Focused Inbox keeps disappearing

Brass Contributor

Hi - I gotten used to Focused Inbox and quite like it.  However, it keeps disappearing on me.

 

On first load in the morning, Outlook shows Focused Inbox.  After processing the first morning's set of emails, I switch focus to other apps.  When I switch back to Outlook, the Focus Inbox has disappeared.  In addition, the option in the View menu to turn it on also disappears.

 

If I close and restart Outlook, it comes back, but will again disappear after while. 

 

Has anyone else seen this behaviour?  I guess something is crashing, but I don't know how to trouble shoot this.

 

I am running Office Pro Plus Version 1810 (Build 11001.10060 Click-to-Run), 16.0.11001.20054.

51 Replies

Hi Andrew

 

Kindly try to repair office. If it does not work try to uninstall and re install office. I would suggest try the steps given in the below thread :

 

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/outlook_com/forum/all/my-focused-inbox-disappeared/cb867861-b592...

 

Thanks

 

Robin Nishad

Technical Consultant

 

We've begun to see a number of problems with Focused Inbox lately too - including:
- It is no longer on by default
- Clutter users are not being prompted to switch
- A person who uses Focused Inbox gets a new PC, and Outlook doesn't honor the previous settings (does not start with FI = on)
- Nobody in Microsoft Support really understands how Focused Inbox is supposed to work

Hi Robin

 

I have tried each of those suggestions, including uninstalling all Office components, rebooting and then reinstalling.

 

The behaviour where the Focused Inbox feature disappears altogether when switching away from Outlook is still very much there.

 

I noticed in the thread you linked me to that no one there had reported success with any of the recommended suggestions.  Would it be safe to conclude that there is no fix for this issue?

 

My symptom is a little different and a bit more specific than the other mentioned issues - have you seen my symptoms recorded on any of your internal discussion groups or knowledge bases?

 

Do I need to raise this with Microsoft Support?

Hi Andrew

 

Quite frankly I have not seen the same issue so far.. not in our organization or in any discussions.. on TechNet or on Tech Community. I would suggest opening a case with MS for the same.

 

Thanks

 

Robin Nishad

---------------

Technical Consultant

Thanks for the reply Robin.  Will do so.

Andrew I'm having the exact same issues. I've reinstalled done everything you have and literally I'm having exactly the same symptoms that you are. Any progress?

No progress yet -  have not had a chance to raise it with MS Support.

The issue has gone away with the latest release of Office.  I am now on version 1810 (Build 11001.20108 Click-to-Run) (16.0.11001.20091) and have not seen the problem in the last 2 days.

Andrew

 

You must be on the Monthly Channel. I am on the Semi-Annual Channel (Targeted). The prior build 1808 (Build 17030.20155) was fine but I got a update this week that caused the problem. I am currently on Build 17030.20205 and have the issue.

 

A Quick Repair causes the problem to go away for a while.

 

Those of us on the Semi-Annual Channel (Targeted) will have to live with the issue (Or switch to the Monthly Channel) until Microsoft (hopefully) fixes it in the next update.

 

I have not heard of anyone on the Semi-Annual Channel having the issue so maybe they are fine.

@Andrew van Renen - this problem just started happening for me over the last couple of weeks. Did you ever find a solution?

i have not seen this problem for a long time. but this week it is start happening again, the Focused Inbox disappearing, a repair of the Office will bring back the function.

 

I am using version 16.0.11425.20242 (32 bit)

 

Any update ?

I am also having this exact same issue with Office 365.  I'm on Version 1905, Build 11629.20246 Click-to-Run Monthly Channel 64-bit.  I verified that it is enabled on OWA and works fine there.  Its so weird that it works in the Outlook Desktop client for a bit then just disappears with no way to re-enable it.  I also tried to fully uninstall and re-install to no avail.

@mirthrock @JensRubaek 

 

A few users in Our organization reported the issue ,, the common thing that I noticed is that the users who are on Windows version 1905, build 11629.20xxx are facing the issue.

 

To test I installed Office on a different PC with Windows version 1905 but a different build and the issue was fixed..

 

So the issue is not with Outlook the issue is with windows version 1905, build 11629.20xxx...

as the same version and build of office 365 is working on a different version/build of Windows.

 

Thanks

Robin Nishad

Sr Consultant

@Robin Nishad

 

Thanks for this info.  Robin, can you clarify a little bit.  I think the latest version of Windows is 1903, not 1905.  The latest Office version is 1905 though.


@mirthrock 

 

I have seen this issue on Windows 10 versions 180xx and 190xx so it is pretty hard to check however the latest one was 190xx.. as to narrow down the issue I installed the same version of office on a different version of Windows 10 and focused inbox is working fine on that one...

 

Thanks

 

Robin Nishad

@Andrew van Renen 

 

I would recommend checking which release version you are on, if on the Monthly release channel then please switch to Semi-Annual channel as its more stable. Monthly channel in my experience tends to be glitchy sometimes and causes some occasional issues. 

 

Another recommendation would be to re-install office and make sure its has the most up-to-date patches for the semi-annual channel. 

 

-Ash

@Andrew van Renen 

 

I would recommend checking which release version you are on, if on the Monthly release channel then please switch to Semi-Annual channel as its more stable. Monthly channel in my experience tends to be glitch sometimes and causes some occasional issues. 

 

Another recommendation would be to re-install office and make sure its has the most up-to-date patches for the semi-annual channel. 

 

@Andrew van Renen 

 

I would recommend checking which release version you are on, if on the Monthly release channel then please switch to Semi-Annual channel as its more stable. Monthly channel in my experience tends to be glitch sometimes and causes some occasional issues. 

 

Another recommendation would be to re-install office and make sure its has the most up-to-date patches for the semi-annual channel. 

@Ash365  Thanks for the info.  I know its not a real solutions, but I ended up wiping the computer and reinstalling everything. Seems to be fine now.