Gmail is generally reliable, but there are several reasons new messages might stop showing up in your inbox. The good news is that most of them are quick to fix once you know where to look.
Check Your Storage Quota
Gmail gives you 15 GB of storage shared with Google Drive and Google Photos. When that fills up, new emails bounce back to the sender. Scroll to the bottom of Gmail in a browser — you will see your current storage use. If you are over 90%, delete large emails (search has:attachment larger:10M) or empty your Trash and Spam folders.
Look in Spam and All Mail
Click Spam in the left sidebar. If the missing email is there, open it and click Not spam. Also check All Mail — emails that have had their Inbox label removed still appear there.
Check for Filters That Move or Delete Email
Go to Settings (the gear icon) > See all settings > Filters and Blocked Addresses. Look for any filter that says Skip the Inbox, Delete it, or Apply label on messages from the sender you are expecting. Delete or edit any filter that should not be there.
Check Forwarding and POP/IMAP Settings
Under Settings > Forwarding and POP/IMAP, make sure you have not accidentally set all incoming mail to be forwarded elsewhere and deleted from Gmail. If forwarding is enabled and you did not set it up, disable it and change your Google password — someone else may have accessed your account.
Try a Different Browser or Device
Sometimes the Gmail interface just needs a refresh. Try opening Gmail in a different browser, or check the Gmail app on your phone. If email arrives on one device but not another, the issue is a display glitch — clear the browser cache or reinstall the Gmail app.
Still Not Arriving?
Ask the sender to check whether they received a bounce-back message. If they did, the problem may be on their end or with their email provider. If you need more help, ask us and include the sender's email domain.