Find a Lost Folder Inside MS Outlook 2016 With These Solutions

There are many issues with the Outlook application There is one instance where a users accidentally move an entire folder, and then it's not in reach. This problem of a lost or damaged folders causes a lot of stress for users because the required information is not available. The reason could be a bug introduced via Microsoft Office update or sometimes other reasons such as the upgrade of a version, for instance. Searching manually for that missing folder may be badly and in such a case it is possible to rely on the built-in Outlook 2016 application features to locate a lost folder.

Find out the full explanation of the aids offered in Microsoft Outlook 2016 to find your missing path to the folder in the end.

What causes a lost Folder In MS Outlook

It is crucial to be aware of the circumstances and situations that led to the loss of your folders within MS Outlook. We will provide a brief summary of the issues to help you make sure you are prepared when you encounter it again. Additionally, you'll be able to come up with an alternative solution based on the most common scenarios when you understand the cause for the same problem.

1. It is possible to lose a folder while moving it by dropping it from one place to another.

2. You might have put it by accident in a different sub folder or folder.

3. It is possible to lose a specific folder if it has been changed its name accidentally. If that happens it is easy to locate the folder using the help of a strange name, and look over its contents to see whether its contents are the same as that of the file you lost.

How can I find or search an unreachable folder inside MS Outlook 2016?

The initial test from the user's perspective could find the missing folder and other files in the trash or bin folder in The Outlook folder panel. It is a possibility that the user deleted the folder by accident. If it was not able to help there are other options, as discussed below.

Use of Trash Folder

You are aware that all deleted attachments, files, messages and folders are placed in the trash bin following deletion. It is recommended to first check your Trash Box (folder) for the missing Outlook folder. If you've removed it by accident or in error You can locate it by following these steps

1. Launch your Outlook program on your computer.

2. On the left-hand edge of your screen choose the Bin folder.

3. Any deleted or removed object, such as folders are accessible to restore after it has been opened.

4. Find the file's name within the Trash Folder and restore, then open it.

Make use of the The Folder Size feature to locate your folder

In the Microsoft Outlook application, you can use the Data properties for files in our account to discover the locations of the folders as well as the places. This is an opportunity to obtain details about the lost or missing folder in Outlook 2016. Follow the steps below.

1. Open your Microsoft Outlook 2016 application.

2. Visit the root folder in your Outlook account to find the folder is absent or gone missing. Right-click and select the option Data File Properties from the menu.

3. A dialogue box with a new name will open. Then, on the General tab select the Folder Size option to open it.

4. On this dialog box, you can see the names of all folders within your account along with the sizes and the total size of the account.

5. You can search at the unreachable folder on the list and also its location on this page as well as other accounts within your application.

NOTE: If the whole Folder pane isn't visible within your Outlook 2016, try navigating to the View tab and choose Folder Pane and select the Normal option inside it. This will restore it to the previously disappearing Folder panel.

Utilize the Advanced Find feature in Search Tools

Another method is to locate the missing or deleted location of your folder in the Outlook 2016 application if you are able to remember the name of the folder. Users can use this Advanced Find feature available in Search Tools section of the Outlook interface to accomplish this. Here are the steps for understanding this procedure.

1. If you are on the Microsoft Outlook 2016 interface, select the Search menu. Then, look at in the Search tools section. Click on the arrow next to that to to open it. After that, click on the Advanced Find option.
   
   Note: If you do not find the Search menu in your Outlook application, then you need to go to File>Options>Customize Ribbon. Select All Tabs option form Choose commands from the section on the right. Select the Search option within the open tabs, then click the Add option at the middle, then click OK. This will open the Search menu of the Outlook 2016 app. Users is also able to resolve the Outlook 2016 search problems.

2. In the Advanced Find dialogue box will be displayed. In the tab for Messages you can type in the words used to send messages in the missing folder you'd like to know against the Search for Word section (users are able to select fields too) Click on Browse to choose the account that you would like to locate the message or folder. Once you've entered the keyword to find your missing folder emails then click Locate Next option to begin the search.

3. The Advanced search will provide relevant results by which you will be able to determine the location of the folder and navigate through it.

Make use of VBA Macro Code to find the folder's location

Users can attempt to run an individual search application using VBA Macro code to locate the missing folder within the Outlook 2016 app. Follow these directions.

1. Get started with using your Microsoft Outlook 2016 application.

2. Follow File>>Options>>Customize Ribbon.

3. Choose the Develop option in the Main tabs, and then select"OK.

4. Look to your Developer Menu on the main screen of the Outlook application. Click on it. Click on the Visual Basic option.

5. Under Project1 then expand the Microsoft Outlook Objects section and then double-click ThisOutlookSession to open it.

6. Copy this macro code into your session. Private m_Folder As Outlook.MAPIFolder
   Private m_Find As String
   Private m_Wildcard As Boolean

Private Const SpeedUp As Boolean = True
Private Const StopAtFirstMatch As Boolean = True

Public Sub FindFolder()
Dim Name$
Dim Folders As Outlook.Folders

Set m_Folder = Nothing
m_Find = ""
m_Wildcard = False

Name = InputBox("Find name:", "Search folder")
If Len(Trim$(Name)) = 0 Then Exit Sub
Name = m_Find

m_Find = LCase$(m_Find)
m_Find = Replace(m_Find, "%", "*")
m_Wildcard = (InStr(m_Find, "*"))

Set Folders = Application.Session.Folders
LoopFolders Folders

If Not m_Folder Is Nothing Then
If MsgBox("Activate folder: " & vbCrLf & m_Folder.FolderPath or vbQuestion) = vbYes
Set Application.ActiveExplorer.CurrentFolder = m_Folder
End If
Else
MsgBox "Not found", vbInformation
End If
End Sub

Private Sub LoopFolders(Folders As Outlook.Folders)
Dim F As Outlook.MAPIFolder
Dim Found As Boolean

If SpeedUp = False Then DoEvents

For Each F In Folders
If m_Wildcard Then
Found = (LCase$(F.Name) Like m_Find)
Else
Found = (LCase$(F.Name) = m_Find)
End If

If Found Then
If StopAtFirstMatch = False Then
If MsgBox("Found: " & vbCrLf and F.FolderPath and vbCRLF and VbCrLf and "Continue?", vbQuestion or the vbYesNo) = vbYes
Found = False
End If
End If
End If
If Found Then
Set m_Folder = F
Exit For
Else
LoopFolders F.Folders
If Not m_Folder Is Nothing Then Exit For
End If
Next
End Sub

7. In the Menu Bar, select Run option, then click on Run Sub/User Form.

8. In the Find Lost Folder dialogue box Enter an appropriate name to the missing folder then click OK.

9. The path to the folder will be shown as the result. Note down the URL and then click Yes to close.

A majority of folders are not visible as sub-folders within other folders, most likely because it was the Drag and Drop action was executed on the folder. It is therefore recommended to expand every folder in Outlook 2016 and look for the missing or lost folder. Once you find it, move the folder to a more prominent place in the Outlook folder panel.

Users can find out details regarding this missing path using any of these solutions that they can find appropriate.

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