How to fix "Operation cannot be performed because message has been changed" message. when using Outlook and Gmail.

Anonymous
2020-04-21T11:53:43+00:00

Over the last two years, I have been using Outlook 2013, now Office 365. I've been experiencing an ongoing issue where I receive this message "Operation cannot be performed because message has been changed" message.  Typical scenarios: 1) A new email arrives in my Outlook inbox. I preview, or read the email. I attempt to delete the email. Operation cannot... message appears.  I either type a new email, or reply to an email, go on to another task leaving the draft until later. When I return to the draft email, complete the email, and attempt to send the email, Operation cannot... message appears. I also cannot even save the draft, same error message. This is the worst part of this bug, as I've wasted/lost the time effort spent on the draft email.

I have run the Office repair utilities. I have tried unchecking the email cleanup boxes, and a variety of fixes recommended on these Microsoft answers communities. I've noticed sometimes when I come back to a message, it does allow me to move/delete the message. It's like there's a sync issue that needs time to resolve. However, nothing appears to work when a draft message gets hung in this loop. I have to start over with a new reply email.

Outlook | Windows | Classic Outlook for Windows | For home

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  1. Anonymous
    2020-07-20T08:11:19+00:00

    Add me to the list of people with this problem in both Outlook 2016 and 2019 (on different machines), but it didn't happen with Outlook 2010 which I was using until earlier this year on the m/c that now has the 2019 version.

    In my case I have a number of IMAP accounts including Gmail, and it appears to happen with any/all of them - sometimes "randomly"!

    Therefore it looks to have been caused by the change in coding when Outlook 2016 was developed - and therefore Microsoft REALLY SHOULD take the responsibilty and FIX IT! :(.

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  2. Anonymous
    2020-07-20T10:53:29+00:00

    Hi KeithLwood,

    In terms of the google account setting:

    1. In Outlook 2016/2019, navigate to File > Account Settings > Account Settings.
    2. Select the IMAP account and click Change (or double-click the IMAP account name)
    3. Enter INBOX in the Root folder path field

    You will see the window below:

    Put INBOX in Root Folder Path, type the "INBOX".

    Yours Sincerely,

    George

    Hi George,

    I recently upgraded my Office 2010 and my husband's Office 2016 to 365 and we're both experiencing some of the issues already mentioned in this thread (eg: "the operation cannot be performed because the message has changed" message when trying to flag a message or send a draft email etc. 

    I tried your recommended steps above and after following the steps to add and then remove "INBOX', it has only reinstated some of my folders. I have no idea where the others disappeared to. Where the heck have they gone??? That's the last time I try troubleshooting something by blindly following the guidance of a Microsoft staff member.

    My husband has his own business and has had to resort to often sending emails through GMAIL as Outlook is unreliable, which is not a very good business practice as it means correspondence is scattered in different applications.

    I absolutely agree with the other comments around this issue needs to be resolved, given the number of us experiencing this problem.

    Regards,

    Sue

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  3. Anonymous
    2020-07-28T13:39:32+00:00

    Hi Sue

    You need to be careful with that INBOX setting as its to do with the way that IMAP is set up and changing back and forth can create extra folders and syncing issues trust me.

    I have the same issue as you with flagging and unflagging emails, again I think it is because of an IMAP mailbox and it has been reported all over the place with noone doing anything to resolve.   It is so bad I think I am going to have to move away from Outlook entirely and use a more competent mail program.

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  4. Anonymous
    2020-07-28T14:28:05+00:00

    Chris

    Thanks for that info - do you (or anyone else?) have any idea if removing the account and then re-establishing it via a POP3 mailbox instead of an IMAP one would "solve" the problem??

    John

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  5. Anonymous
    2020-07-28T14:35:48+00:00

    John, I dont 'know' for sure however I am going to say probably yes.  I think the issue is that the IMAP mailboxes need to send those 'changes you have made' before it will let you do anything else to it.  Obviously this doesnt happen on each and every click so there is a lag - just a guess but never experienced it with POP or Exchange.

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