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Gmail Issues? Here's How to Fix Them

Get Gmail working again so you can get back to those emails!

By Tricia Goss Tricia Goss Writer Pima College Tricia Goss has been a writer and editor for 10+ years. She's written tips and tutorials for Microsoft Office applications and other sites. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on June 24, 2021 Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email

In This Article

Expand Jump to a Section Causes of Gmail Errors Fix Common Errors If You're Missing Emails If Your Account's Been Hacked If you encounter errors or other issues with Gmail, try these ideas for troubleshooting to get this email powerhouse working again for you. These steps apply to Gmail in Chrome, Safari, Firefox, and other browsers.

Causes of Gmail Errors

Gmail problems, though infrequent, can arise from both the user and Google. On the user side, the cause might be a poor internet connection, a forgotten password, or a configuration error. On Google's side, the site might be down or could be experiencing a glitch arising from an update. rawpixel / Unsplash

How to Fix Common Gmail Errors

If the problem is on your end, there's usually a simple fix. However, if the problem lies with Google, you can't do much other than wait until it's addressed. Here are a few steps to figure out what's going wrong and some possible fixes. If you forgot your login information, use the Gmail account recovery feature. Use Gmail in a supported web browser. Gmail works best in the most recent version of the browser you use. The browser must have cookies and JavaScript enabled to use all the Gmail features. Temporarily turn off browser extensions and add-ons. Sometimes extensions and add-ons can interfere with Gmail. Alternatively, use the browser's private browsing or incognito mode to open Gmail with no extensions running. If Gmail works properly without any extensions running, enable extensions one at a time to determine the culprit. Clear the web browser's cache and cookies. Clearing these items can take care of loading and formatting issues. Visit the Google Workspace Status Dashboard. View the Status Dashboard to find out about any known issues Gmail is currently experiencing.

If You' re Missing Emails

If you haven't received messages you were expecting, you aren't receiving any new emails, or email messages that were in your inbox disappeared, check these settings. Look for the missing messages. Check your All mail, Spam, and Trash folders for the missing messages. Check for blocked addresses. Go to Settings > See All Settings > Filters & Blocked Addresses tab to see if you inadvertently blocked the missing messages. Look for filters with Delete It or Skip Inbox listed as the action, and edit or delete any that derail messages you'd rather see. Click Save Changes to apply any changes you made. Check for forwarded addresses. Find out if a forwarding email address is listed in the Forwarding & POP/IMAP > Forwarding section. If so, either turn off the setting or select Keep Gmail's Copy in the Inbox or Mark Gmail's Copy as Read. Click Save Changes to apply any changes you made.

If Your Account' s Been Hacked

If you notice unfamiliar activity in your email account or continuously have trouble logging in, someone might have hacked your Gmail. Secure your account right away. Things to look for include: Contacts notifying you that they received spam from your Gmail account.Changes to settings such as mail delegation, forwarding, and automatic replies.Blocked email addresses or filters that you did not set up.Emails that were mysteriously deleted. Go to the Google Account Security page and log in if prompted. Click Recent Security Activity and check for suspicious activity. Click No It Wasn't Me if you see any activity that you did not perform. Then, follow the steps to secure your account. Click Your Devices and click Don't Recognize a Device if you see any device listed that is not yours and has logged in to your Google account. Follow the steps to secure your account. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit More from Lifewire Gmail Won't Load? How to Fix It How to Recover a Forgotten Gmail Password How to Recover Missing Emails in Gmail How to Create a Gmail Alias How to Forward Windows Live Hotmail to Gmail How to Fix It When You're Locked Out of Your Gmail Account How to Find Out Who (or What) Is Accessing Your Gmail How to Access Free Windows Mail in Gmail How to Retrieve Archived Emails in Gmail How to Forget an Instagram Account on Your Computer or Phone How to Change Your Gmail Signature How to Remove the Email Signature From Gmail How to Check if Your Gmail Is Working What to Do When Gmail Is Not Working on iPhone Script Errors (What They Are and How to Fix Them) How to Configure Gmail POP Settings Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies