• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Outlook Tips

Learning Microsoft Outlook One Tip At A Time

Outlook 2013 Absolute Beginner's Guide Diane Poremsky [Outlook MVP]

  • Home
  • Tips Archive
  • How to...
  • Beginner
  • Outlook.com

Tip 1045: Where are the IMAP sent messages in Outlook 2013?

As more people try Office 2013, I'm seeing more complaints and confusion about Outlook 2013's handling of IMAP sent folders.

Choosing a Sent Folder

I upgraded from Outlook 2010 to Outlook 2013. Is it true that "Saving Sent Messages" on the server is no longer possible with IMAP servers? If not, where are my "Sent Messages"? When I look at a conversation, sent messages show up and Outlook shows that it's in the "sent" folder but I can't find it in my Sent folder.

As I mentioned in the last tip, Outlook 2013 gets the Sent Items folder from the server using the XLIST command and falls back to the local Sent Items folder if the IMAP server does not support XLIST. Users can no longer select a sent folder to use.

How this works: when you set up the account, Outlook "talks" to the IMAP server, "asking" what the server supports. If the server supports XLIST, it responds with the folder that should be used for Sent items. If the server does not use XLIST, Outlook 2013 uses the local Sent items folder. If you want to use a different folder, you need to rules to move the sent item.

For example, when Outlook 2013 connects to GMail, GMail responds with this:

[rx] * CAPABILITY IMAP4rev1 UNSELECT IDLE NAMESPACE QUOTA ID XLIST CHILDREN X-GM-EXT-1 XYZZY SASL-IR AUTH=XOAUTH AUTH=XOAUTH2

Then Outlook gets the folder list:

[tx] md83 XLIST "" "*"
[db] OnNotify: asOld = 5, asNew = 5, ae = 3
[rx] * XLIST (\HasNoChildren \Inbox) "/" "Inbox"
[rx] * XLIST (\HasNoChildren) "/" "Junk E-mail"
[rx] * XLIST (\HasNoChildren) "/" "Outlook Users"
[rx] * XLIST (\HasNoChildren) "/" "Tips"
[rx] * XLIST (\Noselect \HasChildren) "/" "[Gmail]"
[rx] * XLIST (\HasNoChildren \AllMail) "/" "[Gmail]/All Mail"
[rx] * XLIST (\HasNoChildren \Drafts) "/" "[Gmail]/Drafts"
[rx] * XLIST (\HasNoChildren \Important) "/" "[Gmail]/Important"
[rx] * XLIST (\HasChildren \HasNoChildren \Sent) "/" "[Gmail]/Sent Mail"

Find the Sent folder

If you can't find the sent folder but see the sent items when you use the conversation view, you can use the macro at Folder: Get the path to identify the folder path. Simply select a sent message in a conversation and run the macro. A message box will show you the path (in \\alias@domain.com\Inbox\Sent format) and you can click the button to switch to it.

If you switch to the Folder list (Ctrl+6) after letting the macro take you to the folder, it will be expanded so you can see where it is in relation to the other folders.

An IMAP folder list in Outlook 2013Folders marked with "(This computer only)" are stored in the local data file. They are not uploaded to the server.

When you create an Outlook 2013 profile that contains only an IMAP account, your calendar, contacts, notes, and tasks will be stored in the IMAP data file (*.ost). These folders are marked with (This computer only) for easy identification. If your IMAP data file includes folders marked (This computer only) and you want to keep the contents, you need to export those folders to a pst file before removing the IMAP account from your profile.

Published December 3, 2012. Last updated on August 7, 2014.

Share this:

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • More
  • Print
  • Tumblr
  • Reddit
  • Pocket
  • Pinterest

Related posts:

IMAP folder list in Outlook 2013. This account does not have any non-mail foldersTip 1038: Outlook 2013 messages deleted from IMAP account reappear Choose the sent folder before sendingTip 1044: Using File Send menus and Sent Items folders Gmail error dialog in Outlook 2013Tip 1015: Outlook 2013 and the annoying Gmail IMAP error I’m hoping this will be my next-to-last post about the problem of Outlook2010’s handling of multiple accounts when an IMAP accountTip 830: Outlook 2010, IMAP & Send to commands
Subscribe
Notify of
11 Comments
Newest
Oldest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

Primary Sidebar

Subscribe to Outlook Tips by Email

Search OutlookTips

Training and one-on-one assistance

Do you need help setting up Outlook or want some one-on-one training? I'm available for hire. See Training and one-on-one assistance for fees and to check availability.

Popular Posts this Week

  • Where is File tab in Outlook?
    Where is File tab in Outlook?
  • How to Reset the View on Outlook folders
    How to Reset the View on Outlook folders
  • Icons found in the Inbox, Message Headers, and Toolbars
    Icons found in the Inbox, Message Headers, and Toolbars
  • Understanding Tasks and To-Do List
    Understanding Tasks and To-Do List
  • Change or cancel meetings without sending update messages
    Change or cancel meetings without sending update messages
  • How to bulk move Outlook folders
    How to bulk move Outlook folders
  • How to Find Folder Paths in Outlook Mailboxes
    How to Find Folder Paths in Outlook Mailboxes
  • Setting a fixed Column Width in Outlook
    Setting a fixed Column Width in Outlook
  • iCloud Contacts are not showing in Address Book
    iCloud Contacts are not showing in Address Book
  • Creating rules that apply to an entire domain
    Creating rules that apply to an entire domain

All-Time Most Popular Posts

  • Windows 7 and Vista Start Search field
    How to start Outlook in safe mode
  • outlook.com icon
    Delete a message stuck in Outlook's Outbox
  • How to use Outlook's Command line switches
  • Use Cleanviews switch to reset all views
    How to Reset the View on Outlook folders
  • Where are my Outlook Files?
  • Folder paths
    How to Find Folder Paths in Outlook Mailboxes
  • How to use Scanpst.exe to repair Outlook data files
  • Outlook's Missing Holidays
  • open an outlook data file
    Open an existing personal data file (*.pst) in Outlook
  • Creating rules that apply to an entire domain
Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy

Footer

Recent Posts

  • Outlook on the web Quick Actions moved to the right
  • Automatically sign out of Outlook.com
  • Quick Actions in Outlook
  • Outlook Autocomplete Bug
  • Outlook on the web Address Book sort order

Recent Bug List

Microsoft keeps a running list of issues affecting recently released updates at Fixes or workarounds for recent issues in Outlook for Windows.

Office Update History

Update history for supported Office versions is at Update history for Office

Resources

Ask questions and share your knowledge in Outlook Forums.

Translate

You Might Like

Where is File tab in Outlook?
Using Two-factor authentication
Where are my Outlook Files?
How to use Outlook's Command line switches

© 2003–2022 · Outlook Tips

wpDiscuz
You are going to send email to

Move Comment