Why Do My Favorites Keep Disappearing in Outlook 365[Cause & Solution]

Overview of Outlook Favorites

As a widely-used email platform, Outlook offers a convenient personal information manager that allows users to centralize the management of their emails, calendars, contacts, tasks, notes, and more. Moreover, Outlook also boasts unique features like the Favorites folder, which enables users to swiftly access their frequently accessed emails, folders, and contacts.

The Favorites folder in Outlook functions akin to a bookmark feature in a web browser. It enables users to "bookmark" their frequently accessed items, ensuring swift access without the need to search for them each time. Items that can be bookmarked within the Favorites folder encompass the Inbox, Sent Items, and more.

Favorites can be enabled or disabled based on your requirements. To activate it, you can follow this path: Outlook - Mail - View - Folder Pane - Favorites. Similarly, you can turn it off using the same instructions.

However, while utilizing the Favorites feature, users might encounter certain issues that can negatively affect the experience. One such issue is "Favorites keeps disappearing in Outlook 365".

According to user feedback:

Indeed, this is a frustrating issue. Are you aware of the reasons behind this error and how to fix it? Don't worry; the upcoming content will provide you with some specific causes and solutions. You can attempt them sequentially.

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Causes & Solutions for Favorites Continuously Disappearing in Outlook 365

1. Outlook 365 Has Not Been Upgraded or Updated

If you haven't upgraded or updated Outlook for a considerable period, the outdated version might lead to issues like Outlook Favorites missing. In such a scenario, you can attempt to update Outlook to the latest version and see if that resolves the problem.

To upgrade Outlook, follow these steps: 1. Launch Outlook. 2. Go to the top-left corner of the window and click on "File." 3. From the File menu, choose "Account Settings." 4. In the subsequent pop-up window, locate and click on the "Update Options" button. 5. Finally, select "Update Now" to initiate the update process.

2. The Impact of Add-ons and Antivirus Software

Certain add-ins or antivirus software might cause issues with the Outlook interface, resulting in missing favorites. To fix this, you'll need to disable any incompatible add-ins and programs.

To disable in-app purchases:

Open Outlook and navigate to File > Options. In the subsequent popup window, choose Add-ins from the left-hand menu. Then, deselect any incompatible add-ins displayed in the right panel. Following this, restart Outlook to see if the issue has been resolved.

To disable antivirus programs:

First, you need to close Outlook and then proceed to the Taskbar to locate your antivirus program. Right-click on it and choose Disable or Exit. If you're unable to locate it, navigate to Control Panel > Programs and Features, find your antivirus software there, and then proceed with its uninstallation.

3. The Outlook Client Is Damaged

If the Outlook client becomes corrupted, it can result in various issues, like favorites continually vanishing in Outlook 365. In such a scenario, you can attempt to repair your Outlook using a specialized tool.

4. The Network Connection Is Unstable

An unstable network connection can also result in the disappearance of Outlook Favorites. To address this issue, you can attempt to reconnect to the network or restart your router.

5. The Outlook Profile is Corrupted

If your Outlook profile is corrupted, that will also trigger this issue. To resolve it, you need to create a new Outlook profile.

To accomplish this, follow these steps: 1. First, navigate to Control Panel > Mail. 2. In the subsequent pop-up window, choose "Show Profiles" from the General tab. 3. In the Mail Setup dialog box, select the profile you wish to delete and click on "Remove." 4. Once done, restart Outlook and see if the issue has been resolved.

6. Outlook Reset

If all the above solutions fail to resolve the issue, you can attempt to execute Outlook.exe /resetnavpane.

1. First, close Outlook. 2. Click on the Start menu and type "outlook.exe /resetnavpane" in the search field. 3. Select the option that appears, and Outlook will launch with an empty Favorites folder. 4. At this point, you can add new items to the Favorites. 5. Afterward, close Outlook and restart it. Check if the file you just added is still present in your Favorites.

Backup Favorites to Avoid Losing Crucial Emails

The items you place in your Favorites folder should be indispensable. The disappearance of Favorites can result in the loss of important emails. Therefore, we recommend that you regularly back up your Outlook Favorites folder to guard against any potential data loss.

Here, we will guide you through two methods on how to accomplish this.

Method 1: Export Favorites as a PST File

1. Open Outlook and navigate to File > Import and Export. In the subsequent dialog box, choose Export to a file and click Next. 2. In the following window, select Outlook Data File (.pst) and then click Next. 3. In the next pop-up, select the items you wish to export and click Next. 4. Choose a location to save the exported file, enter a filename for it, and then click Finish to initiate the export process.

Method 2: Use Outlook Backup Software for Automatic Backup

Todo Backup Home is highly recommended as one of the best Outlook backup software, enabling you to easily backup your emails and other data. Additionally, it supports scheduled backups, allowing you to set up a backup plan and have the software automatically back up your data. PST files are typically accessible only on internal and external hard drives. However, Todo Backup Home goes beyond this by supporting backing up Outlook data to hard drives, Cloud services, network locations (NAS), or even a secure zone.

Todo Backup Home provides various types of backup options, such as full backup, incremental backup, differential backup, and compressed backup, effectively conserving and utilizing storage space.

Now, follow the steps below to back up your Outlook data:

Step 1. Launch Todo Backup on your computer, and click Create Backup on the home screen. Then, hit the big question mark to select backup contents.

Step 2. Among the four backup options, click "Apps Data".

Step 3. You'll then see a list of all the apps that can be backed up. Locate and check the "Microsoft Outlook" option. Choose the mailbox addresses from which you wish to back up emails, contacts, or calendars, and click "OK".

Step 4. Next, you need to select where to save your Outlook backup by clicking on the indicated area.

Step 5. The backup location can be another local drive on your computer, an external hard drive, network, cloud, or NAS. Generally, we recommend using an external physical drive or cloud service to store the backup files.

Step 6. If interested, you can customize settings such as setting up an automatic backup schedule for daily, weekly, monthly intervals, or upon specific events, and creating differential and incremental backups by clicking on the Options button. Once done, click "Backup Now". The Outlook backup process will then commence. Upon completion, the finished backup task will be displayed on the left side in a card format.

Bottom line.

That's everything concerning "why do my Favorites keep disappearing in Outlook 365" and some solutions to this issue. Hopefully, this post assists in resolving your problem. Additionally, remember to regularly backup your data to prevent losing crucial emails. Tools Todo Backup Home is an excellent tool for safeguarding your important emails – it's not one to overlook.

FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions About Favorites Disappearing in Outlook 365

1. How can I restore my Favorites in Outlook 365?

If your Favorites keep vanishing in Outlook 365, you can attempt to update Outlook, reconnect to the network, or restart your router. Additionally, creating a new Outlook profile or executing the command "outlook.exe /resetnavpane" might help. Follow the detailed steps provided in the post to apply these solutions.

2. Why does my Favorites folder in Outlook keep getting modified?

There are several reasons why your Favorites folder in Outlook might continually change. One explanation could be that your account is configured to synchronize with an Exchange server, causing any modifications made on the server to be updated in your Favorites folder. Another possibility is that you have multiple profiles set up in Outlook, and you might be inadvertently accessing or using a different profile than the one containing your preferred favorites.

3. Why have my Outlook shortcuts vanished?

If your Outlook shortcuts have vanished, it could be due to accidental deletion or a software issue. To rectify this, you can attempt to create new shortcuts or utilize the command "outlook.exe /resetnavpane" to reset the Outlook navigation pane.