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Your phone's been sitting idle for hours, and you haven't had any alerts for incoming emails. If this is unusual, you might have an issue: your Android phone is likely not syncing your emails, so you aren't receiving any messages on your device.
Issues like this can make you miss out on important emails, which can be costly if you don't resolve them quickly. Luckily, we'll show you some easy fixes when your email doesn't sync on your Android device.
1. Ensure Automatic Email Sync Is Enabled
Most email clients have automatic sync enabled so that you can receive emails in real time. However, if you've got your sync settings turned off in the email app, you will stop getting emails on your Android device.
You can check whether this is the reason why your emails aren't syncing. The simple solution would be to enable the auto-sync option in your email app. The app should then automatically look for new emails and let you know when a new message arrives.
You can enable auto-sync from the Settings menu of your email app. Here we show how to do it in Gmail, but the steps should be similar for most other email clients. Here's what you need to do:
- Launch your email app, such as Gmail.
- Tap the hamburger icon (the three-line button) in the top-left corner and select Settings.
- Choose an email account, if you have multiple accounts on your phone.
- Scroll down and ensure that you have toggled on the slider for Sync Gmail or a similar option.
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If the sync option is enabled, check whether your device's Battery Saver mode is on and turn it off. The battery or power-saving mode disables background syncing. To do this, go to Settings > Battery or Settings > Battery and device care > Battery, and toggle off Power saving. Note that these settings will vary slightly across devices and models.
2. Perform a Manual Email Sync
If automatic sync doesn't work for some reason, you can run a manual sync instead. This forces your email app to sync, find, and download new emails to your device.
This option works just like the regular sync, except you must manually go into the settings and tap an option. Remember, precise steps vary from device to device. To manually sync your emails on Android, follow the steps listed below:
- On your device, go to the Accounts section in the settings. This is at Settings > Accounts and backup > Manage accounts on a Samsung phone.
- Choose the email account where you have sync issues.
- Make sure that you have the slider turned on for your email app. On some devices, this option might show up as Sync now.
- Your phone will begin to sync your data, including your emails.
- If any new emails are available, you should see them in your email client.
3. Clear Your Android Device's Storage
When your phone downloads an email, it takes up some space in your device's memory. If you're running out of storage on your phone, it could be the reason your emails aren't syncing (especially when trying to download an email with a large attachment).
Thankfully, you can fix this by deleting unnecessary files from your phone. Here's how to do this:
- On your device, go to the Storage area in the settings. Specific instructions vary from device to device, but it's at Settings > Battery and device care > Storage on a Samsung phone, for example.
- You'll see the total available memory space on your device.
- Tap Free up space or Optimize now to get rid of files that are cluttering your device.
- You can also manually find files that you can remove to make space on your device.
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Not all Android phones have this option to find and remove space-hogging files. If yours doesn't you can use Files by Google to delete files instead.
4. Ensure You Enter the Correct Password on All Your Devices
When you change the password for your email account (and you should always ensure your password is secure and memorable), you must update it in the email app on your phone as well. If you don't do so, your phone won't be able to sync new emails, as it simply doesn't have authorization to do so.
You can fix this issue by opening your email app and entering your new password. The app will then connect to the email servers and fetch new messages for you. Note that you'll need to update the password on all the devices that you use your email accounts on. You can use a tool like Google Password Manager to manage your passwords better.
5. Clear the Cache and Data
Like all other apps on your device, your email app saves data and caches files on your phone. While these files don't normally cause any issues, it's worth clearing them to see if that fixes the email sync issue on your Android device.
Deleting data and cache files won't delete your emails; your emails are stored on your email provider's server. To clear up the cache, follow the steps listed below:
- On your device, go to the Settings dashboard and tap on Apps (or Apps & notifications for some devices).
- Find your email app, like Gmail, and tap it. Next, tap the Storage option.
- You'll be able to see how much space your email app uses. Tap on Clear cache to remove cached data.
- You can also select Clear data if you want, but keep in mind this will remove all the app's data from your phone as if you reinstalled it. You'll need to sign in again and perform an initial sync of your messages.
- Open your email app and reconfigure it if needed.
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6. Update Your Email App
You should always keep your apps up-to-date for a smooth experience. If it's been a while since you updated your email app, check if an update is available in the Play Store.
New updates fix many existing bugs in the app. If your emails aren't syncing because of such a bug, this will fix the issue for you. Here's what you need to do:
- Launch the Play Store on your phone.
- Tap your account icon in the upper-right corner and select My apps & games from the dropdown options.
- If an update is available, tap Update to download and install the update.
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7. Re-Add the Email Account(s) on Your Email App
If your email is not syncing yet, you may have an issue with account configuration. In this case, removing and re-adding your account to the app could fix it. Here's how to do this:
- On your device, you'll first need to remove your email account from the app. Use the on-screen instructions in the app to do that, if you aren't using Gmail.
- Alternatively, you can head to Settings > Accounts and backup > Manage account, tap an account, and choose Remove account to take it off your phone. As always, do keep in mind that these settings will vary across devices.
- Then re-add the same account using the option in your email client.
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8. Enable Email Notifications
Finally, it could be that emails are syncing just fine, but your phone isn't sending you notifications for them. You can fix this issue by enabling notifications for your email client. Here's how you can do this:
- On your device, open your app drawer, and search for your email app.
- Long-press on the app, and tap the circle or i icon on the top to bring up the app details.
- Tap the Notifications option.
- Turn the toggle on for all Show notifications. Tweak the notification categories if available, as per your preferences.
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Working Efficiently With Emails
Email usually works on Android without any problems at all. But if you've been missing your emails because your phone wasn't syncing them, we recommend you fix the issue using the above methods.
Now that your emails are back up and running, you should make sure you're getting the most out of your email app. Many email apps offer plenty of great features to aid with your productivity and offer a great experience, so don't be afraid to poke around in the settings.
FAQs
Why did email stop syncing on Android? ›
Ensure Automatic Email Sync Is Enabled
Most email clients have automatic sync enabled so that you can receive emails in real time. However, if you've got your sync settings turned off in the email app, you will stop getting emails on your Android device.
- Check your device's internet connection. ...
- Restart your Android device. ...
- Update your email app. ...
- Check email sync settings. ...
- Check Android sync settings. ...
- Check device storage. ...
- Reset your email account.
CONNECTIVITY & POWER SETTINGS:
Troubleshooting email sync on an Android device is the same as it is on every other device, start by turning everything off and see if syncing works. Specifically, turn OFF WiFi and turn off Power Saving. 2: Confirm you have connectivity to the internet. Try to surf on your browser.
Confirm that auto-sync in on
Open the phone Settings. Tap on Accounts. Scroll to the bottom. Ensure that "Automatically sync app data" or something similar is active.
...
Make sure you have your account settings on-hand before continuing.
- Open Settings, and select Apps & notifications.
- From your apps list, select Gmail.
- Select Storage & cache.
- Select Clear storage.
- You will be asked if you are sure, select OK.
Some possible causes include internet connectivity issues, emails being accidentally deleted or sent to the trash folder, problems with external email clients, or technical issues with the device or browser you are using to access your email.
Why is sync not working on my Samsung phone? ›Make sure Auto sync is turned on.
Open Settings, and then tap Accounts and backup. Tap Manage Accounts, and then tap the switch next to Auto sync personal data at the bottom of the screen.
What is the "Emails Sync Failure" scam message? "Emails Sync Failure" is a spam email campaign. The term "spam campaign" refers to a mass-scale operation, during which deceptive emails are sent by the thousand. The messages sent through this campaign are disguised as notifications concerning undelivered emails.
Why is my Samsung not syncing? ›Make sure you are connected to Wi-Fi or mobile data. Using two fingers, swipe down from the top of your device's screen to open the Quick settings panel. Touch and hold the Wi-Fi or Mobile data icon to check if you are connected.
How do I reset my sync settings? ›- At the bottom right, select the time.
- Select Settings .
- In the "Accounts" section, select Sync and Google services.
- Select Review your synced data.
- At the bottom, select Reset sync.
How do I get sync back? ›
- Open your phone's Settings app.
- Tap About phone Google Account. Account sync. If you have more than one account on your phone, tap the one you want to sync.
- Tap More. Sync now.
...
Tip 1: Reset Bluetooth.
- On your phone, turn Bluetooth off and turn it back on.
- On your SYNC system, turn Bluetooth off and turn it back on.
- Manually connect SYNC with the phone. Touch Phone. Press Settings. Tap Bluetooth Devices. Select your phone. Touch Connect.
Remove and re-add your email account.
Removing and re-adding your email account can help resolve minor issues. To do this, navigate to and open Settings. Tap Accounts and backup, and then tap Manage accounts.
- From a Home screen, swipe up or down from the center of the display to access the apps screen. ...
- Navigate: ...
- Select the appropriate account or email address. ...
- Tap. ...
- Turn the sync settings on or off.
Try switching off your cell phone, resetting it or removing the battery, then trying again. Try deleting your device from SYNC and deleting SYNC from your device, then trying again. Always check the security and auto accept prompt settings relative to the SYNC Bluetooth connection on your cell phone.
What happens if the sync is off? ›If you turn off sync, you can still see your bookmarks, history, passwords, and other settings on your computer. If you make any changes, they won't be saved to your Google Account and synced to your other devices. When you turn off sync, you'll also be signed out of other Google services, like Gmail.
How do I reset my Android sync? ›- On your Android phone or tablet, open the Chrome app .
- To the right of the address bar, tap More. Settings.
- Tap Sync.
- Tap Sign out and turn off Sync.
- Open the Settings app .
- Tap Apps & notifications Chrome.
- Tap Force stop OK.
- Open the Chrome app .
No, if you reset the Mail & Calendar app in Windows 10, it will not delete your email accounts.
How do I clear my email cache app? ›- Open Settings.
- Scroll down and select Apps.
- Tap the See all option at the bottom.
- Tap the app name whose app cache you want to clear.
- Tap Storage and cache. 2 Images. Close.
- Select Clear cache.
- Tap Clear storage to clear data and cache. Close.
- On your computer, go to Gmail.
- In the top right, click Settings. See all settings.
- At the top, choose a settings page, such as General, Labels, or Inbox.
- Make your changes.
- After you're done with each page, click Save Changes at the bottom.
Where is email sync on Android? ›
Click the Sync button in the Mail app, at the top of your message list, to force the app to sync. Customize your sync settings in the Mail app (Settings > Manage Accounts > select the desired account > Change mailbox sync settings).
Why is my email not updating on my i phone? ›Check Mail Fetch and Notification settings
To adjust these settings: Go to Settings > Mail, then tap Accounts. Tap Fetch New Data. Choose a setting — like Automatically or Manually — or choose a schedule for how often the Mail app fetches data.
Why are my emails not showing up in my inbox? Check your email filters, they may have automatically been moved to a different folder, or accidentally marked as spam.
Why is my Gmail not syncing? ›Check Gmail sync settings
Open the Gmail app . Settings. Tap your account. Make sure the box next to "Sync Gmail" is checked.
Emails might skip your inbox if they were accidentally archived, deleted, or marked as spam. Follow these steps to search all your emails, including those that aren't in your inbox: On your computer, open Gmail.
Why is my phone out of sync? ›When a phone's time and date are out of sync, a network or hardware issue is usually the cause. It is important to determine if only one device or multiple devices are experiencing the issue. If only one device is out of sync with the time and date, the issue is likely hardware related.
What does not syncing mean? ›1. : in a state in which two or more people or things do not move or happen together at the same time and speed.
What are Sync settings for email? ›Sync Gmail: When this setting is on, you'll get notifications and new emails automatically. When this setting is off, you have to pull down from the top of your inbox to refresh.
Why are my emails not downloading? ›If your email has got out of sync with the server you can fix it by tapping the "Refresh All Mail" button. This will fix the issue if it is related to the email client using out of sync in some way. 3. Another possibility is a security token or password issue.
How do I enable sync on my Samsung account? ›- Navigate to and open Settings, tap your name at the top of the screen, and then tap Samsung Cloud.
- Tap an app to see its additional sync settings. ...
- Next, tap the switch next to your desired apps and data to turn auto sync on or off for them.
What does resetting sync do? ›
How do I reset the SYNC®* system? The system reset is designed to restore functionality that has stopped working and does not delete any data that you have stored.
Why is my reset sync not working? ›If your Apple Watch isn't syncing automatically, open the Watch app on your iPhone and tap General, then scroll down and tap Reset > Reset Sync Data. If the Watch still isn't syncing, go back to the Reset menu > select Erase Apple Watch Content and Settings, then re-pair your Apple Watch to your iPhone.
Where are my sync settings? ›To find Sync settings, select Start , then select Settings > Accounts > Sync your settings . Choose from settings such as language preferences, passwords, and color themes.
Why did Google stop syncing? ›If you signed out of a Google service, like Gmail, Chrome will pause sync. To turn sync back on, sign in to your Google Account: On your computer, open Chrome. At the top right, click Paused.
Why has my Google account stopped syncing? ›Important: For sync to work, you need to be able to sign in to your Google Account. Make sure that you can sign in to your Google Account in other ways and on another device. For example, try checking your Gmail using your computer's browser. If you can sign in, the issue is with your phone.
Why is my Outlook email not syncing on my Android? ›Eliminate cache files and data for Outlook
Outlook generates its own cache and data files. But if the files get corrupted, they prevent Outlook from syncing. So, try clearing the cache and data files. It will not delete your messages or personal data.
- At the bottom right, select the time.
- Select Settings .
- In the "Accounts" section, select Sync and Google services.
- Select Review your synced data.
- At the bottom, select Reset sync.
- Open the Chrome menu and select Settings.
- Select Sync and Google services.
- Select Review your synced data.
- Scroll down the Data from Chrome sync page and select Reset Sync.
- Select OK.
Yes, Backup and Sync are discontinued by Google. While Google had a nice way of putting it by saying, "Backup and Sync and Drive File Stream Have been unified into Drive for desktop,” a lot of people didn't take it lightly. After 1st October 2021, it stopped working for users around the globe.
How do I fix Gmail not syncing on Android? ›- Step 1: Update your Gmail app. To get the latest fixes on problems with sending or receiving mail, update your Gmail app.
- Step 2: Restart your device.
- Step 3: Check your settings.
- Step 4: Clear your storage. ...
- Step 5: Check your password. ...
- Step 6: Clear your Gmail information.
Why won't my Gmail load new emails? ›
Sometimes extensions or add-ons you've installed on your browser or applications you've installed on your computer can prevent Gmail from working. Try temporarily turning off these extensions and applications one by one, then using Gmail again to see if that solves the problem.
Why would my emails stop coming? ›If Gmail isn't receiving emails, there could be a few problems. When your Google Drive runs out of storage space, you can't receive new emails. You might also have the wrong Gmail inbox settings, or lack a stable internet connection.
Why are my Outlook emails not syncing? ›Check advanced mailbox settings
Go to Start and open Mail. Select Manage Accounts and select your email account. Select Change mailbox sync settings > Advanced mailbox settings. Confirm that your incoming and outgoing email server addresses and ports are correct.
Manual synchronization
On the Outlook ribbon, select Send/Receive, and then select Update Folder to synchronize one offline folder, or select Send/Receive All Folders to synchronize all offline folders.
- Launch the ScanPST.exe tool. Refer to our article on how to find ScanPST location.
- Click Browse and select the OST file associated with your email profile.
- Click Start.
- After the scan, click Repair.
- The tool will try to fix the inconsistencies and errors found in the OST file. Once finished, start Outlook.