Public Fiolders

Question

I was looking to transition over to the new Outlook but find it does not support Public Folders. Will this be something that you are going to continue with in the New Outlook?

If not, what solution do you suggest would work to save emails sent and received for future reference as required?

Answer 1

Hello @Sue Capewell

To address your concern, I would like to clarify that the new Outlook does support Public Folders, but the way you access them has changed. Unlike the classic version, Public Folders do not appear automatically in your folder list.

To view them in the new Outlook, you first need to add your specific Public Folders to your "Favorites" list (this can be done in the classic Outlook or Outlook on the web). Once added, they will appear under the "Favorites" section in the new Outlook, allowing you to access and manage your emails as before.

For your reference:

Use favorite public folders in Outlook on the web in Exchange Online | Microsoft Learn

Access public folders in Outlook for Windows | Microsoft Learn

Regarding your question about future solutions for saving and referencing emails, while Public Folders remain supported in the new Outlook via the "Favorites" method, Microsoft recommends transitioning to more modern collaboration tools. Here are the top three suggested options:

1/ Microsoft 365 Groups (Recommended)

This is the most direct replacement for Public Folders. It provides a shared space for team conversations, a collective calendar, and a cloud-based library for files. It is designed specifically for modern teamwork and cross-app integration.

Microsoft 365 Groups overview for administrators - Microsoft 365 admin | Microsoft Learn

2/ Shared Mailboxes

A Shared Mailbox allows a group of people to monitor and send emails from a common email address (e.g., ******@company.com). It is an excellent solution for long-term email archiving and centralized reference, as it functions like a standard mailbox with its own folder structure.

Open and use a shared mailbox in Outlook - Microsoft Support

You can consider the available options and select those that are most appropriate for your work.

Compare types of groups in Microsoft 365 - Microsoft 365 admin | Microsoft Learn

If you still need my assistance, please come back with screenshots or any additional details so I can review it again and see if there’s anything more I can help you with.  

Have a nice day!  

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Answer 2

New Outlook for Windows currently does not support accessing Exchange public folders. Public folders remain a supported feature in Exchange Server and Exchange Online, but access to them requires supported Outlook clients (Classic Outlook for Windows, Outlook on the web with limitations, and supported Outlook for Mac versions), not the New Outlook for Windows.

Public folders are designed for shared access and for collecting, organizing, and sharing information such as email messages, posts, calendars, and contacts within a workgroup or organization. They can also be mail‑enabled and used to automatically store messages sent to a distribution group for later reference.

For the scenario of saving sent and received emails for future reference when New Outlook does not support public folders, the recommended alternatives from the platform are:

1. Use public folders via a supported client
   • Continue using Classic Outlook for Windows (or Outlook on the web with its documented limitations) to access existing public folders where email needs to be stored and referenced.
   • Public folders remain available and supported in Exchange Server and Exchange Online; only the New Outlook client is limited.
2. Use In‑Place Archiving instead of public folders for email archiving
   • Public folders are not recommended as a general data‑archiving solution. Instead, use In‑Place Archiving (archive mailboxes) to retain and access historical email while respecting mailbox limits.
3. Use SharePoint/SharePoint Online for document‑style sharing and collaboration
   • For scenarios where emails are effectively being used as documents or shared reference material, SharePoint or SharePoint Online is the recommended solution, because public folders do not provide document management features such as versioning, controlled check‑in/check‑out, or change notifications.

In practice, for saving and referencing email traffic going forward while using New Outlook:

• Keep or create a mail‑enabled public folder or archive mailbox, but access/manage it via Classic Outlook or Outlook on the web.
• For team‑wide, document‑like storage and collaboration, move toward SharePoint/SharePoint Online rather than relying on public folders.

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References:

• Public folders in Microsoft 365, Office 365, and Exchange Online
• Public folders in Exchange Server
• Public folders
• FAQ: Public folders
• Access a public folder in Outlook for Mac
• Use favorite public folders in Outlook on the web and the new Outlook for Windows in Exchange Online