Missing folders after New Outlook installed

Margaret Campbell 20 Reputation points
2025-10-26T15:01:39.1033333+00:00

Yesterday’s morning I made significant changes to 4 folders in my Outlook incoming mail. Around noon Outlook spontaneously installed New Outlook. When it was installed the 4 folders I had worked on were missing completely. The folders still appear in my Yahoo mail on currently.com but without the revisions. How do I get them back in my Outlook on my desktop PC?

I have closed Outlook and now I can no longer open it at all. The only icon I have is Outlook (Classic) and it tries to start but fails.

Outlook | Windows | New Outlook for Windows | For home
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Answer accepted by question author
Kal-D 7,380 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
2025-10-26T22:16:08.3133333+00:00

Dear Margaret Campbell,

Thank you for posting in Microsoft Q&A Forum.

I understand the frustration of losing folders and then having the application fail. Here is a step-by-step solution.

Step 1: Fix Outlook (Classic) Not Opening

The installation is likely corrupted. We need to repair it.

  1. Close Outlook completely.
  2. Go to Windows Settings > Apps > Apps & features.
  3. Search for "Microsoft Office", select it, and click Modify.
  4. Choose Quick Repair. If that fails, run the Online Repair. This is the most reliable fix for this issue.

Step 2: Recover Your Missing Folders

Your folders are safe on Yahoo's server. We just need to make Outlook see them again.

  1. After the repair, open Outlook (Classic). Immediately check for and disable the "New Outlook" toggle in the top-right corner if it's active.
  2. In the folder pane, right-click your Yahoo email account and select Refresh Folders.
  3. If they don't appear, right-click the account again and choose IMAP Folders....
  4. A list of all server folders will appear. Find your 4 missing folders, select each one, and click Subscribe. Click OK. They will now appear in your folder list.

Prevention: In Outlook (Classic), go to File > Office Account and ensure the "Try the New Outlook" switch is turned Off.

Your data is intact. The repair should resolve the launch issue, and the IMAP subscribe process will restore your folder view.

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  1. Hornblower409 18,970 Reputation points
    2025-10-27T15:04:31.36+00:00

    A good article on reverting to Classic Outlook
    https://www.slipstick.com/outlook/classic-outlook-not-new-outlook/

    If the repair that @Kal-D suggested doesn't work and you need to download and re-install Classic Outlook
    https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/install-or-reinstall-classic-outlook-on-a-windows-pc-5c94902b-31a5-4274-abb0-b07f4661edf5

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