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Your Messages : Receiving : Receiving : Getting Started

How will I know when I have new messages?

Virgin Media Mail displays the total number of new messages in your account next to the 'Inbox' link, as well as in your browser's title bar. Virgin Media Mail automatically checks for new messages every two minutes and updates the tally when you have new mail.

Your Messages : Receiving : Receiving : Learn More

How can I tell if a message was sent to just me or to a mailing list?

Virgin Media Mail displays arrows, or 'personal level indicators,' next to messages in your inbox so you can tell if a message was addressed to you, a group, or a mailing list. A single arrow (>) appears next to a message when it is sent to you, and a group of others. Double arrows (>>) indicate that a message is addressed only to you. Arrows won't appear next to messages sent to a mailing list.

Here's how to enable personal level indicators:

  1. Log in to your Virgin Media Mail account.
  2. Click Settings at the top of any Virgin Media Mail page.
  3. Select Show indicators in the Personal level indicators: section, and click Save Changes. (If you'd like to disable personal level indicators, just select No indicators and click Save Changes.)

Blocking mail from certain senders

While you can't currently block messages from specific addresses or domains, you can set up a filter to send those unwanted messages directly to Bin.

To set up a filter, follow these steps:

  1. Click Create a filter under the search box at the top of any Virgin Media Mail page.
  2. Fill in the appropriate fields with the filter's criteria, and click Next Step.
  3. Choose the action you'd like for these messages by checking the appropriate box. (In this case, we suggest checking Delete it.)
  4. Click Create Filter.
To edit or disable a filter, click Settings.

Message headers

Message headers log the progress of a message across different servers. Use our message header guide to see how to read full email headers.

Your Messages : Receiving : Receiving : Troubleshooting

An incoming message hasn't arrived

If someone sent you a message that hasn't arrived, please first try performing a search in your Virgin Media Mail account that includes 'in: anywhere.' If you still can't find the message, please check your settings to make sure you don't have any filters that would affect the message in question and that, if you use a custom 'From:', the 'Reply-to:' address is set as your Virgin Media Mail address.

An incoming message bounced

If someone tried to send you a message that was bounced back to them, you can ask them for the details of the bounce message and then see if any of the issues below apply:

  • 'Our system detected an illegal attachment on your message.' – the senders message may contain potentially harmful attachments
  • 'Over quota' or 'Inbox full' – your inbox may have gone over its size limit
  • 'Your message exceeded Virgin Media Mail's size limits.' – Virgin Media Mail allows you to receive messages up to 20 MB in size; if the sender's message is larger that that, it cannot be accepted by Virgin Media's mail server
  • 'Our servers have detected a mail loop.' – a mail loop often occurs when two accounts are forwarding to each other. If you forward your Virgin Media Mail messages to another email address and your other email address forwards back to Virgin Media Mail, the same mail could be sent back and forth forever. When Virgin Media Mail detects a mail loop, we deliberately bounce the message to break the cycle.
  • 'This Virgin Media Mail user does not exist.' – this is normally caused by an incorrect email address - check that the sender is using your correct address
  • 'The Virgin Media Mail user you are trying to contact is receiving mail at a rate that prevents additional messages from being delivered.' – we place a limit on the number of emails an individual account can receive in order to protect users for spam and virus attacks; a sender may see this message because of a virus or spam causing you to receive an abnormally high number of emails

If none of these apply, try contacting our technical support team.

An incoming message was delayed

If you've received new mail, but noticed a delay between the sending and delivery times, the most likely cause is that the domain that hosts the sender's mail is experiencing errors. Please contact their customer support department to learn about any ongoing issues, and request that they examine their forwarding logs.

Messages sent to mailing lists don't show in my inbox

When you send a message to any mailing list you subscribe to, Virgin Media Mail automatically skips your inbox and archives the message to save you time and prevent clutter. The message will appear in your inbox if someone responds to it or if there is an error delivering the message. If you'd like to view your message, you can find it in Sent Mail or All Mail.

Reading full email headers

Email headers determine where a message is sent, and records the specific path the message follows as it passes through each mail server. To follow the path of a message chronologically, read from the bottom of the header, and work your way up.

Here's an example of a message header for an email sent from MrJones@emailprovider.com to MrSmith@virginmedia.com:

Delivered-To: MrSmith@virginmedia.com
Received: by 10.36.81.3 with SMTP id e3cs239nzb; Tue, 29 Mar 2005 15:11:47 -0800 (PST)
Return-Path:
Received: from mail.emailprovider.com (mail.emailprovider.com [111.111.11.111]) by virginmedia.com with SMTP id h19si826631rnb.2005.03.29.15.11.46; Tue, 29 Mar 2005 15:11:47 -0800 (PST)
Message-ID: <20050329231145.62086.mail@mail.emailprovider.com>
Received: from [11.11.111.111] by mail.emailprovider.com via HTTP; Tue, 29 Mar 2005 15:11:45 PST
Date: Tue, 29 Mar 2005 15:11:45 -0800 (PST)
From: Mr Jones
Subject: Hello
To: Mr Smith
In the example, headers are added to the message three times:
  1. When Mr. Jones composes the email
    Date: Tue, 29 Mar 2005 15:11:45 -0800 (PST)
    From: Mr Jones
    Subject: Hello
    To: Mr Smith
  2. When the email is sent through the servers of Mr. Jones' email provider, mail.emailprovider.com
    Message-ID: <20050329231145.62086.mail@mail.emailprovider.com>
    Received: from [11.11.111.111] by mail.emailprovider.com via HTTP; Tue, 29 Mar 2005 15:11:45 PST
  3. When the message transfers from Mr. Jones' email provider to Mr. Smith's Virgin Media Mail account
    Delivered-To: MrSmith@virginmedia.com
    Received: by 10.36.81.3 with SMTP id e3cs239nzb;Tue, 29 Mar 2005 15:11:47 -0800 (PST)
    Return-Path: MrJones@emailprovider.com
    Received: from mail.emailprovider.com (mail.emailprovider.com [111.111.11.111]) by virginmedia.com with SMTP id h19si826631rnb; Tue, 29 Mar 2005 15:11:47 -0800 (PST)
Below is a description of each section of the email header:

Delivered-To: MrSmith@virginmedia.com

The email address the message will be delivered to.
Received: by 10.36.81.3 with SMTP id e3cs239nzb;
Tue, 29 Mar 2005 15:11:47 -0800 (PST)
The time the message reached Virgin Media Mail's servers.
Return-Path:
The address from which the message was sent.
Received: from mail.emailprovider.com
(mail.emailprovider.com [111.111.11.111])
by virginmedia.com with SMTP id h19si826631rnb.2005.03.29.15.11.46;
Tue, 29 Mar 2005 15:11:47 -0800 (PST)
The message was received from mail.emailprovider.com, by a Virgin Media Mail server on March 29, 2005 at approximately 3 pm.
Message-ID: 20050329231145.62086.mail@mail.emailprovider.com
A unique number assigned by mail.emailprovider.com to identify the message.
Received: from [11.11.111.111] by mail.emailprovider.com via HTTP;
Tue, 29 Mar 2005 15:11:45 PST
Mr. Jones used an email composition program to write the message, and it was then received by the email servers of mail.emailprovider.com.
Date: Tue, 29 Mar 2005 15:11:45 -0800 (PST)
From: Mr Jones
Subject: Hello
To: Mr Smith
The date, sender, subject, and destination -- Mr. Jones entered this information (except for the date) when he composed the email.
14-04-2009