Sent emails on browser not showing up past 2018, but they do show up on iPhone app

Question

Recently I noticed that my sent emails from a browser don't show up but they show up on iPhone app. Any idea why?

Answer 1

Hi @Kris Janovitz

Thanks for reaching out about your sent emails not appearing in your browser past 2018, even though they're there on your iPhone. We totally get how frustrating it is when your email isn't syncing properly, it can feel like important parts of your conversations are just missing. 

Let's walk through a few steps to help get everything displaying properly again: 

1. Refresh Your Browser Environment

Old data in your browser can often cause display problems. 

• Clear cache and cookies: Go to your browser's Settings (usually via three dots or lines) and find the Privacy/Security section. Look for options to Clear Browse data or Clear data. Make sure All time is selected, then clear Cached images and files and Cookies and other site data. 
• After clearing, close your browser completely. Then, try accessing https://outlook.office.com/ using an incognito/private window or a different browser to rule out browser-related issues. Sign in and check your Sent Items. 

2. Check Outlook Web Settings 

Sometimes filters or folder issues can hide messages. 

• Verify folder name: In Outlook on the web, ensure you're in the exact "Sent" folder that matches your iPhone app (e.g., "Sent Items" vs "Sent Mail"). 
• Remove filters: In your Sent folder view, look for any filter icons and clear any active filters (like date ranges or keyword searches) that might be hiding older messages. 
• Check Mail Rules: Briefly check Settings > Mail > Rules to ensure no rules are automatically moving sent mail to other folders like Junk or Archive. 

Search & Load Older Messages 

Use the search bar: Try searching for a specific old email (e.g., a subject or recipient from before 2018) using the search bar at the top of Outlook on the web. If it appears, the email is on the server, but not in your default view. 

Load more messages: In your Sent Items list, scroll all the way down to the bottom. Look for options like Load more or Older messages to display more history. 

4. Cross-Check & Account Considerations 

If the issue still persists after trying these steps, the problem might be elsewhere. 

• Try another Outlook app: If you have the Outlook desktop app or access to Outlook on another device, check if your older sent emails appear there. If they do, the issue is definitely with the web browser's display. 
• Work/School Account: If this is an email account provided by your work or school, older emails might be affected by specific company policies (like archiving or mailbox limits). In this case, please reach out to your organization’s IT administrator or help desk for assistance. 
• Personal Account: If it’s a personal Outlook.com account, and the issue remains across all apps/browsers after these steps, you may need to contact Microsoft Support for a deeper review of your account settings. 

We really hope these steps help surface your older sent emails in the browser. If things still don’t look right, or if you hit any issues along the way, please don’t hesitate to reach back out, we’re here and happy to help until it’s fully resolved.

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