Microsoft Rewards users report “Read 3 Outlook emails” not working again

For a lot of Microsoft Rewards regulars, this task is basically muscle memory: open Outlook, tap a few unread emails, watch the counter tick up, move on. When it works, it’s one of those small, mindless point-grabs that quietly props up streaks and puzzle progress.

This week, people are saying that counter is just dead.

A recent post on the r/MicrosoftRewards subreddit highlights that the “Read 3 messages on Outlook” task doesn’t seem to be tracking. Even replies under the post state that the “Read Outlook emails” tracker stays stuck at 0/3 even after reading messages the same way they’ve done for months. 

One commenter in that thread said it had been working fine recently, then suddenly stopped registering altogether. Others complained the timing couldn’t be worse because the Outlook task can be tied to the weekly puzzle-piece streak, so a bad day can undo a run of progress.

If this sounds familiar, that’s because the “Read 3 emails” activity has a track record.

In October 2025, another r/MicrosoftRewards post asked if it was broken “for anyone else today,” with multiple people reporting it wasn’t counting even when they tried early in the day. Go back further, and it turns into a pattern: an April 2025 thread has users describing the same 0/3 problem and swapping tips like waiting for an unread email to fully flip to “read” before backing out.

A May 2025 post from a user who said they were in the US on Android described spending hours trying every usual trick (mark read/unread, different apps, different browsers) and still getting nowhere.

A key detail that keeps popping up in these discussions is how picky the offer can be about where it runs. Some users say it’s meant for Outlook.com on a mobile browser, commonly on Android, and may be US-limited, which makes troubleshooting extra messy when the same steps work for one person and fail for another.

Right now, there’s no official acknowledgement, and the reports are still coming in from people who say the “Read 3 Outlook emails” counter won’t move.

If Microsoft shares an update or the task starts crediting again for users, this story will be updated. For now, anyone affected may want to take screenshots and file a Rewards support request, especially if the issue risks breaking a puzzle-piece streak.

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