# E-mail messages do not forward to Outlook.com (Hotmail) accounts

> Find out why mail forwarded from cPanel to Outlook.com or Hotmail goes missing or lands in spam, and how to fix it.

Source: https://helpcenter.ruachost.com/email/cpanel-email/e-mail-messages-do-not-forward-to-outlook-com-hotmail-accounts/

When you set up a cPanel forwarder to redirect messages to an Outlook account, you may notice that messages never arrive or they end up in the spam folder. This is a common issue caused by how Microsoft’s mail servers handle forwarded mail.

## Problem

- Outlook often **blocks forwarded messages** or marks them as spam.
- Example: You configure `user@example.com` to forward to `user@hotmail.com`.

  - Messages sent to `user@example.com` may be silently dropped or filtered.
- Another scenario: If you send a message **from Outlook → to your domain → forwarded back to outlook**, it will not arrive.

  - This is **by design** to prevent mail loops.

## Resolution

Instead of using cPanel forwarders, configure Outlook to **directly access your hosting account’s mailbox**:

1. Log in to Outlook.
2. Click the **gear icon (Settings)** → **View all Outlook settings**.
3. Go to **Mail → Sync email**.
4. Under **Connected accounts**, click **Other email accounts**.
5. Enter your hosted e‑mail address (e.g., `user@example.com`).
6. Provide the **POP3 server details** (from your Ruachost Dashboard or cPanel).
7. Enter your e‑mail account’s username and password.
8. Choose whether to:

   - Leave a copy of messages on the server.
   - Display messages in a separate folder or merge with your outlook inbox.
9. Save settings.

Outlook will now fetch messages directly from your hosting account, bypassing the forwarder issue.

> **Note:**
- Forwarders are convenient but unreliable with outlook due to spam filtering and loop prevention.
- Using Outlook.com’s **POP3 fetch** method ensures messages are delivered consistently.
- You can also configure Outlook to **send mail as** your hosted address for seamless communication.