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?
108 Replies
Hello everyone,I was struggling with the same problem, but I have found a solution using Power
Automate with my Microsoft 365 Outlook account.If your goal is to send a custom notification email to yourself for emails that have been moved to a
specific folder (let's call it "Subfolder A") by an Outlook rule, this method will work.Here are the step-by-step instructions to create the flow.
===== Power Automate Setup Instructions
FINAL GOAL
● Trigger: When a new email arrives in "Subfolder A"...
● Action: ...send a custom email to yourself with a subject like "Email received in Subfolder
A" and a descriptive body.
--- STEP 1: Create a New Flow in Power Automate ---
1. Open a web browser on your PC, go to the Power Automate website, and sign in.2. From the left-hand menu, click '+ Create', then select 'Automated cloud flow'.
3. Give your flow a memorable name, such as "Notification for Subfolder A".
4. In the "Choose your flow's trigger" field, type "When a new email arrives" and select
'When a new email arrives (V3)' from the list. Then, click the 'Create' button.
--- STEP 2: Configure the Trigger ---
1. The 'When a new email arrives (V3)' card will appear.2. Click the folder icon to the right of the 'Folder' parameter.
3. A list of your mailbox folders will appear. Navigate to and select your target folder,
"Subfolder A".4. Since this flow should apply to ALL emails that arrive in "Subfolder A", leave the other
parameters like 'From' and 'Subject Filter' completely blank.--- STEP 3: Configure the Action ---
1. Below the trigger card, click '+ New step'.2. In the "Choose an operation" search box, type "Send an email" and select 'Send an email
(V2)' from the list of actions.3. A new card for composing an email will appear. Configure it as follows:
Field: To Value: Enter your own email address.
Field: Subject Value: Type in a descriptive subject line for
your notification. For example, "New Email in Subfolder A".Field: Body Value: Enter the
text you want to see in the notification.
inside the Body field
--- STEP 4: Save and Test the Flow1. Click the 'Save' button.
2. Your flow is now complete and active.
3. To test it, send an email to yourself that will be automatically moved to "Subfolder A" by
your Outlook rule. After a short wait, you should receive your notification
email.please try this, maybe it can help
in outlook desktop
edit the rule, then check display a desktop alert then applythen observe your outlook mobile if you receive notification from the sender which have the rule that i mention.
philipmanejaThis was already suggested a VERY long time ago and does not work. The only notification you get is for default emails into the inbox.
Some people have many folders and to now go and create a new rule for every message in every folder will take most people a very long time, only to discover it still doesn't work.
I gave up using Outlook on my Android phone a few years back as it just never worked.
I am using the Gmail app for all my mails and this works 100% and notifies me on every email.
This issue has been going on for so long I think that even Microsoft has given up on it.
2024, over 240k views on this post, still no update for such a simple and necessary function?
- I can't believe this has been ignored for 6 years
I started having this issue when I signed up for the new Outlook. This is how I fixed it. Using Android btw.
Deleted all my rules because there weren't working when I updated to the new outlook. Created all rules using the new outlook, surprising it doesn't allow you to select a sound when create new rules.
I had to reopen the old outlook, then go into mange rules and then select a sound for those rules made in the new outlook. I did receive some pop when this was completed. I started receiving notification for sub folder on both desktop and android app.
The draw back, I cant edit those rules on the new outlook. Hope this helps.
- I know this is not exactly the fix you are looking for but I ran into the same issue with not getting notifications from my sub-folders. The compromise I decided on was deleting the rules that moved the messages to my sub folders and creating a new rule that sent a copy of the messages to my sub folders. That way they were delivered to my main inbox, triggering a notification, but they were also put in the corresponding subfolder so I knew where to find the email when I wanted it. Hope this helps!
Cruiserbill Unfortunately that doesn't work. I tried it and after a month+ of using that setting, and the problem still persists.
I'm am unfortunately going to have to agree with goldendeed 's comment.
Andrew Sparks this is still a problem now! I have been using a second app on my phone, but that one has stopped working, so I'm back to looking into what to do and found this chain. I can't believe such a basic feature doesn't work! Off to find another app...
- Hi ,
I am facing the exact same issue.not getting emails for subfolders on tbe Outlook ios app.is this issue resolved.
Can someone share a workaround or a fix.
The year is 2023.
It is still an issue.
What I did that's work for my is create an empty rule under Stay Up To Date --> Send an alert to my mobile device when I get messages form someone.
just make next all the way without any condition and any exception
and its works for me ( get notify to my folders and sub folders ).
when my desktop outlook app is down the rules not working and I get notification to my mobile app
- I'm disappointed that there's still no actual solution for this, despite the age of this post. As others have said, it's absurd that Outlook for Android can't offer folder level notifications when the stock email applications for Android and IOS both manage to provide them.
At this point I'm now debating dropping Outlook for Android. I guess Microsoft has higher priorities, whichever they are, it would be great if they could comment and explain why the problem being outlined in this post is something not worth their concern.- Looks like there will never be a fix for this.
My solution that has worked very well for me is to just use the Gmail app.
Works like it should and never gives problems!
Thanks Google! Good job!DeanT01 At this point, I would say that's what Microsoft is telling us to do. I joke, but it feels like they still carry Gates' spite towards mobile and take it out on Android.
