My Outlook mail rules suddenly stopped working
Almost always: duplicate rules, a client-only rule that needs Outlook open, or one you accidentally disabled.
Try this first
- 1Outlook > File > Manage Rules & Alerts. Any rule unchecked or marked "client-only"? Classic suspects.
- 2Server-side rules run on every device and when Outlook is closed; client-only rules only while a session is active. Switch to server-side for hands-off processing.
- 3Compare against Outlook Web (outlook.office.com) > Settings > Rules. Differences between client and web suggest sync or policy issues.
- 4Remove duplicates. Rules pile up over old installs; one per goal beats five fighting each other.
When to bring us in
If rules misfire across multiple mailboxes or one rule sweeps whole folders without cause, we can dig in M365 Compliance.
See also
- Outlook crashes or freezes on large attachmentsUsually the mailbox cache is the culprit, not Outlook itself. Shrinking or relocating usually helps within ten minutes.
- Teams: they cannot hear me, or I hear nothingIn our experience Teams usually picked the wrong audio device after a Windows update or a new headset.
- OneDrive has stopped syncingThe cloud icon is grey or has a warning. Locally changed files are not showing up for colleagues.
None of the above fits?
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