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emt8q5

macrumors member
Original poster
Jul 21, 2007
79
0
ok, so I updated outlook for Mac 2011 the other day. Since then, it seems my outbox has completely disappeared. Where in the world did it go?

Now I may be an idiot, maybe I'm missing something obvious here, but this seems like the worst UI design conceivable. The fact that I have to come on a message board to ask where my outbox has gone is absolute insanity. Either I need to check into an nursing home at 27 years old, or MS is incompetent on a level and scale that should be criminal.

Which is it? Am I mentally defunct here, or where in the world is my outbox?

Thanks!
 

thatisme

macrumors 6502
Mar 23, 2010
485
106
United States
ok, so I updated outlook for Mac 2011 the other day. Since then, it seems my outbox has completely disappeared. Where in the world did it go?

Now I may be an idiot, maybe I'm missing something obvious here, but this seems like the worst UI design conceivable. The fact that I have to come on a message board to ask where my outbox has gone is absolute insanity. Either I need to check into an nursing home at 27 years old, or MS is incompetent on a level and scale that should be criminal.

Which is it? Am I mentally defunct here, or where in the world is my outbox?

Thanks!

When you have a message sitting in the outbox, a link to it will appear just above the buttons for Mail, Calendar, Tasks, Notes, etc. (at the bottom of the mail folders window)
 

Sakan

macrumors newbie
Apr 22, 2012
1
0
@thatisme,

What you are describing was correct until latest Microsoft Outlook:mac 2011 update 14.2.0. It WAS showing up right there. But this latest update (only a few days ago) has disabled the OUTBOX. Instead there is a small status bar on the bottom right corner. But we can't stop or review the mail once it has moved to OUTBOX. Earlier this was possible!

@emt8q5,

I too am looking for it. And that's the reason I stumbled upon this page. Let's hope someone has an answer.
 

emt8q5

macrumors member
Original poster
Jul 21, 2007
79
0
When you have a message sitting in the outbox, a link to it will appear just above the buttons for Mail, Calendar, Tasks, Notes, etc. (at the bottom of the mail folders window)

As others have pointed out, that used to be the case; but is no longer true after the last update.

Still hoping someone can shed some light on this matter!
 

thatisme

macrumors 6502
Mar 23, 2010
485
106
United States
After updating, I still get the outbox notification above the folder listing on the left. I also have the status bar on the bottom right as you had mentioned.

I just tested it again by turning off the on-line mode on the tools tab, then sent an email to my secondary account, and the outbox appeared on the bottom left, just above the buttons for contacts, calendar, tasks, etc.

Outlook version 14.2.0
 
Last edited:

iConnected

macrumors 6502a
Feb 17, 2011
684
435
Microsoft's response - submit a feature request

It appears this is an intentional change by Microsoft. They are inviting users to request that the outbox be restored in a future update, if users wish this to be reversed:

"This feature has been moved to the Progress window. If you choose Window > Progress, you'll be able to see when a message is sending and cancel it before it sends.

If this is a feature you’d like to see changed in future versions of Office for Mac, be sure to send your feedback by clicking Help > Send Feedback… in any Office application or by clicking on the link below:

Office for Mac | Product Feedback "​

From: http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/...8128-c3db-43c2-85b0-9c999aed0aab?tab=MoreHelp
 

niknox

macrumors newbie
Apr 26, 2012
1
0
Brighton, UK
It appears this is an intentional change by Microsoft. They are inviting users to request that the outbox be restored in a future update, if users wish this to be reversed:

Classic Microsoft mentality > "Let's remove a feature, for no apparent reason, then wait for our user base to get so frustrated with the software they request we bring it back."

It seems, once an outgoing message is stopped, the outbox appears where it used to. Quite why Microsoft feel we shouldn't need this option the first time mail is sent, I don't know.
 

kbec

macrumors newbie
Apr 29, 2012
1
0
message trapped in outbox

Likewise, i'm trying to send a very large file, it keeps failing but i cannot get to 'outbox' to delete it :) It appears briefly if i restart outlook but i can't get to it in time.
 

RedpointRik

macrumors newbie
Jun 16, 2012
3
3
Ah, yes, thank you Microsoft

Solution for the missing Outbox that I have found:
1. Select "Work Offline" in the Outlook menu
2. Force close Outlook
3. Re-open Outlook.
4. You will still be offline and able to see the Outbox with the message that you want to delete.
5. Go back to the Outlook menu and again select "Work Offline", which will un-check that option and allow you to do a S/R.

Editorial: It is not only Microsoft that slights Macintosh, many software vendors are cheesy about Mac support. It is simply the cross we bear...
 

MCAsan

macrumors 601
Jul 9, 2012
4,587
442
Atlanta
I am SO GLAD I retired a couple of months ago and dropped Windows and all the MS apps.

If had a dime for every Word blue screen....I could have retired early. ;)
 

florwj

macrumors newbie
Aug 16, 2012
1
0
yes - thank you!

man - I was looking for 2 days for the email that everytime I signed in would be sending and failing - genius. And - I took a nice shot at Microsoft on the feedback link - that felt good too...
 

garybooker

macrumors newbie
Sep 20, 2012
1
0
Outlook for Mac - Where is the Outbox

If you close Outlook, disconnect your Mac from the Internet (turn off WiFi and unplug any Ethernet cable) and restart Outlook, assuming there is something in it, you should find the "Outbox" folder just above the "Mail," "Calendar," "Contacts," etc. folder.
 

tgriffin33

macrumors newbie
Sep 30, 2012
1
0
Arizona
Outlook for MAC 2011 missing Outbox Problem Fix

Today I sent a large zip file and it just kept sending it over and over but could not actually get it out due to it's size. I read the thread about how to fix but I did not have an Outbox to cure as I have seen here so many times. The easiest way I found to fix was simply as described go to file and go "off line". Then I sent another very short email to anyone and since I was working offline the message I just sent could not actually be sent and was put in the "Outbox" which did NOW show up with me being offline. I was able to then get into the OUTBOX and delete the oversize file and the short message I just sent. Once deleted I just went back into File and went "on line" again and Walla the problem was solved. Why MS and other vendors make their products for both platforms with different looks and peculiarities I will never know. Oh well I hope this helps someone.
 

sharbori

macrumors newbie
Oct 2, 2012
1
1
thank you.

Solution for the missing Outbox that I have found:
1. Select "Work Offline" in the Outlook menu
2. Force close Outlook
3. Re-open Outlook.
4. You will still be offline and able to see the Outbox with the message that you want to delete.
5. Go back to the Outlook menu and again select "Work Offline", which will un-check that option and allow you to do a S/R.

Editorial: It is not only Microsoft that slights Macintosh, many software vendors are cheesy about Mac support. It is simply the cross we bear...

thank you. it worked like a charm. however, it is still a source of irritation that the Outbox will not be seen on online mode.
 
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maszek

macrumors newbie
Oct 16, 2012
1
0
Solution for the missing Outbox that I have found:
1. Select "Work Offline" in the Outlook menu
2. Force close Outlook
3. Re-open Outlook.
4. You will still be offline and able to see the Outbox with the message that you want to delete.
5. Go back to the Outlook menu and again select "Work Offline", which will un-check that option and allow you to do a S/R.

It worked like a spell for me. Couldn't find the outbox.
What's worse: messages that appear to be sent (Outlook's "mail sent" chime sounded) do not appear in my sent box either.
 

simpsonathome

macrumors newbie
Nov 15, 2012
1
0
Outlook outbox

Hi
A large message is stuck in Outlook, continually trying to resend - but I can't find the Outbox so I can delete it. Can anyone help?
 

RedwoodTree

macrumors newbie
Dec 2, 2012
2
0
Is this TOTAL ****ING STUPID INSANITY OR WHAT

just to stop ONE ****ING EMAIL from sending (or failing to send for days).

WTF SERIOUSLY>

it took me TEN Google searches to STOP THE ****ING PROGRAM from sending an email.


MS. Good luck. You get what you deserve now.

----------

and LEAVE IT (THE OUTBOX) THERE JESUS CHRIST HOW STUPID IS THIS

NOTHING ****ING STOPS THEM!!!!!!

AND you have to get to it with SECONDS or it disappears again!!!!!!!!!!!!! WTF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

----------

and let's pile THIS on top:

http://www.businessinsider.com/peop...omeback-sound-increasingly-delusional-2012-12

----------

even clicking "x" on progress window DOES NOT STOP THE ****ER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


they come back in about 4 seconds and RETRY


jesus, are you really this Stupid or is it me??????
 

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MacRumours1

macrumors newbie
Jan 12, 2013
1
0
Outlook 2011 Outbox

Wow, I should have come to this website months ago.

I had an outbox, or so I thought, but when I clicked on the outbox it was always completely empty. So for months, since the last upgrade I guess, Outlook has been trying to send a doomed too-big message, and I had no idea what it was doing from the progress bar. Sending? Syncing? Huh?

Today, thanks to you brilliant folks, now I know where to look for the temporary, usually-invisible outbox. I don't know if that means my always-visible outbox is just a remnant from a previous incarnation of Outlook, but I can't seem to delete it. Oh well, small price to pay, considering that now I don't have to watch a doomed "send" for the rest of my life anymore...

So, thanks, guys and gals, keep it coming!
 

chemical agent

macrumors newbie
Jan 28, 2013
1
0
Still not working

Sadly, these good approaches work to find the outbox but do not solve the problem for me. The stuck message does not appear in the outbox. It's a too-large email. From reading comments about this problem with PC Outlook, it sounds like it may actually be a gmail problem or some kind of communication problem between gmail and outlook. Any ideas?
 

emeness

macrumors newbie
Feb 9, 2013
1
0
Sadly, these good approaches work to find the outbox but do not solve the problem for me. The stuck message does not appear in the outbox. It's a too-large email. From reading comments about this problem with PC Outlook, it sounds like it may actually be a gmail problem or some kind of communication problem between gmail and outlook. Any ideas?

I was able to delete the original large email from the outbox but my Outlook was sporadically throwing the pinwheel. In an attempt to stop this, I searched for the original email (found it it in deleted but it was misdated - weird), opened it, removed the attachment, and sent a blank email to just myself. This seems to have corrected the issue.
 
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