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# Archived or Moved Emails Come Back to the Inbox (or Turn Unread Again) - Gmail and Microsoft 365

You archive a message, move it to a folder or mark it as read in Airmail, and a moment later it is back in the inbox, sometimes as unread. This article explains why it happens and how to fix it.

## Why this happens
Airmail does not keep its own copy of your mailbox: every action you take (archive, move, mark as read) is sent to your mail server, which is the single source of truth. If the message comes back, it means the server put it back. The usual reasons are: a filter or rule on the server (Gmail filters, Outlook/Microsoft 365 rules) that re-labels or moves the message; another device or mail app that was offline and sends an older state when it reconnects; a Gmail message that belongs to a conversation where a newer reply arrived, which brings the whole thread back to the inbox; or a temporary mismatch between Airmail's local cache and the server after an update.

## Steps to fix it
1. Check the message in the web interface of your provider (mail.google.com or outlook.office.com). If it is also back in the inbox there, the change was reverted on the server and Airmail is simply showing the current state.
2. Look for server-side rules. Gmail: Settings > See all settings > Filters and Blocked Addresses. Microsoft 365 / Outlook: Settings > Mail > Rules. Disable any rule that applies to the sender or subject of the affected messages and test again.
3. Check other devices and apps. If the same account is configured in another mail app or on a phone that was offline, open it and let it synchronise completely, then test again from Airmail.
4. Quit Airmail and open it again so that it re-synchronises with the server.
5. If the problem persists, remove the account from Airmail (Preferences > Accounts on Mac, Settings > Accounts on iOS) and add it again. This rebuilds the local cache from the server. Your emails are not deleted: they stay on the server and are downloaded again.
## Gmail users
In Gmail, archiving removes the Inbox label from a message. When a new reply arrives in the same conversation, Gmail puts the whole conversation back in the inbox: this is normal Gmail behaviour, not an Airmail issue. Also make sure that IMAP is enabled and that the Inbox folder is set to be shown in IMAP (Gmail Settings > Labels).

## Still not working?
Contact Airmail Support and tell us your provider, the Airmail and macOS/iOS versions, and whether the message also reappears in the web interface. If you can, send the Airmail logs (Preferences > Advanced > Logs on Mac) right after reproducing the issue: they show us which action was reverted and by whom.