Outlook: Cannot move the items. The operation cannot be performed because the message has been changed.

Anonymous
2022-05-20T08:11:25+00:00

This message often pops up when I try to move an email to a folder after reading and closing it.  This happens even though I have not changed the message at all other than to read it.  If I select another message and then try to move the original message again, it will work.

I have been getting this problem for years and I am sick of it! everytime I try to tidy my inbox it takes hours because I have to keep moving away and then back to the email.

I know this message pops up in relation to other scenarios but I would like to concentrate on just this one problem as otherwise there are too many off topic answers.

This has been happening for at least 6 YEARS is no-one from Microsoft able to help with this problem?

Outlook | Windows | Classic Outlook for Windows | For business

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

0 comments

49 answers

Sort by: Most helpful
Most helpful Newest Oldest
  1. Anonymous
    2023-01-24T14:31:57+00:00

    Can someone who works for Microsoft please fix this

    Was this answer helpful?

    3 people found this answer helpful.
    0 comments
  2. Anonymous
    2022-11-17T15:30:50+00:00

    No, this is with a 3rd party email provider That I have used successfully with POP3 for many years. Only when I switched to IMAP the problem started.
    My current workaround: If I cannot move the email, I close it and open ANOTHER email and close that and then move the problematic email from the Inbox without opening it. Usually works on the first try.

    Was this answer helpful?

    3 people found this answer helpful.
    0 comments
  3. Anonymous
    2022-12-18T22:37:10+00:00

    The problem with every solution offered is the fact that this is obviously a design error on the part of the developers of Outlook. Maybe someone from up high in M$ needs to put some heat on the developers responsible for outlook and tell them to fix their mistake.

    Was this answer helpful?

    2 people found this answer helpful.
    0 comments
  4. Anonymous
    2022-12-03T18:52:21+00:00

    There are a couple of workarounds - but it is frustrating that it doesn't work as it should, they all time time and when you are moving a lot of items then that time adds up to a lot of wasted time and frustration.

    Was this answer helpful?

    2 people found this answer helpful.
    0 comments
  5. Anonymous
    2022-11-22T16:16:43+00:00

    Yep this question has gone around and round - I did put this workaround in my original post:

    This happens even though I have not changed the message at all other than to read it.  If I select another message and then try to move the original message again, it will work.

    There hasn't been any answer that fixes the problem only this work around, which means that if you are sorting out your inbox it doubles the amount of time needed to complete the task.

    Why oh why isn't there an actual fix?

    Was this answer helpful?

    2 people found this answer helpful.
    0 comments