Finding a Moved or Missing Email Folder

Overview

Occasionally, when organizing email within Outlook, we accidentally move a folder to the wrong location, or forget where the folder was moved. While Outlook does not have the ability to search for folder names, there are several options that will help you find your missing folder.

If you cannot find your missing folder using the directions below, it is possible that the folder was deleted by mistake. If this is the case, please review Microsoft's article on recovering deleted files and folders, which you can find here: Recover deleted items in Outlook for Windows

Directions

Search Folders in Vicinity

If you have an idea of where the folder was, or where it might have been moved, try searching the folders next to that location. Starting here may save you some time in the search.

Find A Missing Folder Using Folder Size List

1. In the Outlook client, right-click on your root folder name and choose Data File Properties.

2. In the Outlook Today dialog box and under the General tab, click the Folder Size button.

3. In the opening Folder Size dialog box, find your missing folder in the folder box. Write down or note the folder path, then Cancel out of the window.

4. Go back to Outlook main interface, find the folder according to the above folder path, then manually drag the folder back to where it belongs.

Find A Missing Folder by Search And Browse

If you remember the title of any email in the missing folder, you can find it by searching for the email title.

1. In the Outlook client, click on  your Inbox folder, then click in the Search field above your email list to activate the Search Tab. In the drop down box, choose All Outlook Items.

2. In the Search field, enter the title or part of the subject of an email you know was in the missing folder. Hit Enter to Search. Any matching email messages will appear below in the search list. If you find the correct email, double-click to open the mail message. If it does not appear, try adjusting your search criteria and try again.

3. In the open mail window, press the Ctrl + Shift + F keys to open the Advanced Find dialog box. In the dialog, you can see the folder name of the email is displayed in the In field. To see the complete folder path,click the Browse button.

4. In the Select Folder(s) dialog box, you will see where the missing folder is currently located. Remember the folder path and then click the OK button and close out of all remaining windows.

5. Go back to Outlook main window, find the missing folder within your folders list, then manually drag the folder back to where it belongs (click on the folder with the left mouse button, and keeping the button selected, drag the folder to the appropriate location).

Details

Article ID: 65291
Created
Tue 10/16/18 12:23 PM
Modified
Tue 10/16/18 12:58 PM