How to Fix the “Outlook Folders Disappeared” Issue?

Microsoft Outlook stores incoming emails in the Inbox folder and outgoing emails in the Sent Items folder. Any emails that users draft are saved in the Draft folder and deleted items are moved to the Deleted Items folder. These mail folders and mail items are stored in a local Outlook data file, such as a Personal Storage Table (PST) or Personal Folder file on the local storage. 

Similarly, there are a few other mail folders in Outlook that users may create to manage their emails. For instance, they can create folders by the name of the email sender and create rules so that any email sent by that particular sender is moved to the folder.

Sometimes, users face a situation where the Outlook folders disappeared. In case you’re one such user and not able to find some important mail folders or mail items in Outlook, follow the troubleshooting methods and solutions discussed below.

Reasons for Outlook Folders Disappeared Issue

The mail folders in Outlook may disappear due to several reasons, such as:

• Incorrect view or pane settings
• Accidental deletion
• Synchronization issues
• Filter or rules issues
• Faulty or incompatible add-ins
• Corrupt Outlook profile
• Corrupt or damaged Outlook data file (PST)
• Folders are hidden

Solutions to Troubleshoot and Fix Outlook Folders Disappeared Issue

Follow the below solutions in the given sequence to effectively troubleshoot the missing or disappeared folders issue in Outlook 365 or 2021, 2019, 2016, 2013, 2010, and 2007.

1. Reset the View Settings

The folders may disappear or appear empty even though all mail folders and mail items are intact. This happens when there is an issue with the view settings. You can reset the view settings by following these steps:

• Close Outlook.
• Press the Windows + R keys, type outlook.exe /cleanviews, and click OK or press Enter.

• This will reset the views in Outlook.

Alternatively, you can follow the below steps to reset the view settings:

• In Outlook, go to the View tab.
• In the Current View section, click Reset View.

• If a prompt appears, click Yes.

After this, check the folder pane. If the folder pane is not visible,

• Go to the View tab.
• Click Folder Pane and select Normal.

If you’re still facing the issue, follow the next solution.

2. Check if Folder is Hidden

It might happen that the folder you’re looking for is hidden. To make the hidden folder visible, follow these steps:

• Open Outlook and click View.
• Then, click the Folder Pane.

• Choose Normal.
• Then, click Folder Pane > Options.

• Arrange the view by moving Folders to the top using the Move Up button and click OK to save the changes.

3. Subscribe or Re-sync the Folders

If you are not seeing some mail folders in Outlook, there are chances that you have unsubscribed the folders or the subscription to specific folders has been reset or removed. In such a case, you can check and subscribe to the folder again. Then, go to the Send/Receive tab in Outlook and click Update Folder.

4. Check the Deleted Items Folder

Deleted mail items and folders are first moved to the Deleted Items or Trash folder. So, if you can’t find a specific mail folder in Outlook, you should check the Deleted Items or Trash folder in case you’ve accidentally deleted the folder. Here’s how:

• Click on the Deleted Items or Trash folder.
• If the folder is found, right-click on the folder, choose Move, and then click Other Folder.
• From the list of folders, choose the main folder where the folder was earlier located and click OK.

• This should restore the disappeared folder in Outlook.

5. Restore from the Server

If the disappeared mail folder is not found in the Deleted Items or Trash folder, then it may be permanently deleted or removed from the Deleted Items or Trash after the retention period (30 days by default). Follow these steps to recover the folder from the mail server:

• Open Outlook.
• Click Folder and then click Recover Deleted Items.

• If the folder is not found, click Home and then click Recover Deleted Items from Server.

• From the available deleted items, find and choose the disappeared mail folder.

• Click the Restore Selected Items radio button and then click OK.

This should restore the missing or disappeared folder in Outlook.

6. Repair or Create a New Profile

Corruption in Outlook profile can lead to a plethora of issues and errors in Outlook, including folder disappearance or missing mail folders. However, you can repair the profile to fix the issue. Here’s how:

• In Outlook, navigate to File > Account Settings > Account Settings.
• Choose your email profile under the Email tab and click Repair.

• Follow the onscreen instructions to repair the profile.

• Click the Repair button again to proceed.
• This may take a while to complete. You may be required to re-enter the credentials of your email.

After the repair is complete, restart Outlook.

In case repairing the Outlook profile fails to fix the issue, you can create a new profile by following these steps:

• Open the Control Panel.
• Go to User Accounts.
• Click Mail.

• Click the Show Profiles button.

• Click Add, type a name, and click OK.
• Follow the sign-in wizard to configure your email account in the new profile.

• Finally, set the new profile as default and remove the old one using the dropdown in the Mail dialog box.

7. Check the Filter Settings

Filter settings (Rules, Custom Views, etc.) in Microsoft Outlook help users manage and organize their emails. They help sort the emails automatically into specific folders and perform predefined actions. However, wrong filters can lead to missing mail items and mail folders. Therefore, you must check the filter settings in Outlook. The steps are as follows:

• In Outlook, click the View tab.

• Then, click View Settings.

• Click on Filter and make sure no filter is ON.
• Then, click File and click on the Manage Rules & Alerts.
• Disable the rules by unchecking the checkboxes and click Apply > OK.
• Now, click the Send/Receive tab and click Update Folders.

If you still don’t see the missing folders, follow the next solution.

8. Update or Reinstall Outlook

Updating Outlook helps fix any bug or incompatibility issue that may have caused the folders disappeared issue. Follow these steps to check and update Outlook:

• Open Outlook and go to File > Office Account > Update Options.
• From the available options, choose Update Now.

• If a new update is available, download and install it.
• Then, restart Outlook.

In case the Update Now option is unavailable or disabled in your Outlook, you can update it manually by following these steps:

• Uninstall the current Outlook version.
• Visit the Microsoft official website, download the latest Outlook version on your system, and install it.
• After the installation, add your email account.

9. Repair Corrupt Outlook Data File (PST)

In case the issue is still not resolved, then you can try to repair the PST file using the Inbox Repair Tool or SCANPST.exe. The tool helps fix errors and inconsistencies in the PST file which could be the reason why you are not able to access or view the folder(s) in the Outlook client. The steps are as follows:

Note: The Inbox Repair tool or SCANPST.EXE is located in the Microsoft Office installation directory.

• Find and double-click on the SCANPST.EXE to launch it.
• Click Browse and select the PST file, which is located in the %localappdata%/Microsoft/Outlook folder.
• Then, click Start. The tool will scan the PST for errors and inconsistencies and display a message if errors are found.
• Click Repair.

• The tool will start repairing the PST file. During the process, the tool may remove bad email items. This can lead to some data loss (mail items that are deemed bad by the tool). However, the tool creates a backup of the original PST file with the .bak extension.
• The tool may take a while to finish the repair process based on the level of damage.
• After the repair, start Outlook.

In case the SCANPST.EXE crashes, stops responding, or fails to fix the PST file, you can use an advanced Outlook PST repair tool, such as Stellar Repair for Outlook. The tool scans the PST file and then lists all the mail items. You can use the search feature to find the disappeared folder and then save the folder to a new PST file. Later, you can import this PST file into your Outlook profile and restore the disappeared mail folder. Unlike SCANPST, this tool is capable of repairing severely corrupt, large (50 GB), encrypted, or inaccessible PST files with complete integrity and precision.

Conclusion

If you can’t find a folder in Outlook, then follow the solutions given in this guide to troubleshoot the issue and restore the missing mail folder. When SCANPST fails to fix the PST file damage or corruption, you can rely on an advanced Outlook repair software, i.e., Stellar Repair for Outlook. With the help of this software, you can effectively repair PST file irrespective of level of damage, corruption, or size. You can also restore all the emails and other mail items, including deleted ones, to a new PST, which you can import into any Outlook account.

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About The Author

Ravi Singh

Ravi Singh is a Senior Writer at Stellar®. He is an expert Tech Explainer, IoT enthusiast, and a passionate nerd with over 7 years of experience in technical writing. He writes about Microsoft Exchange, Microsoft 365, Email Migration, Linux, Windows, Mac, DIY Tech, and Smart Home. Ravi spends most of his weekends working with IoT (DIY Smart Home) devices and playing Overwatch. He is also a solo traveler who loves hiking and exploring new trails.