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Address book

pat cooper 0 Reputation points
2026-03-13T15:41:58.47+00:00

my address book has suddenly disappeared from my outlook email

Outlook | Windows | Classic Outlook for Windows | For home
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  1. Sumit D - IA 164.2K Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2026-03-13T16:22:58.3533333+00:00

    Hi,

    Please try this - I assume you are seeking help for Outlook 365 not web.

    1. Open Outlook.
    2. Click Address Book on the Home tab (top right).
    3. In the Address Book window, click Tools > Options.
    4. Under "When opening the address book, show this address list first," ensure your main Contacts folder is selected.
    5. Click OK and restart Outlook.

    #2:

    1. Right-click your Contacts folder in the left-hand navigation pane.
    2. Select Properties.
    3. Go to the Outlook Address Book tab.
    4. Check the box that says Show this folder as an e-mail Address Book.
    5. Click OK.

    #3: Reset View:

    1. Go to the People/Contacts icon in Outlook.
    2. Go to the View tab at the top.
    3. Click Reset View.
    4. If that doesn't work, click Change View and ensure "People" or "Business Card" is selected.

    I hope this information helps. If you have any more questions, don't hesitate to reach out.

    Otherwise, please take a moment to rate the answer. Wishing you good luck!

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  2. Q&A Assist
    2026-03-13T15:42:09.1766667+00:00
    AI generated content. This question contains an answer created with AI from Q&A Assist. Learn more

    Use the Outlook Address Book settings to re-show the contacts list when selecting To/Cc/Bcc, and verify the default address list.

    1. Open the Address Book:
      • In classic Outlook for Windows, select the Address Book icon on the Standard toolbar.
      • Or select Tools > Address Book (depending on version).
    2. Set which list appears first:
      • In the Address Book window, select Tools > Options.
      • Under When opening the address book, show this address list first (or Show this address list first), choose the address book that should appear (for example, Contacts or \Global Address List if using Exchange/Microsoft 365).
      • Select OK, then close the Address Book.
    3. If using Exchange/Microsoft 365 and the Global Address List is missing or another list appears instead:
      • Open the Address Book (ribbon icon).
      • Go to Tools > Options and again choose the correct list under When opening the address book, show this address list first.
    4. When composing a new message, select To, Cc, or Bcc:
      • Use the Address Book drop-down at the top of the dialog to confirm the correct Contacts folder or Global Address List is selected.

    If multiple Exchange accounts exist in the same profile and the wrong organization address book is shown, create a separate Outlook mail profile for each Exchange account so the correct organization address book is the default.


    References:

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