Email Sync Problems

Fix Apple Mail Re-Downloading Office 365 Emails with Blank Bodies

Maira Mehtab Sep 22, 2026 869 views

Question details

Users are experiencing an issue where Apple Mail repeatedly downloads Office 365 emails, but the message bodies remain completely blank or fail to load.

Product: Apple Mail / Office 365
Device & OS: Mac
Scenario: Syncing an Office 365 email account within the native Apple Mail client on macOS.
Observed behavior: Emails are repeatedly downloaded from the server, but the actual message bodies are missing or blank, even after performing basic troubleshooting like rebuilding the mailbox.

Before you start

Ensure you have a stable internet connection and verify that your Office 365 account subscription is currently active before making changes to your email settings.

Solution 1Recommended

Verify Emails in Outlook Web and Re-add the Account

Check if the emails load properly on the Outlook web client to isolate the issue to Apple Mail, then re-add your account with modern authentication.

If your emails display correctly on the web version of Outlook, the problem lies within the Apple Mail application or its local cache. Re-adding the account often resolves these synchronization glitches.

Check Outlook on the Web

Open your web browser and navigate to Outlook on the web (https://outlook.office.com). Log in with your Office 365 credentials and check if the email bodies load correctly.

Remove the Account from Mac

On your Mac, open 'System Settings' (or 'System Preferences') and navigate to 'Internet Accounts'. Select your Office 365 account and click the minus (-) button to remove it.

Re-add the Account

Click 'Add Account', select 'Microsoft Exchange', and sign back in to re-add the account. This forces Apple Mail to use Microsoft's current authentication settings and rebuilds the local sync data.

Data Safety: Removing the account from 'Internet Accounts' will not delete your emails from the server. They will all securely sync back to your Mac once the account is re-added.

Solution 2

Update macOS and Apple Mail

Installing the latest system updates can resolve underlying bugs affecting the Mail app's synchronization with Office 365.

Free Microsoft Office alternative

Manage Your Documents Better with WPS Office

While troubleshooting your email sync issues with Office 365, consider exploring WPS Office for your local document needs. It's a free, lightweight, and highly compatible Office suite that allows you to view, edit, and create Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files seamlessly on your Mac.

1. Visit the Official Website: Go to the official WPS Office website to find the macOS installation package.
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3. Install and Launch: Open the downloaded file, follow the standard macOS installation prompts, and launch WPS Office to start working on your documents.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why are my Office 365 emails showing blank bodies in Apple Mail?

This issue is often caused by a corrupted local cache in the Apple Mail app or outdated authentication tokens preventing the application from properly downloading the full message content from the Microsoft Exchange server.

Does rebuilding the mailbox fix blank email bodies?

While rebuilding a mailbox in Apple Mail (via Mailbox > Rebuild) forces the app to redownload messages, it may not resolve blank email bodies if the underlying issue is related to account authentication or a deeper synchronization bug. In those cases, removing and re-adding the account is far more effective.

Will removing my Office 365 account from my Mac delete my emails permanently?

No, removing an Exchange or Office 365 account from 'Internet Accounts' on your Mac only deletes the local cache. All your emails, contacts, and calendar events are safely stored on Microsoft's servers and will sync back immediately once you re-add the account.

What should I do if the emails are also blank on Outlook Web?

If your emails appear blank even when you log into https://outlook.office.com, the issue is not with the Apple Mail app but with your Office 365 account data or the sender's email itself. You should contact your IT administrator or Microsoft Support directly for further assistance.

Outlook & Email Problems