Forum Discussion
Mobile app Sub folder notifications
We have pushed all our users to use Outlook mobile apps on iOS and Android, however many are complaining that they have created rules on the Outlook desktop client to put emails in certain sub folders (i.e. all emails from my manager go into a sub folder) and not getting notifications. As the email is moved to the folder before it gets to the client, the mobile apps do not display a notification.
As a work around I've had to set up some Flows so that if email received from a certain email address, it displays a notification. The user can then open Outlook and go to the relevant folder. Its not pretty.
This seems like a basic feature, its available in the iOS and Android stock mail apps which most used before we pushed them to Outlook.
Any plans on the mobile apps to have notifications for sub folders?
107 Replies
The sub folders (or favourite mailboxes in Apple terminology) did give out notifications for new mails on iOS 12 and iOS 13 native mail app.
- Hi everyone,
I don't know if Microsoft watches these forums, and the original post was only liked 10 times (i've added my "like" -> now 11).
Also, I have just sent a message to Microsoft support, asking them to look into it, hopefully this triggers some attention and a resolution.me again, I quickly got a response from the support, and they suggested to raise a feedback/request. This gets done directly within the Outlook mobile app, I suggest that anyone seeing this thread should raise such a feedback:
Currently, the app gives notification only for emails that lands on the Inbox.
Help us improve the app by submitting your feedback. Just go to the App's Settings → Help & Feedback → Send Feedback. Select "I Have a Suggestion" to request for that particular feature you like. Developments are made based on the statistics generated by the users in this area, so don't forget to voice your wishes there.and this is what I raised, feel free to copy paste when sending you own feedback:
Please enhance the iOS/Android Outlook apps, so that notifications get produced, even for emails that land in folders/sub-folders (as per Rules setup in the desktop Outlook client). A lot of users have requested this feature for years, so this forum thread for example: https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/outlook/mobile-app-sub-folder-notifications/m-p/299018
- Hello
I have also stupid workaround.
if u check "display a Desktop Alert" in your Rule in Desktop Outlook, then I will get notification also on Android Outlook, however, if I click on an email from notification, my inbox folder will open and I need to go manually to a folder, but at least getting notification.
https://www.extendoffice.com/documents/outlook/2308-outlook-alert-subfolder.htmlCoRe23 This was by far the easiest solution, and worked like it was the intended manner for this all along.
To expand on Core's solution: when creating a rule in the DESKTOP outlook, follow the below:
- Select your choice from the first three options as always.
- Under "Do the Following"
-- Select Display In The New Item Alert Window
-- Select Move The Item To Folder:
-- Select your desired folder
-- Click OK
For existing rules:
-Click Rules
-Manage Rules and Alerts
-Highlight all rules (select the first, scroll to the bottom, hold shift and select the last to highlight all)
-Click Change Rule
-Click Display In The New Item Alert Window
-Give the alert a name - literally doesn't matter what it is
-Click Apply
-Click Done
And you're done. Your phone will now get notifications for subfolder emails, and opening the notification will take you to the email.
It took less than a minute to setup, and worked perfectly, which is why I think this is the actual intended means for this to happen.
Problem with this is it doesn't work with "new outlook" on PC as it doesn't seem to have the desktop alert rule setting like old outlook does.
Andrew Sparks Seems Crazy to think that Microsoft have not even acknowledged this very significant issue and basic requirement. I've had to remove folders and rules as it has adversely effected my work.
I'm currently speaking to our IT department to try to move away from Outlook, and move to more client friendly platforms such as Gmail. Who's app has this feature, and has excellent client response times.
- Bumpin
I cannot believe this is an issue from that far back?
I've tried several things without any luck. Bottom line, Outlook App doesn't give notifications for new emails that go to specific folders (because of rules that have been created).Any ideas? Is there a way to keep an email in the inbox for some time prior to moving it to a specific folder? Maybe all we need is for the App to see the email in the inbox.
This is very frustrating, as those emails in folders are more important that the genera inbox.I have an idiotic workaround for getting the notifications:
- change the rule that moves the mail to the sub-folder to copy the mail not move it
- create a second rule that will assign a category to that mail and then delete it (or permanently delete it)
- in the Rules and Alerts make sure that the first rule is above and the second rule below
The result is that the mail will go to the corresponding sub-folder and your mobile will get the notification (if not try to add more tasks to the second rule..like "clear message's categories etc) ..however the mail (since it is deleted) will not open from your mobile... you will have to drill down to the sub-folder.
I told ya it was idiotic xD
- This issue is very frustrating!!
This issue is still there, and we are getting no response from support team!!
Any plan to fix this issue or we should switch to different mail client!! This issue has been around since the beginning of time. Still no fix. Very frustrating.
i agree. please work on it
- Bumping this thread because it's still an issue.
@Ali_az gave a possible solution. Did you try it?
- The extremely long winded workaround? Yes.
Regardless, bumping this thread because it has not been fixed.
Hi, I hope it should it work fine.
Step 1: Open Outlook app and Click on Menu Bar(Top Left 3 lines in Android)
Step 2: Go to Settings or Click on Gear Icon
Step 3: In the list you can find Notifications under Email section click on that
Step 4: In the Notification You can find a option called notifications and other
Step 5: Click on Notifications and you will get drop-down list select All Email
I hope this should work.
To you and any other poor souls still arriving to this thread abandoned and snuffed out by Microsoft:
99% of the time, no fixes work, or they are overcomplicated and require third party solutions. I have tried for hours many different means and have been following this thread for ages. Don't bother lol. It likely won't ever work.
hementh This isn’t an option in the iOS app. Also, this should be granular. I would notifications on sub folders, NOT “all email”. Too bad you have to purchase third party mail apps to really get this functionality. It’s hard to quantify Outlook mobile as a productivity app without more than basic features.
