Folders in Outlook are Missing in Shared Mailbox

  

Mark Regan
Published: June 24th, 2025 • 7 Min Read

It can appear due to incorrect view settings, synchronization, hidden or collapsed folder or data file corruption. It appears due to Outlook for personal and professional purposes, recovering a missing folder in Outlook is crucial to prevent data loss or OST file corruption issues. In this tutorial, we will share common causes and tested approaches to fix folders in Outlook that are missing.

Common Error Messages and Contexts

When folders in Outlook are missing, then it will not show you a direct error message. They show notifications such as Set of folders cannot open in Outlook, We couldn’t find what you are looking for, folders are missing or have been deleted, inconsistent folder view across devices or platforms, missing folders after account migration, Outlook update or profile reset.

Causes of Missing Folders in Outlook

• Folders may be deleted accidentally through cleanup rules or by manually.
• Mailbox folder list may hide some folders.
• Outlook may not sync properly with the email server.
• Some folders may be hidden under the mailbox folder collapsed list.
• Error may detect in OST file or may not show all folders or be partially readable.
• Switching Outlook profile or mailbox folder can affect folder visibility.

Immediate Fixes to Try First

Method 1. Check and Expand Folder Pane

1. Click on Arrow next to your account name and expand it.
2. Make sure the folder pane is set up normally under the view tab and click on Folder Tab and hit on Normal.

Method 2. Reset View or Folder Pane Settings

1. Press Win+R and type Outlook.exe /cleanviews and press Enter.
2. In Outlook, Go to view and reset view for individual folders.

Method 3. Repair Folder View Settings

1. Right-click on the affected mailbox folder or folder group and choose the data file and tap on Properties.
2. Clear Offline Items and navigate to Send/Recieve and click on the Update folder to resync and refresh content.

How to Fix Folders in Outlook Are Missing Using Outlook?

If your folders are missing then it may not be deleted, they could simply be misplaced or hidden. Outlook built-in search tools can help to locate them quickly:

Solution 1. Search For Folder Name

1. Enter Keyword, sender or subject line in the search bar.
2. Once a result appears, open email and look at the folder name above the message pane.
3. This helps to identify where the folder exists or confirm if it’s still unavailable.

Solution 2. Use Advanced Find Mode

1. Press Ctrl+Shift+F to open Advanced find.
2. Enter known criteria such as Subject, sender, or date.
3. Click Browse and verify search includes all locations.
4. Once results appear, right-click on any email and press on Open folder location.

Recovering Deleted or Archived Folders

If your folders in Outlook are missing by search then it may be deleted. Here are the key ways to recover them:

Approach 1. Recover From Deleted Items folder

1. Expand the deleted items folder in your order list.
2. Look for the missing folder, right-click and press on Move and choose the desired location.
3. This works only if the folder is found in the deleted items folder.

Approach 2. Recover from Recoverable Items/Server

1. Go to the folder and click on Recover deleted items.
   
2. If you are using Outlook on the Web, go to deleted items and press on Recover items from this folder.
3. Select folder and its content and press Restore.
   

Approach 3. Check Archive Outlook Data File

If you have archive Outlook file then open in Outlook to restore by following instructions as we have stated below:

1. Click on file and press on open and export.
   
2. Select open Outlook data file and choose PST file as you want to open.
3. Browse the folder as you want to restore in Outlook.

Checking for Hidden or Collapsed Folders

• Click on the Arrow icon next to each mailbox or folder group to expand them fully. Missing folders are often nested under collapsed parent folders.
• Go to the View tab and click on the folder pane and choose Normal or folder list to see the complete structure.
• Custom view settings can hide some folders. Go to view and click on Reset view.

Fixing Synchronization Issues

• Force Outlook to resync with the mail server when Outlook not sync with server by clicking on Send/Recieve and click on Send/Recieve all folders.
• This may help to retrieve folders that exist on the server but haven’t appeared in your local Outlook view.

Repairing Corrupted Outlook Files

If you have minor corruption in OST file then you can use Outlook Inbox Repair Tool by following instructions as we have described below:

1. First, Locate SCANPST.EXE: C:\Program Files(x86)\Microsoft Office\root\Office16\SCANPST.EXE.
2. Launch SCANPST and browse the OST file as you want to repair.
   
3. Now, Click on Repair to fix minor corruption.

What Makes this Tool Stand Out?

• It supports 39+ saving options including PST such as convert OST to PDF, MBOX, EML, PDF and many more.
• This software is specially designed to make it suitable for all professional and individual users.
• You can easily restore and convert damaged, dismounted, inaccessible, corrupted and oversize OST files.
• With this wizard, you can also use filter options such as create PST year wise, date range, to, from, subject, exclude folder, skip empty folder and many more.
• This software is also reliable to import OST to Microsoft 365, Gmail, Thunderbird, Zimbra, Maildir and all IMAP Supported email platforms.

Takeaway

Let’s conclude, as we have shared all the crucial information required to fix the issue of folders in Outlook going missing. We have provided a basic overview and common causes. In addition, we have shared all possible native Outlook solutions to fix missing folders such as Published, Archive, Unread, Spam, Junk, Clutter, Trash, and Deleted folders. We also mentioned alternative methods, which are reliable when Outlook files get damaged or dismounted from the server.