Missing Saved Folders

J T 0 Reputation points
2026-10-12T19:41:19.09+00:00

Recently I have 2 folders missing from my Saved Favorites folders. This is on outlook for Mac.

Outlook | MacOS | Legacy Outlook for Mac | For home
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  1. Kai-H 28,690 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
    2026-10-13T11:20:42.0266667+00:00

    Hi, J T

    Outlook for Mac’s Profiles feature can limit which accounts you see, so that’s another setting worth checking before making changes to your mailbox.

    Here are some suggestions you can try:

    Check the active Outlook profile. If you have multiple accounts and see profile icons on the left, select All Accounts rather than a Work or Personal profile. Profiles control which accounts are included in your view. Check whether the missing folders become visible there.

    Search for the folders directly. It is suggested that you select an email, open Move > Copy to Folder, and search for each missing folder’s name. If a folder appears, this can help identify where it is nested. Cancel the dialog without copying the email.

    Install available Outlook updates. Go to Help > Check for Updates. If you installed Outlook through the Mac App Store, use App Store > Updates instead.

    Are these regular email folders, or saved searches? Also, which version appears under Outlook > About Outlook?

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  2. AI answer

    2026-10-12T19:42:19.3133333+00:00

    If the two original folders still appear elsewhere in Outlook’s sidebar, Control-click each folder and select Add to Favorites to restore its shortcut.

    Favorites contain shortcuts to folders; a folder disappearing from Favorites does not necessarily mean that the underlying folder or messages were deleted. After adding it, the folder should appear in Favorites at the top of the sidebar. ^1^

    If the original folders are also missing

    Work through these checks in order:

    1. Expand the folder hierarchy
      • Select the arrows beside the mailbox, Inbox, and other parent folders.
      • Nested folders can be hidden when their parent is collapsed. ^2^
    2. Show local “On My Computer” folders This applies if the missing folders were stored locally rather than in the mail server:
      • Select Outlook > Settings.
      • Under Personal Settings, select General.
      • Clear Hide On My Computer folders.
      • Look under On My Computer, then Control-click each recovered folder and select Add to Favorites. ^3^
    3. Check Deleted Items or Trash
      • Expand Deleted Items or Trash and look for the folders.
      • If found, drag or move each folder back beneath the correct parent folder.
      • Then Control-click it and select Add to Favorites.
      Deleted folders can be restored while they remain under Deleted Items; permanently deleted folders themselves generally cannot be recovered, although individual messages may still be recoverable depending on the account. ^4^ The Mac-specific recovery path is also described here. ^5^
    4. Compare with webmail
      • Sign in to the same account through Outlook on the web, Outlook.com, or your provider’s webmail.
      • If the folders exist there, they remain on the server and the issue is limited to Outlook for Mac’s local display or synchronization.
      • If the folders are absent there too, do not clear Outlook’s cache; investigate Deleted Items, backups, or your mail administrator’s server-side recovery options instead.
    5. Refresh only an affected server-backed folder, when available If the missing folders appear in webmail and Outlook offers this command for the affected account/folder:
      • In Outlook for Mac, Control-click the affected parent folder.
      • Select Properties > General > Empty Cache.
      • Allow Outlook to download the server copy again.
      Warning: Emptying the cache can remove information that has not synchronized. Use it only after confirming the folders or their contents exist in webmail, or after making a backup. ^5^

    Once the underlying folders reappear, restore their Favorites entries with Control-click > Add to Favorites.

    References

    1. Add to Favorites
    2. Add or remove a folder in Outlook for Mac | Microsoft Support
    3. Legacy Outlook for Mac
    4. Web
    5. Lost email subfolders under a main folder which was renamed - Microsoft Q&A
    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

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