Outlook Sent Items Missing? Easy Solutions to Fix It

“I opened my Outlook after a while and moved to check my Sent folder for an email I sent earlier. But to my surprise, the folder was empty. I double-checked and saw that Outlook was set to save all sent emails, and it even showed the last email I sent was there when I closed it. Where did all my sent emails go? However, I found an error, Outlook sent items missing. ”

From the above user query, it is clear that the entire blog will discuss different troubleshooting ways to resolve the issue. Moreover, we will elaborate on some common reasons for occurring this error. But before jumping further, we will describe the meaning of this problem.

What is the Outlook Sent Items Missing Error?

Sending an email in Outlook is like putting a letter in your mailbox. It goes to the Outbox first, waiting for the mail truck (internet) to pick it up. Once delivered, the email moves to your Sent Items folder, like your mailbox keeping a copy of the sent letter for your reference. Just check the Sent Items folder to see if your email was sent successfully.

The email gets stuck in Outlook’s Outbox. Once your connection returns, Outlook catches up and sends the email for real. Then, it moves the message to your Sent Items folder. So don’t worry if you see an email stuck for a bit – a weak connection can cause a delay, but Outlook will get it sent eventually.

Reasons for Outlook Sent Messages Going Missing

The following section will discuss some common reasons for the error.

• Your email may not have been sent. Double-check if you accidentally closed Outlook before it was sent out.
• Sometimes, some previous emails can cause issues. Ensure the email you’re looking for isn’t old.
• You have accidentally deleted the email before sending it.

After understanding all the reasons, we will discuss some troubleshooting ways.

4 Easy Ways to Fix the ‘Outlook Sent Items Missing’ Issue

Here, we will elaborate on various solutions to resolve the problem. Follow the below methods to fix the issue.

#1. Verify and Review Outlook Email Rules

Outlook lets you set up rules to automatically move emails to different folders. If one of these rules is overzealous, it might be filing your sent emails somewhere unexpected.

Here are steps to check your Outlook rules and make sure they’re not hiding your sent emails:

• First, open Outlook and click on Rules > Manage Rules and Alerts.
• Then, preview all the rules you’ve created.
• See any rules that might move your sent emails. If so, uncheck or disable that rule.
• To be extra sure, you can double-click a rule for more details.
• Try sending a test email after disabling a rule.

By following these steps and checking your rules, you can be the email detective and bring your missing sent emails back where they belong. The above method will help you to resolve the Sent Items Missing in Outlook error. If not, follow the next one.

#2. Delete Filters

Sometimes, Outlook might get a little cluttered with filters that hide your emails, even the sent ones. Let’s see if we can find those missing messages.

• First, open Outlook and head over to View > View Settings.
• Click on the button that says Filter…
• Subsequently, click the Clear All button. Then, hit OK twice to close those windows.
• Next, Close Outlook completely and then open it again.
• Now, go to Send/Receive. Click on Update Folder.
• At last, click on Send/Receive All Folders too.

This should clear any filters that might be hiding your sent emails. Now, check your Sent Items folder, and see if Sent Items Not Showing in Outlook has fixed.

#3. Repairing PST Files

Outlook stores your emails in a PST file, and if that file gets messed up, it can cause all sorts of problems. But don’t panic! There’s a built-in tool in Outlook called the Inbox Repair Tool that can try to fix these files. Here’s how to use it:

• Foremost, close Outlook completely.
• After that, press the Windows and the R keys on your keyboard simultaneously. A small window will pop up.
• In the box, type either %programfiles%/Microsoft Office/ or %programfiles(x86)%/Microsoft Office/ (depending on your system) and press Enter.
• Then, look for a folder called Officexx (where xx is your Office version). Open that folder.
• Subsequently, you should see a program called SCANPST. Double-click it to launch it.
• Moving ahead, click Browse and find your PST file. Look online for how to find your PST file location for your Outlook version.
• Further, click Start to scan the file for errors.
• If errors are found, click Repair to fix them. This might take a while.

If the Inbox Repair Tool can’t fix your PST file, there are other repair tools available (like Cigati PST Repair Tool) that can handle a more serious case. These tools can also handle very large PST files. It will likely create a new, repaired PST file.

You can import this new file back into Outlook to get your emails back by using the Cigati PST Converter. This tool can effortlessly export the repaired emails directly to your email account (like Office 365). If your PST file is oversized, you can split it into smaller pieces for easier management. You can also compress the PST file to save space on your computer.

By following these steps, you should be able to fix your PST file and get your missing sent emails back where they belong.

Conclusion

Don’t panic if you receive an Outlook Sent Items Missing error. It could be a simple case of a rule gone rogue, a filter hiding your messages, or even a slightly damaged file. By following our tips, you can check your Outlook rules, clear any email filters, and even try the built-in repair tool to fix any corrupted PST files. There are also advanced repair tools available for especially tricky situations. With a little troubleshooting, you should be sent an email in no time.

You May Also Read: Outlook Sending Duplicate Emails

Related Post