Outlook - Conversation

Question

Outlook - Conversation

Laszlo 0

Hello! Can you please advise how it would be possible to resolve the below scenario?

Classic Desktop Outlook: Shared mailbox -> mails in the folders, but they are part of a conversation (show conversation is enabled), and i would like to move all mails from the conversation into a third folder. At the moment, the move functionality only moving the latest mail, and not moving all other mails.

How it can be fixed?

Thank you!

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1 answer

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Answer 1

Killian N 4,490 Independent Advisor

Hi Laszlo,

In classic Outlook, a collapsed conversation may appear as a single item, but using Move can move only the currently selected message rather than every message displayed in the conversation.

To move all messages in the conversation:

Select the arrow beside the conversation to expand it.
Select the first message, then hold Shift and select the last message. Alternatively, hold Ctrl while selecting individual messages.
Right-click the selected messages and choose Move > Other Folder.
Select the required destination folder within the shared mailbox.

Please also check View > Conversation Settings > Show Messages from Other Folders. When this option is enabled, Outlook can display related messages stored in other folders, including Sent Items, even though they are not physically located in the folder currently being viewed. Microsoft confirms that this setting displays messages from elsewhere as part of the same conversation.

If you only want to move messages physically stored in the current shared-mailbox folder, temporarily turn off Show Messages from Other Folders, expand the conversation, select all the messages, and move them together.

Please note that Clean Up Conversation is not suitable for this purpose. It removes messages considered redundant and normally sends them to Deleted Items; it does not move the complete conversation to a filing folder.

If the problem continues even after manually selecting every expanded message, please provide the Outlook version and build from File > Office Account > About Outlook, along with whether the destination folder is in the same shared mailbox.For reference, please visit:

I hope the information I shared earlier was somewhat helpful in addressing your issue. If you have any further questions or updates, please don’t hesitate to share.

Kind regards,

Laszlo 0 Reputation points

2026-09-24T12:37:18.33+00:00

Dear Killian,

Thank you for getting back to me. So there is no other way just manually selecting all mails? I was thinking there must be a solution to move the mail conversation to a different folder e.g. apply this action to all mail in the conversation? Thank you!
Killian N 4,490 Reputation points Independent Advisor

2026-09-24T16:58:37.0166667+00:00
Hi Laszlo,

You are correct. In classic Outlook, there may be an option designed for this purpose, so manually selecting every message is not necessarily the only method.

Please try right-clicking the conversation header, then select: Move > Always Move Messages in This Conversation

You should then be able to choose the destination folder. This option is intended to move the conversation and direct future messages belonging to that conversation to the selected folder. Microsoft Community discussions also reference this command in classic Outlook.

However, if this option is not displayed or only moves the latest message when working in the shared mailbox, Outlook may not be treating the displayed conversation as one movable item. This can occur because Show Messages from Other Folders may display related messages from locations such as Sent Items or other folders, even though those messages remain stored separately.

In that situation, please try these steps:

Right-click the actual conversation heading rather than an individual message.

Check whether Move > Always Move Messages in This Conversation is available.

Choose a destination folder within the same shared mailbox.

If the option is unavailable or does not include the existing messages, the reliable workaround is to expand the conversation, select the messages, and move them together.

Wishing you a quick resolution. Feel free to let me know if there are any updates.
Killian N 4,490 Reputation points Independent Advisor

2026-09-25T16:18:42.3466667+00:00

Hi Laszlo,

Have you had a chance to review the information provided? Any updates would be greatly appreciated.
Laszlo 0 Reputation points

2026-09-25T16:27:24.4066667+00:00

Hi Killian, thank your for the suggestion. Unfortunately, the @Always Move Messages in This Conversation" is not available in our environment. Manual selection is working.
Killian N 4,490 Reputation points Independent Advisor

2026-09-28T16:23:08.1166667+00:00

Hi Laszlo,

Thank you for testing the suggestion and letting me know. I understand that manually selecting every message is less convenient than moving the complete conversation with a single action.

I’m glad that it is at least working successfully.

Kind regards,