Why are operational emails from a new GSuite business not inboxing to Outlook and how to fix it?
Matthew Whittaker
Co-founder & CTO, Suped
Published 10 Jun 2025
Updated 15 Aug 2025
7 min read
When you launch a new business, getting your operational emails to reliably land in inboxes is crucial. It is especially frustrating when emails from a new GSuite (now Google Workspace) domain inexplicably fail to reach Outlook and Hotmail accounts, even if they arrive everywhere else. This is a common issue that many new businesses face, and it often points to underlying factors related to domain reputation and email authentication that are particularly strict with Microsoft mailboxes.
It can be baffling when your transactional emails, which are vital for user onboarding, password resets, or purchase confirmations, go missing. My experience shows that while it might seem like a small hiccup, these delivery failures can severely impact user experience and your business's credibility from day one. It is not just about avoiding the spam folder, but ensuring guaranteed delivery.
Many immediately suspect advanced issues, but often, the solutions lie in fundamental email deliverability practices. The fact that the domain is new plays a significant role in how email providers, especially Microsoft, evaluate your mail. They tend to be more cautious with unestablished senders to prevent spam.
Even if your domain's TLD is something less common, like a .io, that rarely contributes directly to inboxing problems. The primary culprits are almost always related to how your emails are authenticated and the initial reputation your new domain establishes. Addressing these core areas is key to achieving reliable delivery to all recipients, including those using Outlook and Hotmail.
Setting up SPF, DKIM, and DMARC
A common misconception is that setting up SPF and DKIM is a minor detail that might not significantly impact deliverability. However, I have seen time and again that these authentication protocols are absolutely critical, especially when sending to Microsoft inboxes. Without proper authentication, your emails are flagged as suspicious, regardless of their content or your sending volume.
SPF (Sender Policy Framework) allows receiving servers to verify that an email claiming to come from your domain is sent from an IP address authorized by your domain's administrators. DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail) provides a way to verify that the email content has not been tampered with during transit. Together, they form the foundational layer of email security.
Implementing DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance) on top of SPF and DKIM is not just a best practice, but increasingly a requirement for major inbox providers. DMARC tells receiving servers what to do if an email fails SPF or DKIM authentication (e.g., quarantine or reject it) and provides valuable reports on your email sending. For new domains, starting with a p=none policy for monitoring is a safe start, but you should aim to gradually enforce a stricter policy.
For Google Workspace users, ensuring these records are correctly configured in your DNS settings is paramount. Google provides specific instructions for setting up SPF and DKIM, and you will need to publish these as TXT records in your domain's DNS. For example, a basic DMARC record might look like this:
A new domain, regardless of its legitimate intentions, starts with a neutral or even low reputation score in the eyes of major email providers. This is a standard anti-spam measure. Therefore, a proper sender warming-up strategy is essential. Even for operational emails, a gradual increase in sending volume helps establish trust with ISPs.
Sending initial emails to a small group of engaged recipients, such as friends, family, or internal team members who use Outlook, can help generate positive engagement signals. When recipients open, reply, and move your emails from junk to inbox, these actions positively influence your domain's reputation with Microsoft's filters. You can also review how to fix GSuite sender reputation issues.
Avoid sending a large volume of emails immediately from a brand new domain, even if they are legitimate operational emails. This can trigger spam filters, leading to your domain being temporarily or permanently blocklisted (or blacklisted). I always advise a cautious approach, focusing on quality interactions over quantity at the outset.
Best practices for a new domain
Warm-up slowly: Gradually increase your sending volume over several weeks, especially to Outlook users.
Engage known recipients: Encourage friends, family, and colleagues using Outlook to interact with your emails.
Monitor feedback loops: Sign up for Microsoft's Junk Mail Reporting Program (JMRP) to see spam complaints.
Advanced troubleshooting and monitoring
If you have ensured proper authentication and started a cautious warm-up, but emails are still not reaching Outlook inboxes, it is time for deeper analysis. While Google will not typically intervene with Microsoft on your behalf, individual Outlook.com recipients can submit requests to Microsoft support if they are expecting your mail and it is not arriving.
I often use tools like blocklist checkers to see if the sending IP address (which, for GSuite, you share with many others) or your domain has been placed on a public blacklist. While shared IPs are common, a new domain can sometimes inherit reputation issues if it lands on a range recently used by spammers. This is less common but worth investigating if all else fails.
For ongoing monitoring, leveraging Google Postmaster Tools is invaluable. Although it provides data primarily from the perspective of Google's receivers, it can offer insights into your domain's reputation, spam rate, and authentication errors, which can be indicative of broader deliverability issues impacting Outlook as well.
The table below outlines common issues and their associated fixes for a new GSuite domain struggling with Outlook deliverability.
Problem Area
Symptoms
Solution
Authentication issues
Emails bounce or go to spam, SPF/DKIM fail reports.
Verify Google Workspace's SPF and DKIM DNS records are correctly published and aligned. Implement DMARC.
New domain reputation
Emails only reach Outlook junk/spam, even with valid authentication.
Implement a gradual warm-up process. Encourage positive engagement from initial recipients, especially Outlook users.
Content issues
Emails go to spam despite good authentication and reputation.
Review email content for spam trigger words or suspicious formatting. Keep operational emails clean and concise.
Blocklisting
Emails are rejected outright or consistently routed to junk.
Monitor blocklists for your domain and sending IPs. Request delisting if necessary, after resolving root causes.
Final thoughts on GSuite to Outlook deliverability
Navigating email deliverability issues for a new GSuite business, especially with Outlook and Hotmail, requires a methodical approach. It starts with ensuring your core email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) is flawless, as this is the bedrock of trust for email providers. Once that's in place, focus on organically building your sender reputation through consistent, positive engagement, especially with Microsoft recipients.
Remember, email deliverability is an ongoing effort. Regular monitoring of your domain's health using tools like Google Postmaster Tools and proactively responding to any issues, such as getting off a blacklist (or blocklist), will ensure your crucial operational emails consistently reach their intended destination.
Views from the trenches
Best practices
Always prioritize full email authentication, including SPF, DKIM, and DMARC, for all sending domains.
Gradually increase sending volume for new domains to build a positive sender reputation with ISPs.
Encourage positive engagement from recipients to improve inbox placement.
Common pitfalls
Expecting instant inbox delivery for a new domain without proper warm-up.
Neglecting to set up or incorrectly configuring email authentication protocols (SPF, DKIM, DMARC).
Ignoring DMARC reports or failing to adjust policies based on feedback.
Expert tips
Focus on high engagement for initial sends to build trust.
Use a DMARC monitoring service to keep track of your email streams.
If issues persist, consider using a dedicated IP address for very high volume sending.
Expert view
Expert from Email Geeks says that Microsoft requires authenticated email, and you cannot reasonably expect good inbox placement without properly authenticated emails.
2020-11-19 - Email Geeks
Expert view
Expert from Email Geeks says that if you are not sending unsolicited emails, but rather replying to emails sent to you, this will organically build your sending reputation.
Google Workspace) domain inexplicably fail to reach 
Outlook and Hotmail accounts, even if they arrive everywhere else. This is a common issue that many new businesses face, and it often points to underlying factors related to domain reputation and email authentication that are particularly strict with Microsoft mailboxes.
Microsoft inboxes. Without proper authentication, your emails are flagged as suspicious, regardless of their content or your sending volume.
Google Workspace users, ensuring these records are correctly configured in your DNS settings is paramount. Google provides specific instructions for setting up SPF and DKIM, and you will need to publish these as TXT records in your domain's DNS. For example, a basic DMARC record might look like this:
Google Postmaster Tools and proactively responding to any issues, such as getting off a blacklist (or blocklist), will ensure your crucial operational emails consistently reach their intended destination.
