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Archive folder keeps disappearing in Outlook desktop app (office 365)

Ben 10 Reputation points
2023-01-18T21:34:22.7766667+00:00

Hi - I was directed to post this question here by a Microsoft agent at answers.microsoft.com. The original thread in full is here but I will copy the contents of my original post: [https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/outlook_com/forum/all/archive-folder-disappears-every-time-i-restart/6442eb54-6b10-4142-b4bd-a27be1b99951

Original post:

I am using the Outlook desktop app for the first time. Every time I start Outlook and archive a message, I get a pop-up that says "We didn't find an existing archive folder. Create a new folder called "Archive"?". I click "create archive folder," it creates the folder, and then my previously archived messages are still in that folder. Archive also appears in the list of folders (Inbox, Drafts, Sent Items, Deleted Items, Archive, Junk Email, Outbox, RSS Feeds, Search Folders). But then if I close and restart Outlook, the Archive folder disappears and I have to go through the same process.

I searched the forums and at a glance, this was the most recent post I saw with a similar issue, but I could not find the three-dot menu referenced in step 1 of the reply, and the subsequent steps didn't change anything:

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/outlook_com/forum/all/archive-folder-disappeared-in-outlook-office-365/2d52cd31-65ad-4dc6-a70b-b2fcf502c4b1

My only suspicion is that this is related to the size of the folder. I connected Outlook to my work email account using IMAP, and it loaded 10 year's worth of emails all into the inbox. I archived nearly all of them, and when I set the Archive folder to display the total number of messages (right-click Archive -> Properties -> select the button for "Show total number of items"), that number grows slowly, Right now it's at 10,198 and counting. (and a couple minutes later, it's at 11,571 and still growing).

Thanks for any help you can provide.

UPDATE: The archive folder just disappeared while I had Outlook open. It had about 12,000 messages in it. I clicked the Archive folder, went back to the Inbox, then a few seconds later noticed the Archive folder was gone again.

System info:

Microsoft® Outlook® for Microsoft 365 MSO (Version 2212 Build 16.0.15928.20196) 64-bit

Processor: Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-8700 CPU @ 3.20GHz 3.19 GHz

RAM: 16GB

System type: Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-8700 CPU @ 3.20GHz 3.19 GHz

Edition: Windows 11 Pro

version: 21H2

OS build: 22000.1455

Experience: Windows Feature Experience Pack 1000.22000.1455.0

Manufacturer: Dell

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2 answers

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  1. Faery Fu-MSFT 18,526 Reputation points Microsoft Vendor
    2023-01-19T07:24:13.1066667+00:00

    Hi @Ben ,

    Are you using IMAP account? If so, go to click View > Change View > IMAP Messages and see if it makes difference.

    z

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  2. John 0 Reputation points
    2023-09-21T12:52:47.2833333+00:00

    ......Go to......

    Folder

    IMAP folders

    .......select 'ALL' tab......

    Query

    ......highlight archive folder......

    Subscibe

    Apply

    OK

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