I lost my trash folder in outlook

Close Classic Outlook, run Outlook.exe /resetfolders, and then reopen Outlook to restore missing default folders such as Deleted Items or Trash.

Restore the default folder

1. Close Outlook completely.
2. Press Windows key + R.
3. Enter:

Outlook.exe /resetfolders

4. Select OK or press Enter.
5. After Outlook opens, look under the affected email account for Deleted Items or Trash.

If the folder returns with an incorrect name, close Outlook and run these commands individually:

Outlook.exe /resetfolders
Outlook.exe /resetfoldernames

Microsoft documents these switches for restoring default folders and their names.^1^

Make sure the folder is not merely hidden

In Classic Outlook:

1. Select View → Layout → Folder Pane → Normal.
2. Expand the account using the arrow beside its name.
3. At the bottom-left, select … (More) → Folders or Folder List.
4. Look for both Deleted Items and Trash. The name depends on the email service and account configuration.^2^

Also expand Deleted Items itself. If a user-created folder was accidentally deleted, it can appear beneath Deleted Items and can be dragged back to its original location. A permanently deleted folder cannot be restored as a folder, although its messages may still be recoverable.^3^

Determine whether this is an Outlook display problem

Open the affected mailbox through its provider’s webmail:

• If Deleted Items/Trash appears in webmail, the server folder exists and the Classic Outlook profile is likely not displaying or synchronizing it correctly. Allow synchronization to finish, install pending Outlook updates, and then test with a new profile.
• If it is missing from webmail too, the problem is mailbox-side rather than limited to the Windows application.

To test a new profile without deleting the existing one:

1. Hold Shift while starting Outlook.
2. Select Options → New.
3. Name the profile and add the affected account.
4. Open Outlook with that profile and check the folder list.^4^

If the folder is missing in both places

Microsoft documents a condition where a default folder is present but its PR_ATTR_HIDDEN property is set to True. The documented correction uses MFCMAPI to change that property to False.^5^

MFCMAPI directly edits mailbox properties and can cause unintended changes if the wrong property is modified. Use it only with an experienced administrator and follow Microsoft’s procedure exactly.

If the safer reset and profile tests fail:

• Outlook.com/Hotmail: contact Microsoft Support.
• Work or school Microsoft 365/Exchange: contact the organization’s Microsoft 365 administrator.
• Gmail, Yahoo, or another IMAP account: contact that email provider, because it controls which server folder is assigned as Trash.
• POP account: provide the account type and Outlook version before making further changes, because its folder behavior can differ.

References

1. Issues with default folders in Outlook
2. Show all folders in Outlook | Microsoft Support
3. [Classic Outlook](https://support.microsoft.com/outlook/mail/recover-and-restore-deleted-items-in-outlook)
4. Create a profile in classic Outlook for Windows | Microsoft Support
5. Default folder is missing in Outlook and Outlook on the web