How to change email sync frequency in Windows 10

If the Mail app in Windows 10 isn’t delivering your messages as often as you like, or they’re arriving on your smartphone or tablet long before your PC, then you might need to adjust the frequency with which the app checks for new emails.

We show you the simple steps to make your Mail app a bit quicker with its deliveries.

How to changing the Mail frequency settings

Rather than a universal setting for all your email accounts, the Mail app sets each individually. So, if you have multiple accounts, you’ll need to repeat most of the steps for each one.

To make Windows 10’s Mail app get email faster you need to change the default setting from ‘based on my usage‘ – which is a vague and somewhat unhelpful term – to ‘as items arrive‘ which means emails will appear with almost no delay at all. Here’s how to do it. 

Open the Mail app, then click on the Settings icon (it looks like a gear cog) in the bottom left corner of the screen.

A menu will appear, from which you need to select Manage accounts, then click on the email address you want to adjust.

A new window will open with the settings for that particular account. Under the text field entitled Account name you’ll find the option to Change mailbox sync settings. Click on this.

Now, at the top of the next box there is a drop-down menu available under the Download new email heading. Microsoft defaults to the rather nebulous ‘based on my usage’, but we recommend you choose a more measurable time period instead.

The ‘as items arrive’ option will keep your PC on its toes, constantly looking out for new messages, but this can also add processes and a slight drain on the battery of a laptop. If your needs are not so instant, then the ‘every 15 minutes’ or even ‘every 30 minutes’ might be the route to go down.

When you’re happy with the new frequency, click the Done button and you should see a marked improvement in the regularity of your messages.

If you’re still not content with the Main app, then take a look at our best free email services roundup for some excellent alternatives.