Outlook > Other Web Locations > Recent Folders List

Hi AdminFusion,

Thanks for taking time to wait for my updates. Based on my researches, the Recent Folders list roams with the mailbox and it comes from your SharePoint site or OneDrive site that you accessed or shared before, and I have consulted the related team, about how to figure out which folder shows in the Recent Folders list, it involves the internal processing mechanism of Outlook and its integration with SharePoint, there is no public official document that stated the detailed flow.

Moreover, based on your description, I understand you'd like to share documents you accessed recently in fact, you are just worried that you cannot find the online document, based on this demand, I have two workarounds for you, please take a check if they can up your need.

1. Go to Browse Web Locations > Sites and select the recent folder there, when it redirects to the local location, click "Up arrow" option to back to the parent directory, and select the folder you would like(access recently). 
2. Open Browse Web Locations > OneDrive site.

   · Copy the address link in the location box, then paste it in a browser you login to.

   · To view the recent folder you have accessed, just need click Recent option there.

   · Click the address of the related document you would like to share to go to related SharePoint site.

   · Then select to share the document.(Copy link or share via Outlook)

The suggestion 2 could be a little complicated, but it could display all online documents you accessed in time, hope the suggestions above are helpful for you.

Best Regards,

Betty

Thanks again, Betty - much appreciated.

Hi AdminFusion,

Thanks for the detailed updates. Since the test needs some time to take effect, I need some time to do more tests and researches, once I get updates, I will share with you here.

Your time and understanding is appreciated.

Best Regards,

Betty

Hi Betty,

Thank you for taking the time to post your extensive reply.

You are right that the documents I am accessing are in a web-based external document library.

Since you posted your reply I have succeeded in mapping a network drive to this location (which I was unable to before) which has relieved the immediate urgency of my query.  However this is known not to be a reliable means of accessing this location, and so it would still be useful I can understand how the Recent Folders list is populated. 

Starting from your last question:

Outlook version info:

Why I want to access the Recent Folder list and not just Recent Items:

Most of the time, documents accessed from this repository do not appear on the "Recent Items" list, and in the event that one does, after a while it will drop off the bottom as more local documents are accessed.  It is therefore often not possible to access them directly from Recent Items, and hence my interest in Recent Folders.

If I open a document through the newly-mapped network drive, then it does appear on the "Recent Items" list, otherwise it does not.  But this still does not make the folder appear in the Other Web Locations > Recent Folders list

Behaviour when accessing document through the Recent Folders list:

This is my Recent Folders list now (below)

You'll notice that a new folder has appeared at the top of the list since my initial post last week.

Why this folder has appeared and not others I have accessed, I have no idea - that's what prompted my question :-)

When I click on the folder, it opens an "Insert File" dialogue, but unlike your own example above, the folder address appears in the Address Bar as a web address, not a local address:

I can then select a File, and get the usual dialogue to share as a link or a copy:

Thank you again for your time and attention, Betty - any further inspiration?

Hi AdminFusion,

Thanks for the understanding and time. Based on my test and research, the other location can be a SharePoint site or groups document library that you've accessed before, it is the location that stores recent folder you mentioned. For your reference: Attach files or insert pictures in Outlook email messages

As for the recent folder, I have tried to access related folder and the file in it on the website, but there are only files in Recent Items list but not folder in Other Web Locations > Recent Folders list. Furthermore, when I open the folder in Other Web Locations > Recent Folders list, it redirects to an local location in pc. Therefore, in order to do test with steps closer to yours, would you mind letting me know the steps to access folder(the one appears in the list) of Other Web Locations > Recent Folders? And after opening the folder, what the outcome shows.

In addition, since as far as I know, after you access an cloud document in a related website, such as OneDrive for Business or SharePoint for Business site, the cloud document will display as the top recent file as I mentioned above, and the aim to attach attachment is to attach a document(local document or cloud document) rather than a folder, Therefore, to help you better, could you please let me know why you need to access recent folders rather than recent items(cloud document)? So that I can give more suitable suggestion to you.

Moreover, since the operation might be different in different version of Outlook, please also let me know the version of your Outlook client. Click File > Office Account > About Outlook.

If you have anything unclear or further concern, please feel free to let me know, your cooperation is appreciated.

Best Regards,

Betty