How to Find Missing Folder in Outlook?

Today, I opened my Outlook and found that one of my crucial folders is missing. It was quite shocking for me. I have already tried to expand all folders, but it won’t work. Then, I followed a structured approach to find missing folders in Outlook. Stay with me to know all the details about the issue, its reasons, and practical solutions to restore Outlook’s missing folders.

Why Does A Folder Go Missing in Outlook? – Know Reasons

It is necessary to know the possible causes to find missing Outlook folders. Here is the list of the most significant ones:

• Modified view settings can cause this issue to arise.
• Outlook folders are accidentally deleted.
• Filters and view settings are responsible for it.
• A corrupted Outlook profile can lead to missing folders.
• Specific settings made the Outlook folder hidden.

Manual Methods to Find Missing Folder in Outlook [Top Ones]

Go through the detailed steps of the provided solutions to locate the missing Outlook folders. Try them now to find the most suitable one for yourself.

Solution 1. Audit Folder Size and List

To find missing Outlook folders, you can generate a list of all folders available inside the Outlook mailbox and then find it.

To analyze folder size and list, go through the steps given below:

1. Launch Outlook for Desktop.
2. Right-click on the mailbox account and select Data File Properties.
3. Click on the Folder Size button.
4. Folder Size window would appear on-screen; inside, you’ll notice the path and space consumed by each folder available in the Outlook mailbox. From here, you can find the current location of the missing folder.

Solution 2. Run Advanced Folder Search

You can use the Advanced Folder Search to look for lost or missing Outlook folders along with mailbox items in the 2016 and 2019 versions.

Follow the given steps:

1. Open Microsoft Outlook.
2. Move on to the Search tab – in the menu bar.
3. Click on Search Tools, and now select Advanced Find option.
4. Once the Advanced Find window is up on the screen.
5. Input the lost or missing folder name and click on the Browse button to start the search. Here, you can find the lost or missing folder path/location.

Input the lost or missing folder name and click on the Browse button to start the search. Here, you can find the lost or missing folder path/location.

Solution 3. Check-in Trash Box and Restore

The trash box contains all the files, attachments, messages, and folders that are deleted. Follow the instructions to search for the missing Outlook folder in the trash box.

1. Open the Outlook application.
2. Click on the Deleted Items (This computer only) folder in the left side of the screen.
3. Once it’s open, all deleted/removed items including folders will be available to restore.

   Note: If you won’t be able to find that folder in the trash box, then maybe it is already deleted from there. If so, you have to recover it from the server with the help of the provided steps.

1. Go to Folders tab and click on Recover Deleted Items option.
2. It will display the missing folder on the screen. If not, then access the Home tab and click Recover Deleted Items from Server.
3. Select the folder from the available deleted items, then tap on Restore Selected Items and click OK.
4. This will successfully restore Outlook’s missing folders from the server.

Solution 4. Execute VBA Macro Code

Also, you can try a method which allows the user to define a custom search program in Outlook 2016 & 2019. To search for a missing folder, you would have to run a VBA macro code – Visual Basic for Applications code.

Go through the steps below to create and run a custom search application in Microsoft Outlook:

First Enable Developer Tab

1. Launch Outlook.
2. Now, move to the File tab, and click on Options.
3. Select Customize Ribbon option from the left pane.
4. Customize the Ribbon window will now appear. Checkmark Developer Option and click OK.

Developer Tab will now be available in the menu bar, let’s proceed with the next step.

Execute VBA Code

1. Click on Developer Tab in the menu bar and then select Visual Basic option in it.
2. VBA window will come up on-screen. Click on the + icon to expand Microsoft Outlook Objects. Double-click on ThisOutlookSession.
3. Inside ThisOutlook Session Project1 window, enter the code given below:

   VBA Macro Code
   Private g_Folder As Outlook.MAPIFolder
   Private g_Find As String
   Public Sub FindFolder()
   Dim xFldName As String
   Dim xFolders As Outlook.Folders
   Dim xYesNo As Integer
   On Error Resume Next
   Set g_Folder = Nothing g_Find = “”
   xFldName = InputBox(“Folder name:”, “Find Lost Folder”)
   If Trim(xFldName) = “” Then Exit Sub
   g_Find = xFldName
   g_Find = UCase(g_Find)
   Set xFolders = Application.Session.Folders
   LoopFolders xFolders
   If Not g_Folder Is Nothing Then
   xYesNo = MsgBox(“Activate folder: ” & vbCrLf & g_Folder.FolderPath,
   vbQuestion Or vbYesNo, “Find Lost Folder”)
   If xYesNo = vbYes Then
   Application.ActiveExplorer.CurrentFolder = g_Folder
   Set End If
   Else
   MsgBox “Not found”, vblnformation, “Find Lost Folder” End If
   End Sub
   Private Sub LoopFolders (Folders As Outlook.Folders)
   Dim xFolder As Outlook.MAPIFolder
   Dim xFound As Boolean
   On Error Resume Next
   xFound = False
   For Each xFolder In Folders
   If UCase(xFolder.Name) = g_Find Then xFound = True
   If xFound Then
   Set g_Folder = xFolder
   Exit For
   Else
   LoopFolders xFolder.Folders
   If Not g_Folder Is Nothing Then Exit For
   End If
   Next
   End Sub

4. In the menu bar, click Run > Run Sub/UserForm.
5. The custom folder search program window will show up on-screen.
6. In the search bar, type the name of the missing folder, say Word Mails > click Ok.
7. Once the search is complete, the missing folder location/path will be available.

Solution 5. Change or Reset view settings

All the items visible in the Outlook application totally depend on the view settings. Sometimes, changes in view settings cause this issue. Here’s how to find missing Outlook folder.

1. Access the View tab in the Outlook application and click on View Settings option.
2. Click on the Filter option and ensure that all the filters are disabled.
3. If filters are enabled, then disable them by unchecking the boxes and click OK to proceed.
4. By disabling the applied filters, you can access your missing Outlook folder.

   Note: If you still can’t see the missing folder, reset the view settings with the following instructions.

1. Click on Reset View option under the View tab.
2. It will reset the view to fix the issues which arise due to modification.

Solution 6. Check for hidden folders

Hiding folders is an advanced filter that Outlook provides its users. In some instances, users unintentionally hide their folders, which leads to the folder disappearing from its default place. To unhide them, go through the mentioned steps:

1. Access the View tab in your Outlook application.
2. Click on Folder Pane and select the Normal option from the drop-down list.
3. It will reveal all the folders that were previously hidden.

Solution 7. Repair or create new Outlook profile

One of the main causes of this issue is a corrupted Outlook profile. Repairing or creating a new profile can fix this issue. Here’s how to find lost folder in Outlook with new Outlook profile:

1. Go to File tab, click on Account Settings, and select Account Settings from the drop-down options.
2. Choose the account under the Email tab, then tap on Repair option.
3. In the new window, click on Repair option and follow the on-screen instructions.
4. Once the repair process is completed, click on the Done option. Then, restart your Outlook application to apply the changes.

   Note: If it fails to resolve the error, create a new Outlook profile using the given instructions.

1. Access the File tab, click on Account Settings option, and select Manage Profiles from the drop-down list.
2. Click on Show Profiles in the Mail Setup wizard.
3. Select Add option to create a new profile, enter the Profile Name, and click OK.
4. After that, choose the created profile as default and click OK> Apply.

Facing Corruption Issues In Outlook? – Try the One Stop Solution Now

You can use the above methods to find missing folders in Outlook. But if the issue occurred due to Outlook data file corruption or damage, the native solutions won’t help in this situation

You may learn about tips to avoid Outlook PST file corruption. But to deal with such a scenario, you would need a dedicated tool like Recoveryfix to fix similar issues and safeguard crucial mailbox data. The Outlook PST Repair tool helps you to recover data and fix PST file corruption issues. It provides multiple options for file saving after recovery, live data preview, split large PST file option, and more.

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Wrap Up

Here, we have discussed manual solutions to find missing folder in Outlook, which I have tried personally. You can use them to fix the issue if you are experiencing the same. All the previously mentioned methods address different causes that are responsible for the missing folders.

But if the issue is related to corruption, go with the recommended solution. It also assists you with queries such as how to recover permanently deleted PST emails, methods to backup Outlook PST files, and fix PST file damage.

FAQs: Quick Help Section

Q- Does limited integration affect Lotus Notes usage today?

A- Yes. Since it comes with limited integration with modern cloud services & productivity tools, it drives users to adopt more flexible options like Outlook.

Q- What are the steps to find a missing folder in Outlook Shared Mailbox?

A- You can use the steps below to locate folders in Shared mailboxes:

• Check for permissions.
• Refresh mailboxes.
• Add the Shared Mailbox again.

Q- How do I find missing folder in Outlook for Mac?

A- Use the methods below to locate missing folders in Mac:

• Rebuild Outlook profile.
• Synchronize account again.
• Check the server settings.

Q- I can’t see a particular folder after synchronization. What should I do?

A- Do the following things if you can’t see the mailbox folder:

• Wait for sync completion.
• Restart the Outlook application.
• Check IMAP/ Exchange settings.

Q- Where do missing folders go in Outlook?

A- The mailbox folders get nested inside another Outlook folder. Use the search options to locate them.