Outlook.com prompts to Enter a new folder name, when I click on "Move to", then "Move to a different folder"

Anonymous
2023-10-23T00:28:36+00:00

I have always been accustomed to clicking on the Move To button, then unless the folder I want to move to appears on the history list of the last 8 or so folder names, I click on Move to a different folder.

This has STOPPED working. When I click on Move to a different folder, the cursor moves to a blank field associated with the Create a new folder option just above Move to a different folder, and prompts me to "Enter new folder name". I definitely made sure I did not select Create a new folder; I selected Move to a different folder. This cursor movement to this other field and corresponding prompt to Enter new folder name is an error. I first noticed this maybe about a week ago.

When I click on Move to a different folder, it should and it used to pop up with a list of all of my folders, to scroll down the list and choose the folder to move to.

The problem happens on either Microsoft Edge or Google Chrome, when logged in to my paid hotmail.com account aka Outlook.com account. This is not relevant but I have used the account for more than 20 years. The problem also occurs whether I have an email open, i.e. am reading it, and make the selection to Move to a different folder, or if I am looking at the list of emails in my Inbox, and tick the box next to an email, then from the menu I select Move to, then Move to a different folder. In both cases and on either browser, the cursor moves to the field for Create a new folder just above Move to a different folder, and prompts me to Enter new folder name. It behaves as if I clicked on Create a new folder which that option is just above the Move to a different folder menu selection. But clearly I did not choose Create a new folder.

This happens on every PC I use both at home and at work, Chrome or Edge, Windows 10 Pro or Windows 11 Pro. I could only choose Outlook from the list of Products. This is not Outlook email client included with MS Office. This is outlook.live.com web based email.

Something is quite obviously broken. Thanks in advance for any help.

Outlook | Windows | Classic Outlook for Windows | For business

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  1. Anonymous
    2023-10-26T19:22:24+00:00

    Tom,

    hah! Thanks for the thumbs up!

    Well, I understand the usefulness of, and the necessity for, icons, obviously. But everything seems to be getting teensier and teensier. Like Alice in Wonderland, sort of. And many times, people will use a word, but not spell out the entire word - just some weird abbreviation. Like "convo" instead of conversation. I know I'm nit-picking (and dating myself, as well), but I feel like we're losing something of value: the ability to actually THINK.

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  2. Anonymous
    2023-10-26T18:30:45+00:00

    From a previous post of yours:

    I don't have a "smart phone"; I have a laptop. I can read WORDS - I don't need tiny little pictures to show me where "Empty Folder" is, etc.

    I was going to just smile to myself when I read this, which I did last evening, but it deserves a plus one response. I'm right there with you on that one. Big pet peeve of mine. Too bad I don't have a 2 thumbs up emoji I can insert here. Oh wait, here's one:

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  3. Anonymous
    2023-10-26T14:38:08+00:00

    Microsoft simply DOES NOT CARE. Everyone knows that.

    They'll just dig their heels in, and call this an "enhancement".

    They'll die on this hill, rather than admit they screwed up.

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  4. Anonymous
    2023-10-26T06:59:08+00:00

    Also, I found a post on a techcommunity Microsoft Outlook "blog" which mentions the same problem:

    Oct 21 2023 11:21 AM

    "Wow, where to start. Firstly, the functioning of Outlook was, surprise, surprise, changed again last night. Functions that were working yesterday do not work today.

    There is the annoying select box that has once again shown up over the right side of the email folders instead of the drop down button that used to always be over the left side, which adds a step to selecting / deleting emails.

    I cannot move selected emails to my designated folders, as this choice is gone. When I select "Move to different folder", the only choice that pops up is "Create new folder". So you have to try a work-around to do the simplest function."

    I also noticed the "annoying select box" this person mentioned. Yes, that is annoying.

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  5. Anonymous
    2023-10-26T06:17:05+00:00

    "When I say "any change", I mean literally anything, has any event or update occurred, any closing of a program that normally stays open, shutting down or signing out or restarting Windows, Windows Updates, web browser update, anything at all that may possibly coincide with this change in functionality of the Move to folder feature?"

    I have no idea. I mean - yeah, I probably had a Windows update, beforehand, but I don't remember when exactly. I had a Firefox update; but again - not sure exactly when. I'm usually slow about updating stuff - I tend to procrastinate like crazy, lol. My best guess is that it (may have) started going wonky after the last Windows update. I'll go see if I can pin down the date / time of that update. Edit: okay, well - the most recent Windows Update that I can find was October 13 (2023). But I think Move to a Different Folder was still working then.

    Also: this thread here was started on Oct. 22, and the similar post on Reddit was started 5 days ago today the 26th, meaning this dysfunction seems to have started on Oct. 21st or 22nd, for most people.

    One thing that Diane mentioned, somewhere in this thread, is that some of these changes may be geared to making things more "app-friendly" for people who use their phones for this stuff (email, etc.) I don't have a "smart phone"; I have a laptop. I can read WORDS - I don't need tiny little pictures to show me where "Empty Folder" is, etc. I don't know if that has anything to do with this "issue", however.

    I'm beginning to feel more and more obsolete each day, lol. :-[

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