Outlook folders

Hi Yvonne Pratt,

Welcome to Microsoft Q&A forum.

What you’re seeing may look “bizarre” at first, but it usually means the folder was moved (not deleted). In Outlook (including New Outlook), folders are organized in a folder hierarchy (a tree structure), meaning each folder must sit under a parent folder. So if a folder is accidentally dragged/moved to the wrong place, it can become a subfolder under another folder (for example, under Sent Items)—and then it will only appear when you expand the Sent Items drop‑down.

Because the folder wasn’t deleted, it wouldn’t show up under Deleted Items or recovery options like “Recover items deleted from this folder” (those options apply to content that was actually deleted).

I’m glad you were able to find the folder. If anything else comes up, please feel free to let me know.

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I could not find it in deleted items & I could not find the "Recover items deleted in this folder" or "recoverable items" options as instructed but I DID find it in the SENT folder which was nowhere near where the folder was when I accidently swiped it.

In new Outlook for Windows, a right-swipe on a folder typically deletes or moves it, so it can be restored if it is still in Deleted Items.

1. In the folder list, open the Deleted Items folder.
2. Look for the missing folder name under Deleted Items.
3. If found, drag the folder back to where it belongs in the folder list.
   • Or right-click the folder, choose Move, and select the destination folder.

If the folder is not in Deleted Items, recover its messages (but not the folder itself) from the Recoverable Items area:

1. Select the Deleted Items folder.
2. At the top, select Recover items deleted from this folder.
3. In the Recoverable Items list, select the messages that were in that folder.
4. On the Home tab, select Restore.
5. The restored items go back to Deleted Items; from there, move them into a new folder you create with the original name.

Note: A folder that has been permanently deleted cannot be recovered as a folder, but its messages can still be restored using Recoverable Items as above.

References:

• Recover and restore deleted items in Outlook