I can't download messages from outlook

Sun 0 Reputation points
2026-08-08T05:59:01.8733333+00:00

Hi, recently we just changed email supplier. However, I found that I can download once I just create an account with all the settings. But then, it can't update for new email. That means I have to remove the accounts and add it again in order to receive new emails.

Is there anyway such that I can configure to fix it?

My email provider is this: https://mail.aliyun.com/mail-pages/download.html

I have two Macs, running Outlook for Mac 2021 and 2024. Once of the reason I found maybe is that in Mac version, Outlook does not allow us to setup root path.

Thanks,

Sun

Outlook | MacOS | Legacy Outlook for Mac | For home
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  1. AI answer

    2026-08-08T05:59:23.87+00:00

    For Outlook for Mac, the supported fixes in the available guidance are:

    1. Verify Outlook is online.
      • In Outlook for Mac, open the Outlook menu.
      • Make sure Work Offline is not checked.
    2. Check whether the account is actually connected.
      • Go to Tools > Accounts.
      • Select the mail account in the left pane.
      • If the connection indicator is orange, Outlook is not properly connected to the server.
    3. Confirm the account type.
      • In Outlook for Mac, open Accounts.
      • Select the account and check whether it is Exchange, IMAP, or POP.
      • This matters because Outlook for Mac has different behavior depending on account type.
    4. If the account is IMAP, review the advanced sync settings.
      • Go to Outlook > Settings > Accounts.
      • Select the IMAP account, then choose Advanced.
      • Check these settings:
        • Sync all IMAP folders every x minutes
        • Use IMAP IDLE (if the server supports it)
        • Disconnect from server after x minutes
        • IMAP Root Folder
      • If the provider requires a root mailbox path, Outlook for Mac includes an IMAP Root Folder setting in Advanced for IMAP accounts.
    5. If the mailbox was working and then stops updating, clear the local cache for the affected Exchange folder.
      • Warning: emptying the cache deletes any information not synchronized with the server, including contacts' mail certificates.
      • Make sure the Mac is connected to the Exchange server.
      • In the navigation pane, Ctrl+click or right-click the Exchange folder.
      • Select Properties > General > Empty Cache.
      • Outlook will download the items again from the server.
    6. If the account was recently changed or recreated, removing and re-adding the account can refresh sync state.
      • This is consistent with reported Outlook sync issues where cached content causes mail not to update.

    If the account is IMAP and folders appear but messages do not continue downloading, one documented cause is that the IMAP server does not support the UID SEARCH command. In that case, Outlook cannot be fixed by client configuration alone; the IMAP server must be updated by the provider to support UID SEARCH.

    References:

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