Tip 893: Keep Selected Outlook Subfolders Expanded

A fairly common question from Outlook users is how to keep the folders expanded. Typically, Outlook folders expand only when mail is delivered to a folder using rules but users, especially those who use deeply nested subfolders, would like to keep all of their folders expanded so they are easier to find.

While you can't do this with any native Outlook feature (other than Rules moving mail into the deepest folders), you can use VBA to expand all folders. Outlook Developer MVP Michael Bauer has a VBA sample on his web site that does just this. (He also has other useful VBA samples on his site.)

See Folder: Expand all Folders for ready-to-use VBA sample.

As an FYI, the last 10 folders used should be on the Move to folder command, which is accessible from the right-click context menu and the toolbars or ribbon.

Published July 26, 2011. Last updated on July 26, 2011.