favorites folders missing

Favorites folders can usually be restored by re‑adding them to the Favorites list. The exact steps depend on where Favorites are missing.

If this is Outlook (desktop or web):

1. Locate the folder (for example Inbox, Sent Items, or a custom folder) in the main folder list.
2. Right‑click the folder and select Add to Favorites.
3. Repeat for each folder that should appear in Favorites.

In Outlook on the web, Favorites already includes Inbox, Sent Items, and Deleted Items by default. Additional folders can be added the same way (right‑click the folder under the personal folders list and choose Add to Favorites). Removing a folder from Favorites only removes the link; the folder and its contents remain in the main folder list.

If Favorites disappeared after migrating a mailbox to Exchange Online and a new Outlook profile was created, the Favorites list may not carry over automatically. In that case, either:

• Manually re‑add the folders to Favorites as above (recommended), or
• Use the MFCMAPI tool to update the Favorites metadata so the old Favorites set reappears in the new profile. This involves editing the PR_WLINK_STORE_ENTRYID property for each Favorites entry and should only be done by advanced users or administrators, as incorrect changes can permanently damage a mailbox.

High‑level MFCMAPI steps (for advanced recovery of Favorites after migration):

1. Close Outlook and run MFCMAPI (matching Outlook’s 32‑bit or 64‑bit version).
2. Log on to the new Outlook profile and open the Root Mailbox.
3. Expand Root Mailbox → Common Views and open PR_FOLDER_ASSOCIATED_CONTENTS.
4. Identify a Favorites folder that still appears correctly, open its PR_WLINK_STORE_ENTRYID, and copy the Binary value.
5. For each missing Favorites folder, open its PR_WLINK_STORE_ENTRYID and replace the Binary value with the copied one, then save.
6. Close MFCMAPI and restart Outlook to verify the Favorites list is restored.

For older Outlook versions (such as Outlook 2010) where a specific Favorites folder like Unread Mail disappeared, recreate it and then show it in Favorites:

1. Right‑click Search Folders → New Search Folder.
2. Select Unread mail and click OK.
3. Right‑click the new Unread mail search folder and choose Show in Favorites.

If Favorites are missing in Outlook on the web, right‑click folders under the personal folder tree and use Add to Favorites; use the folder’s context menu under Favorites to move or remove them as needed.

References:

• Favorites folders are missing in the Outlook client after migration to Exchange Online
• Use Favorites in Outlook
• Working with message folders in Outlook on the web
• The unread mail folder has disappeared from the Outlook Favorites section
• A public folder disappears from the Public Folder Favorites list of an Exchange Server 2010 mailbox
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