I'm no longer receiving email: here's how to find the cause

Is no mail coming in anymore, or are messages from certain senders missing? Go through this checklist from top to bottom. That way you'll quickly see whether the mail isn't arriving on the server, or is arriving but not showing up in your mail program.

1. Check the webmail first

Log in to the webmail with your email address and password, see How do I go to Webmail? Also check the Spam and Junk folders.

• Is the email in the webmail? Then it's arriving fine and the issue lies with your mail program or phone. Go to step 7.
• Isn't it there either? Continue with step 2.

2. Is the mailbox or package full?

A full mailbox rejects new mail. Check how much space your mailbox and package are using in How do I check my mail usage? You can read about freeing up space in Storage or disk space full: here's how to free up space.

3. Is a spam filter or rule blocking the email?

• Check in DirectAdmin under SpamAssassin Setup what happens with spam. If it's set to delete, you'll never see mail that's incorrectly flagged as spam.
• Check under SPAM Filters whether a sender, domain, or word is blocked.
• Check your filters on the server, see Server-side email rules.

4. Are the MX records correct and is your domain still active?

In My WebOké, go to My Domains, click on your domain, and check the Domain / Email health card. Without an account, you can also use Domain health on our website. Note:

• MX: if this points to another party, for example after a move or because your mail runs on Microsoft 365, then the mail arrives there and not with us.
• Status and expiry: an expired domain no longer receives mail.
• Holder confirmation: if the holder's email address hasn't been confirmed, the registry can suspend the domain. Read Emails from ICANN or the registry about your domain.

5. Is a forwarder redirecting the mail?

If a forwarder exists for the same address, the mail goes there. Mail sent to an address that doesn't exist only arrives if the catch-all handles it. Check this in DirectAdmin under Forwarders and Catch-All Email.

Does your mail run with us, and is the checkbox Use this server to handle my emails under MX Records in DirectAdmin unchecked? Then turn it back on. That checkbox should only be off if your mail arrives elsewhere, see Your email elsewhere: Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, or your own mail server.

6. Trace the message with Email Tracing

With Email Tracing in DirectAdmin you can see whether a message from a specific sender reached the server and what happened to it. Read Checking whether an email has arrived with Email Tracing.

7. The email is in the webmail, but not on your device

• Password changed? Update it in your mail program and on your phone too.
• IP address blocked? A device with an old password can cause our firewall to block your IP address. In that case your website won't work anymore from that connection either. See Am I blocked? Your IP address and our firewall.
• POP3 in use? If another device retrieves mail using POP3 and then deletes it from the server, you'll never see it on your other devices. Use IMAP everywhere, see What is IMAP or POP3 and how does it work?
• Rule in your mail program? A rule can move mail to a different folder.

Error messages the sender gets back

• 550 User unknown or No such user: the address doesn't exist. Check the spelling or create the address. If your mail runs elsewhere, read this article.
• 552 Mailbox full or quota exceeded: the mailbox or package is full. See step 2.
• 554 or 550 with spam, blocked, or policy: our spam filter or a blocklist is rejecting the sender. Have the sender send the full message and contact us.
• Host or domain name not found: the sender can't find your mail server. Check the MX, see step 4.

Can't figure it out? Ask the AI assistant in My WebOké, or open a ticket with the sender's address, the time, and any error message.

Detailed explanation with screenshots: I'm no longer receiving email in the DirectAdmin manual.