Label not syncing from my gmail to MS Outlook

Question

Label not syncing from my gmail to MS Outlook

Phyllis 0

Hi,

I recently installed the MS Outlook version 1.2025.930.100 and added my gmail account to it. My gmail account has quite a number of Labels just so that I can keep organised. However, it has only synced about half of the labels whereas the others did not carry across. I have checked my gmail settings and all my Labels have IMAP enabled. Have I missed a step? Appreciate any advice.

Many thanks!

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2 answers

Your answer

Answer 1

Phyllis 0

Hi Jhun,

I did the first step but I can't find the following "Right-click the top folder for the Gmail Account > IMAP Folders > Query > select the missing folders > Subscribe. Right-click the account >and Update Folder List." on my Outlook. Are you able to provide a screenshot? I tried right clicking on any of the folders under my Gmail Account and it doesn't show the option of IMAP Folders.

I have also tried skipping to the last step by removing my Gmail account from Outlook and re-linking and still no luck.

Appreciate your guidance.

Thanks!

Hornblower409 13,000 Reputation points

2025-10-13T14:19:45.3533333+00:00

-- I can't find the following "Right-click the top folder for the Gmail Account

Those, and many of the other instructions from @Jhun Buala are for Classic Outlook. And based on the tags you put on your question and the Outlook version you reported, you are using the New Outlook for Windows App.

-- it has only synced about half of the labels

I am unable to reproduce. Any custom GMail labels I create, that have at least one email in them, are synced to my New Outlook.

Is there any pattern to the GMail labels that didn't come across? Something common to the missing labels that is not a characteristic of the ones that do sync?

Have you done a full sync of the account in New Outlook? (Select the Inbox for the account and press F9)
Phyllis 0 Reputation points

2025-10-15T13:37:17.3533333+00:00

Yes, I have done a full sync.

I noticed that the labels that haven't been synced across have sub-labels. Although in saying that, there was a label that was nested that was synced across but only one email was synced into that label and there are definitely more than one (I checked my gmail). There is also another label that has a number of sub-labels as well that has synced across. So really, no real patterns here...unless it doesn't like sub-labels?

Thanks!
Hornblower409 13,000 Reputation points

2025-10-15T14:33:06.2033333+00:00

-- unless it doesn't like sub-labels?

I will assume you mean nested labels. And I tested that, but only to two levels.
Hornblower409 13,000 Reputation points

2025-10-15T14:45:56.94+00:00

Just as another data point, if you have access to Classic Outlook - Does Classic have the same problems? (I get the same results in both New and Classic)
Phyllis 0 Reputation points

2025-10-17T12:48:25.4833333+00:00

Thanks, you are right about it allowing only two levels of nested labels. I've updated mine and it works now and is syncing properly.

Many thanks!
Hornblower409 13,000 Reputation points

2025-10-17T13:20:36.6133333+00:00

I tested with multiple levels and it all works OK for me.
Phyllis 0 Reputation points

2025-10-17T13:33:00.5066667+00:00

Hmm weird, maybe cause I first set up these labels on Mail on the iOS that it didn't really carry across correctly. Maybe I need to set up on Gmail and then sync. Is that what you did?
Hornblower409 13,000 Reputation points

2025-10-17T13:43:58.5333333+00:00

I though of "where created" as well. Tested by creating in GMail first and New Outlook for Windows first. No difference.

I did have a "phantom" folder in Outlook that I had renamed in GNMail. But an F9 sync and all was OK.

Answer 2

Hi Phyllis,

Good Day. Hope everything's fine. Im sorry to hear about your Gmail to Outlook syncing problem. Let's try to do some steps, and hope to resolve the issue.

First, let's double check the "Show in IMAP" in Gmail again. On your Gmail Go to Settings> Labels > make sure all labels is "Show in IMAP". Switch on and off for a force refresh.
Second, Refresh and subscribe the IMAP folders in Outlook. To do this right-click the top folder for the Gmail Account > IMAP Folders > Query > select the missing folders > Subscribe. Right-click the account >and Update Folder List. Sometimes new outlook versions can take a few time before a label will show-up.

Third, try checking nested labels, root folder path and special characters. Sometimes it don't map these labels cleanly in Outlook. Try to move a missing label temporarily to the top, then resync and wait if it will appear. If still fails, try setting the IMAP Root folder path for the account to Gmail. Open File>Account Settings > Advanced > Root folder path, restart outlook.

Note: Changing the root path forces a resync, back up first any local-only folders before doing this procedure.

Last, Sign-out and re-link your gmail account in your Outlook App. Also, you can remove and add the account again to have a fresh sync again.

Feel free to message me again if nothing works. Have a great day.

Sincerely,

Jhun