If you notice that your email address can send messages but does not receive any emails, this may be due to several technical or configuration issues. Below are a series of steps to help diagnose and resolve the problem.
1. Checking your domain’s DNS configuration
The proper functioning of your email service depends on the technical configuration of your domain. Any error in these settings can prevent emails from being received.
- MX Records: Make sure the MX records of your domain are correctly configured. These records indicate the address of your mail server. If this configuration is incorrect, emails will not be delivered to your inbox.
- DNS Propagation: If you have recently updated your DNS settings, it may take up to 48 hours for these changes to propagate across the global network. You may just need to wait a little.
- A or CNAME Records: Check that the A or CNAME records are correctly pointing to your mail server (mail.yourdomain.com). This allows other servers to locate yours and route the messages properly.
Steps to configure DNS:
- Link your domain name to your hosting plan: Follow this step to correctly connect your domain name to its hosting space: How to change the nameservers of my domain name?
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Modify DNS records: This section guides you on how to make the necessary changes to DNS records (A, CNAME, MX, etc.).
- From the Client Area: How to edit the DNS records for my domain name?
- From cPanel: How to edit DNS zone records for a domain name on cPanel?
- From Plesk:How to edit DNS zone records for a domain name on Plesk?
2. Checking filters and forwarding rules
In some cases, emails may arrive but are immediately moved or deleted by filters or forwarding rules you have set up.
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Mail Filters: Check if there are any rules in place to automatically redirect or delete certain emails. Disable any suspicious rule that could interfere with message reception. You can find more details about activating and configuring filters in the following links:
- From cPanel: How to activate the spam filter in cPanel?
- From Plesk: How to activate the spam filter in Plesk?
- Spam Folder: Don’t forget to check your Spam or Junk Mail folder. Automatic filters may sometimes classify legitimate emails as spam. Make sure you are not missing important messages.
3. Checking your domain’s security settings (DNS Authentication)
Mail servers use security protocols to prevent spam and identity spoofing. If the domain’s sender security records are misconfigured, it can block the delivery of emails.
Here are three key elements to verify:
- SPF (Sender Policy Framework): Defines which servers are authorized to send emails on behalf of your domain. A misconfigured SPF record may cause your emails to be flagged as suspicious.
- DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail): Adds a cryptographic signature to your emails to prove they haven’t been altered during transmission and confirms they originate from your domain.
- DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance): Defines policies for handling messages that fail SPF or DKIM checks. For example, it may instruct servers to mark such messages as spam or reject them.
4. Checking your inbox storage space
Another common reason why you may not be receiving messages is simply that your inbox is full.
- Storage Space: Check the available space in your email account. Each hosting service has a storage limit for inboxes. If you’ve reached this limit, you may need to delete old emails or increase your quota depending on your hosting plan.
To learn how to increase email storage space, please click the link for your platform:
- cPanel: How to adjust the quota of an email account in cPanel?
- Plesk: How to adjust the quota of an email account in Plesk?
Important: Please note that if you have reached the maximum capacity of your current plan, you will need to upgrade to a higher plan that offers more storage space.