Question:

I am encountering a perplexing issue with my Outlook email setup. Despite having two email accounts configured, with one currently disabled, I’ve noticed an unusual behavior. New emails intended for the active account are also being duplicated to the disabled account. This occurs even though the recipient ‘To:’ field only lists the active account. I have verified that there are no inbox rules causing this, and the active account is set as the default. Could you provide guidance on resolving this duplication anomaly?”

Answer:

Email duplication issues in Outlook can be quite frustrating, especially when they occur without any apparent reason. If you’re facing a situation where emails intended for an active account are also being sent to a disabled one, here’s a systematic approach to troubleshoot and resolve the problem:

Even though you’ve mentioned that there are no rules set, it’s worth double-checking. Sometimes, rules can be hidden or not immediately apparent.

– Go to the

File

tab.

– Click on

Manage Rules & Alerts

.

• Carefully review all the rules for any that might be causing the duplication.

2. Inspect Account Settings:

A misconfiguration in your account settings might be causing the issue.

– Open

Account Settings

.

– Select the

Email

tab.

• Ensure that the disabled account is not set to forward or redirect emails to the active account.

3. Verify Email Aliases:

Sometimes, email aliases can cause duplication if not properly managed.

• Check if the disabled account has an alias that is similar to the active account.
• Remove any aliases that might be causing confusion.

4. Examine Server Settings:

If your email is managed by an Exchange server, there might be server-side settings that are causing the duplication.

• Contact your IT department or server administrator.
• Ask them to check for any server-side settings that might be duplicating emails to multiple accounts.

5. Repair Outlook Installation:

A glitch in the Outlook program itself might be responsible for the duplication.

– Use the

Repair feature in the Programs and Features

section of the Control Panel.

• Follow the prompts to repair your Outlook installation.

6. Create a New Outlook Profile:

If none of the above steps work, consider creating a new Outlook profile.

– Go to

Control Panel > Mail > Show Profiles

.

– Click on

Add

to create a new profile.

• Set up your email accounts afresh in the new profile.

7. Consult with Microsoft Support:

As a last resort, if the issue persists, reach out to Microsoft Support for professional assistance.

By following these steps, you should be able to resolve the email duplication issue in Outlook. Remember, when dealing with such anomalies, patience and a methodical approach are key. Good luck!