![Diane Poremsky [Outlook MVP]](http://www.outlook-tips.net/images/2014/MVP_BlueOnly.png)
We receive a lot of questions asking how to search for folders or get folder paths in Outlook. Unfortunately, it's not possible to search for folders and when you search for contents of a folder, Outlook doesn't show the folder path in the search dialog, only the name of the folder the item is in. The folder name is also shown on the File tab of an opened message, next to the Move to folder command (Outlook 2010 and newer).
If you don't need to locate the folder a message is stored in very often, you can use Advanced Find to see where the folder a particular message is stored in.
If you often need to find the folder and open it, you can use VBA to locate and open the folder. See Folder: Get the path for a VBA sample by Michael Bauer
Using Advanced Find to Show the Folder Path
To find the folder a message is stored in when using Outlook 2007 and newer, use Instant Search to find a message that is stored in folder then use Advanced Find (Ctrl-Shift-F) to see where the folder is.
- Run an Instant Search (or Advanced Find) to find an e-mail in the "target" folder. Don't forget to select All Mail items (Current Mailbox or All Mailboxes in Outlook 2013) or All Subfolders from the Search toolbar.
- Open (double-click) a message you know is in the folder.
- Press Ctrl-Shift-F to open Advanced Find.
- Click the Browse button to reveal the full path to the e-mail.
How to find Outlook Subfolders Video Tutorial
Use Desktop Search in Windows 7 / Outlook 2007/2010
If you're using older versions of Outlook and Windows, desktop search will include the folder path in folder_name\subfolder\subfolder\subfolder format, often completing the search within seconds. This does not work in Outlook 2013 and newer or Windows 8 and newer.
You can search for only Outlook items from the Start menu or Windows Explorer by restricting the search to Outlook message stores using store:mapi. To limit the search to a specific Outlook item type, use kind:email, kind:tasks, kind:notes, kind:journal, kind:meetings, or kind:contacts
Published May 13, 2011. Last reviewed on May 13, 2016.
No Thanks says
Thank you, it worked!
Jay says
I am still confused why I can not see the Folders and subfolders ( tree) on the left and that I am forced to search.
I file everything in my line of work by school then subfolders but, I want to open like a book and it does not seem that is an option for Outlook 2016.
Diane Poremsky says
You should see it - if you want to see all folders, you need to use the folder list - Ctrl+6 or look in the navigation button overflow.
Michael James Mc Elhinney says
thanks Heaps
very useful
Vitad says
Thanks, exactly what I was looking for. That said I wish this wasn't so longwinded, the article should have said right from the beginning: open message, press ctrl+shift+f, click Browse. Then provide all the extra detail, which most people dont care about. Instead it was long and confusing, thankfully there was a video. Wondering how many folks started reading this and walked away because it went too deep.
Diane Poremsky says
Thanks for the input. I need to redo it anyway as some of the information is old and no longer valid for the majority of users. Plus, there is an easier way - use the move to folder command and choose other folder. Well, maybe it's not easier, it's about the same # of steps.
(of course, now that i want to get a new screenshot, move to folder isn't working :( )
Gordon Delgado says
Here is how to do it in a few recursive lines...
$OUTLOOK = new-object -comobject outlook.application
$NAMESP = $OUTLOOK.GetNameSpace("MAPI")
# the folder name can be mailbox name (a@bc.com) or PST name
$SFOLDER = $NAMESP.Folders["mveerman2003"]
function get-allSubFolders($FOLDER_)
{
foreach ( $ITEM in $FOLDER_.Folders)
{
Write-Host $ITEM.FolderPath
get-allSubFolders $Item
}
}
get-allSubFolders $SFOLDER
Diane Poremsky says
Note that this is a PowerShell script - it needs to be saved in a notepad file (text file) and the extension changed to .ps1
smokiibear says
What I find perplexing, is that for many versions now, I simply use the view setting under columns, under all mail fields, "in folder". however, it does not appear to be working on my tablet. It does work on my desktop. Not sure why.
Diane Poremsky says
it should work on the tablet too, but only shows the folder name, not the folder path.
Frank says
I just figured out a quick and easy way to do this (Outlook 2013) that doesn't require opening the message in a separate window:
1) Right click on the message in the list
2) Select "Move" ... "Other Folder"
3) Voila - there's the folder AND the path!
4) Cancel (unless you want to move the message
Now I hope I remember this the next time I need to do it... B^)
t says
amazing. thank you!
Luke says
This is such a lifesaver. Great relief after YEARS of frustration.
Thank you so much!
StefanS says
Great job, helpful instruction.
But if you didn't find any folder or subfolder try lookeen. This add-on works extremely easy and fast plus it finds anything. U can try the 14 days Trial version on http://www.lookeen.com
best regards
Addendum: I’m a member of the company which offers this tool.
Fat Fingers says
Life Saver!
Tom says
Thanks a lot - that worked for me!
Amanda says
It has always bothered me that I could not easily figure out what folder something was in from within the email. I haven't had much of a need to find the path, but am glad that I now know how to. Thank you so much for this post. I especially like the video.
Markus says
Looks great... but what about Outlook 2003? Please help thanks. Markus jaxios@gmail.com
D Poremsky says
The Advanced find method works for all versions of Outlook.
Bill says
Some
of the comments in this blog address folder names instead of folder paths. Outlook
2013 has the native ability to show the folder name (but not folder path)
directly in the search results. The technique requires right clicking on one of the columns at the top of the search results pane, selecting "Field Chooser", selecting the “All Note
fields” drop down in the “Field Chooser”, and then dragging the “In Folder”
field to the Outlook search results pane as a new column. The newly inserted "In Folder" column will automatically display the folder name for each message in the Outlook 2013 search results pane.
rambler says
In Outlook 2013, do the search, double click to open the email, click on "File" in the email itself, and next to "move to folder" you will find the current folder named.
Pankaj says
this is what i was looking for. thanks.
Jimbo says
My boss just asked me how to do this, and with your tip, I was able to help him. Thank You!
adorno says
Diane, thank you very much for this tip.
I have been looking for a way to find out folder path for the last 3 months in dozens of places in Europe and the US - some VBA solutions, yes, but I am not a programmer. Your tip brings the solution I looked for. However, considering my 200.000 emails in some 6.000 folders I would like Microsoft to provide for a more convenient and less time consuming way to identify the location of an email.
Mike D says
C Ross's explanation worked for me.
But wouldn't it be far, far better if Outlook simply told you which folder the item was in? Here's how I hoped it would work: you right-clicked the item and on the pop-up menu found an item that said "Show item in enclosing folder", and changed the view so that the folders are listed at left, with the enclosing folder highlighted, and the searched-for item open in the main message pane? Presumably everyone has suggested this to Microsoft already?
Diane Poremsky says
Yeah, it would be better, and people have asked for an easier way to find the folder path.
FDR says
I finally got this to work by forcing Outlook to index all folders by selecting "Include results only from: All folders." in menu Files > Options > Search. Once this was done, searching for the email of interest using Instant Search, opening it and then Cntl+Shift+F provided the full folder path for the email.
Hard to understand why Microsoft would make something that should be simple, so complex. Oh, sorry. Forgot that they have dropped over 70% of market share in the last five years. That must be the reason.
sterlinghawk says
Worked for me, thank you! (2010)
FDR says
I am using Outlook 2010 and tried Pruett's suggestion. It did not work; it simply found "Messages in this conversation" (i.e., subject line) or "Messages from sender". There was no folder path information whatsoever and the "tip" is totally useless.
The suggestion: "The CTRL-SHFT-F solution listed here does work but you need to ensure your default 'Include results only from:' setting is 'All folders'. In Outlook 2010 that setting is in the Results section under File, Options, Search." from Young Phoenix also does not work. Another useless "tip".
Useless tips for a useless product.
Diane Poremsky says
In current versions (all current updates installed), Related... drops back to displaying Search results in the Message list in Windows 7 and 8. Because you need Advanced Find dialog, you need to use Ctrl+Shift+F.
Philippe says
Thank you very much. It works great.
Philippe
bob says
THIS IS GENIUS! WORKED LIKE A CHARM! THX!!!!
SANDY says
THIS IS WHAT I AM LOOKING FOR. AND IT WORKS, THANK YOU FOR A GREAT TIP!
Martin Peter CLarke says
I've now got a favourite cailled 'email folder . highlight . Ctrl-^-F . Browse'
Thank you Ms. Poremsky and not for the first time.
GL says
Another way to find which folder any message is in (Outlook 2013):
- Double click the message to open it in a new window
- Click File to get to the 'backstage' view for your message
- The current folder is displayed beside the 'Move to Folder' button
As other's have noted, however, you can't tell where that folder is. :(
Mark Newton says
It IS possible to search for folders. Just press Ctrl-Y.
Diane Poremsky says
That's not searching for folders, it's browsing and selecting a folder from the folder list. If you are in a folder, it will show you where it is, but most people who are in a folder know where it is. :)
Young Phoenix says
The CTRL-SHFT-F solution listed here does work but you need to ensure your default 'Include results only from:' setting is 'All folders'. In Outlook 2010 that setting is in the Results section under File, Options, Search.
John Brooks says
CRoss's answer is the best. Simple and sweet.
Double click the email, then do a CNTL+SHIFT+F to get the advanced search window, then click Browse and there it is!
Paul says
Outlook 2010. Do the search over all mail items and folders. Select View -> Folder from the top menu bar, which will then reorganise search results into folders.
Diane Poremsky says
That will show you what folder the items are in but it won't show you where the folder is in the data file.
C Ross says
I find the following just a bit easier, for both Outlook 2010 and 2013:
1. Run a search to identify an e-mail in the "target" folder.
2. Select and open (double-click) the e-mail.
3. Click on the opened e-mail to make sure that is your active window.
3. Press Ctrl-Shift-F (Advanced Find).
4. Click the Browse button to reveal the full path to the e-mail.
Bob says
Wow, this was useless. DIdn't show me what I needed and the explanations are wrong. Outlook 2013 sucks.
Diane Poremsky says
The explanations are correct for older versions of Outlook - Outlook 2013 uses Instant Search for Find Related. You'll need to use the macro at Folder: Get the path
Uri Teitler says
bumping an old trail .. Get the path fails when the email is in a PST .. is there a macro that accommodates this somewhere?
Steve says
Thank you so much. If one more site told me to look at the message Location in the message properties I though my head would explode!
VP says
This method is wrong. There is no FIND tab in the Outlook menu bar. "Find Related" is located by Right clicking the messgae itself. The Advanced Search menu does NOT show the parent folder of any message.
If you actually TRY THIS you'll see it DOESN'T WORK. REMOVE this so-called useless 'tip'
Diane Poremsky says
What version of Outlook? Outlook 2007 has a Find chunk (which Lorin refers to as a "menu bar". (In Outlook 2013 the chunk is called Editing.)
Lola says
THANK YOU !!
LongOfTooth says
Or you can simply click on Start and type the text you're searching for into the "Search programs and files" box.
When the results come up click on "see more results".
This opens a window which shows the paths for all the hits.
Diane Poremsky says
That works with Vista and Windows 7. It won't work with older versions of Windows or Windows 8.