I can no longer see all of my new emails on my iphone 16 (only 4) but they are still available on my pc (191) Tried everything

Ronnie Peduzzi 0 Reputation points
2026-09-04T10:35:32.0633333+00:00

on my pc my outlook hotmail email account shows 191 new messages but on my iphone 16 outlook only shows 4 new messages on the app at the bottom of the main wallpaper screen. That only happened on Thursday 9/3/26 when I tried to respond to an email on the "contact us" at the bottom on the email. It opened in a separate microsoft email icon and asked for me to login (which I did successfully). That made me nervous so I closed out of that email and deleted the app. It was then that I noticed that the email icon at the bottom of my iphone main wallpaper page had changed from 191 new messages to 4. I tried turning the phone on and off. I tried to find a way to sink the two devices. I looked in the app store for micosoft outlook and had to login and was able to see all of my emails but there was no way to add that link to my desktop on my iphone 16. I have tried for over 12 hours to figure this out. Nothing works. I'd like it to go back to the original icon at the bottom of my home screen on my phone when I tap the blue blue envelope at the bottom next to the phone icon, the internet icon and the green text message icon. At this point I would be happy if the microsoft app icon appeared on the wallpaper screen so I don't have to go to the app store, search for microsoft outlook hotmail and open that. What happened and how do I fix it? some easy to understand steps would be very much appreciated. I'm at my wits end and I don't want to delete the original blue envelope at the bottom of the home screen on my phone for fear I won't be able to reinstall it. HELP <PII removed>

Outlook | Outlook for mobile | Outlook for iOS | For home
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  1. Thomas4-N 21,530 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
    2026-09-05T11:23:49.49+00:00

    Hello Ronnie Peduzzi,

    The blue envelope in the iPhone dock is most likely the built-in Apple Mail app, while Microsoft Outlook is a separate app.

    Could you clarify these two points?

    • When you open the blue envelope, are emails actually missing, or is only the number on the icon different?
    • In the App Store, does Microsoft Outlook show Open or a download symbol?

    If it shows Open, Outlook is still installed. Swipe left to the App Library, find Outlook, then press and hold its icon and select Add to Home Screen.

    If the issue is only with the blue Apple Mail icon or its badge count, that part is controlled by iOS rather than Outlook and may need Apple Support.

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  2. AI answer

    2026-09-04T10:35:57.81+00:00

    The blue envelope in the iPhone dock is most likely the built-in Apple Mail app, not the Outlook app. That explains why the message count on the iPhone no longer matches what is visible on the PC or in Outlook on the web.

    Try these steps in order:

    1. Confirm whether the Outlook/Hotmail account works outside the iPhone Mail app.
      • Open Outlook on the web or the Outlook app already accessible from the App Store.
      • If all 191 messages appear there, the account itself is fine and the problem is with the iPhone mail app or its sync connection.
    2. Re-enter the password for the account in iPhone settings.
      • On the iPhone, open Settings.
      • Tap Mail.
      • Tap Accounts.
      • Tap the Outlook/Hotmail account.
      • Tap Account Settings or the Password field.
      • Enter the correct password.
      • Tap Done.
      • Open the Mail app and check whether mail starts syncing again.
    3. If the iPhone still shows only 4 messages, remove the device partnership from the mailbox and sync again.
      • Go to Settings > General > Mobile devices in Outlook.com or Outlook on the web.
      • Select the iPhone in the device list.
      • Delete the device partnership.
      • Select Save.
      • Power off the iPhone completely.
      • Turn it back on after a few seconds.
      • Sync the mailbox again.
    4. Check whether storage is full.
      • If Microsoft cloud storage is full, email cannot be sent or received.
      • Messages sent while storage is full are bounced back and are unrecoverable.
    5. If the issue is only with the Apple Mail app, use the Outlook mobile app instead.
      • The guidance for Outlook mobile notes that if email works on a computer and there is no outage, the issue may be with the email app.
      • For Outlook.com accounts, Microsoft recommends the Outlook mobile app for easier email management.

    About the Outlook app icon on the Home Screen:

    • If Outlook is installed, it should appear on the iPhone and can be opened directly from there instead of through the App Store.
    • The blue envelope in the dock is the Apple Mail app icon, so deleting or reinstalling Outlook would not change that icon.
    • If the Outlook app was deleted earlier, reinstalling it is the correct way to get the Outlook icon back.

    If the account syncs correctly in Outlook on the web and in the Outlook app, but not in the blue envelope app, the problem is with the iPhone Mail app connection rather than the mailbox.

    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

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