Email is the lifeline of modern communication, and when your primary email client, eM Client, suddenly stops working, it is an alarming situation. Whether it's freezing on startup, crashing without an error message, or simply failing to sync emails, all these issues are frustrating. Especially if you are a non-technical user, the eM Client not working issue is a nightmare.
To solve your problem and get back your eM Client into a running state, we will discuss all the methods listed by eM Client developers. Additionally, I will also let you know about a few troubleshooting tricks that I have discovered over the many years of using eM Client. But first, let me tell you why your eM Client is not working.
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Before we start implementing the method, let me tell you the top reasons reported by eM Client users & developers for the issue you are facing.
Corrupt Database: This is the most common culprit. If the computer was shut down improperly (power loss) while your eM Client was running, the database files could become corrupted.
Antivirus/Firewall Interference: Security software can mark crucial eM Client files as suspicious. This could prevent eM Client from launching correctly or interfere with network connection.
Outdated Version: A few users and forums have reported that sometimes the older version of eM Client does not fit well with the Windows updates. This incompatibility is also among the reasons for eM Client not working.
Virus Attack: A malware attack can also damage the application files in the installation directory and prevent eM Client from opening.
Note - In addition to the above reasons, you can also check out the Windows Event Viewer to dig deep into the issue. The Event Viewer logs every issue that occurs in the system. To access it, do the following:
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Sometimes, you need minor changes to solve big problems. Try the following troubleshoots to quickly solve eM Client not working issue.
Restart Your Computer: A simple reboot can clear temporary cache conflicts that might prevent the application from launching correctly.
Force Close and Restart: Sometimes the app is running in the background, causing the application to not shut down correctly. To fix it, open Task Manager, look for eM Client, right-click it, and select End Task. Then reopen it.
Check Your Internet Connection: Maybe everything is fine, but the real reason your emails are not synching is because there is no internet connection. Verify and make sure you have a stable connection.
Update eM Client: Go to Menu > Help > Check for updates. If you can't open the eM Client, visit the official website, and download the latest versions. Then, uninstall the old one and install the one you just downloaded.
If the above measures don’t work for you, try the method given below to get your eM Client working again.
These are the best tried and tested methods to fix the eM Client problem. Let’s start with the easiest one.
If corruption is the root cause, eM client will run an automatic database repair when you open the application. When it asks for scanning, allow it. Do not stop the database repair. Skipping or stopping it may damage the data beyond recovery.
In case, the application does not offer any repair option, try the following steps to manually do it:
Step 1: Open the command prompt, paste this directory “C:\Program Files (x86)\eM Client\MailClient.exe” /dbrepair and hit Enter.
Step 2: It will scan your database for errors and attempt to fix them automatically.
Step 3: Once finished, try launching eM Client.
Try to disable your Windows Defender program or any third-party antivirus software. Use these steps to disable Windows Defender:
Step 1: Go to Windows Security settings and click on virus & threat protection.
Step 2: Under virus & threat protection settings, click Manage settings.
Step 3: Turn off the Real-time protection.
Note: Run the eM Client again.
If the application launches without any issue, then it is confirmed that the anti-malware program is the main culprit. Whitelist eM Client to prevent the eM Client not working issue from coming again.
The above steps are specifically for Windows Defender. If you are using a different antivirus program, find and follow the official help guide from their website to disable the protection.
Note: Turn on the protection after performing the method.
If the database is heavily corrupted, the repair tool might fail. This method forces eM Client to create a brand new, clean database while keeping your old data safe.
Step 1: Close eM Client completely.
Step 2: Press Windows Key + R, type %appdata%, and press Enter.
Step 3: Locate the folder named eM Client.
Step 5: Right-click it and rename it to eM Client_Old.
Step 6: Now, restart the eM Client. It will start as new.
Note: The eM Client will start fresh; you must configure your account again.
Another reason that could lead to issues like no email sync is misconfigured account settings. In such cases, the eM Client fails to connect to the email server and cannot retrieve new emails. To verify the connection details, follow these steps:
Step 1: In eM Client, go to Menu > Accounts.
Step 2: Verify if IMAP or POP settings as per your connection protocol. If it is incorrect, update them.
Step 3: Restart the email client. It will start synching emails.
The last method you can try is a complete software reinstallation. Removing the tool from the system and installing it again will fix eM Client not working issue. Steps to uninstall eM Client on Windows are:
Step 1: Go to the Control Panel and click Programs and Features.
Step 2: Find the eM Client in the list.
Step 3: Right-click on it and select the uninstall option.
Note: The application will ask, “Do you want to delete the database?”. Click Yes, if you have an email backup, otherwise select No.
In case no solutions work for you, the only remaining solution is to call the customer support of eM Client. However, until they find a working solution, how will you carry out your daily tasks related to email? My suggestion for you is to backup your emails using a professional Imap backup tool and temporarily switch to another email client.
For backup, you must use Kernel IMAP Backup and Restore tool. It’s an advanced email backup tool that supports every IMAP enabled email server. This tool allows you to backup and download every email, folder, event, contact, etc., data components safely to your local drive. You can save emails in more than one format, like PST, EML, MSG, etc.
Getting the “eM client not working” error can have several reasons, as we discussed above. Use the methods and troubleshooting techniques discussed in this blog to resolve the disruption quickly. Remember to create a backup of your mailbox data to prevent permanent data loss. To avoid such issues, regularly check the eM client database and keep your antivirus up to date.
Question: Why does eM Client keep saying "Checking for corrupted database"?
Answer: This issue usually arises when the eM Client app isn't closed properly. This could happen due to a PC crash or a hardware issue. Try renaming the database to fix it.
Question:How can I move emails from eM client to Outlook?
Answer:You can simply use the login credentials of your IMAP account to open emails from Outlook. In case your emails are archived in a PST file, import PST to Outlook to view emails.
Question:My eM Client is not downloading new emails. Why?
Answer:Your antivirus or firewall port setting may be preventing the eM Client application from connecting to the email server. Try to disable your anti-malware program and verify if port 993 or 587 is unblocked.

Best tool to backup IMAP mailboxes in PST, EML, MSG or other file formats.