Suddenly can't assign categories in Legacy Outlook Mac -- only lets me edit categories

Amy Uhrbach 115

Until this morning I've been happily using categories: created my own, assign and change them regularly. Suddenly under Categorize I can't assign categories. The only option is to edit categories (which works) but can't assign to email nor calendar entries. Help please. When I do go to Edit Categories, it shows my account as IMAP -- but it is NOT, it is POP.

Screenshot 2025-11-12 at 8.13.42 PM

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JeffM 30 Reputation points

2025-11-13T14:29:40.8033333+00:00

I am having the same issue after updating Outlook. This appears to be a bug that was introduced in the update. When can we expect Microsoft to fix this? Being unable to use categories is a huge problem for my workflows.
Amy Uhrbach 115 Reputation points

2025-11-13T14:36:00.3633333+00:00

#bugs
David White 110 Reputation points

2025-11-13T21:47:41.7866667+00:00

Same for me. With categories the Calendar function becomes much less robust and forces consideration of alternatives (i.e. gmail).
Darius Sarrafi 5 Reputation points

2025-11-14T00:42:42.9733333+00:00

I use MSO 16 for Mac. There is no option to to reset MSO 365 in MSAU!
Bill 15 Reputation points

2025-11-14T03:03:42.2333333+00:00

Hi Amy, the same thing happened with categories for me too today, just after I updated my Mac to macos Tahoe version 26.1. and I can't resolve it either!
J Hardinge 30 Reputation points

2025-11-14T11:22:19.4366667+00:00

Can you address issue for IMAP users also?
J Hardinge 30 Reputation points

2025-11-14T11:25:10.9933333+00:00

Also when I go into edit categories they are all there as previously, but just don't show to be selected.
Dave Luckett 5 Reputation points

2025-11-16T11:09:48.5866667+00:00

This a crucial feature for my business and one of the main reasons I use outlook over the MAC calendar. Time to ditch Microsoft?
Chad Gregory 5 Reputation points

2025-11-20T13:17:55.8066667+00:00

Same issue, has this not been resolved yet ?
Darius Sarrafi 5 Reputation points

2025-11-28T21:14:24.0266667+00:00

I did nothing about this issue and the update to 16.103.2 (25112216) three days ago fixed the problem!
J Hardinge 30 Reputation points

2025-11-29T10:17:59.2166667+00:00

Well done to us for flagging it (hahah)

Answer accepted by question author

David White 110

The rollback workaround as posted above from Amy U works! (Thank you).

Unclick autoupdates
Close Outlook
Delete Microsoft Outlook.app from applications
Install previous version for their link

For MacBook users be sure to delete Outlook.app (step 3) or the fix won't work. Here's the link for previous updates: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/officeupdates/update-history-office-for-mac

AJ 0 Reputation points

2025-11-20T17:45:27.46+00:00

Děkuji, funguje perfektně a moc díky i za odkaz. :-) konečně mám zpět kategorie.
JeffM 30 Reputation points

2025-11-22T08:44:41.8233333+00:00

This worked for me and solved the problem.
J Hardinge 30 Reputation points

2025-11-22T19:17:18.0133333+00:00

But it's not really a long-term solution is it? Unless you never want to update Outlook again. Logical that if an update renders something useless, removing update should restore functionality. Perhaps I'm seeing it too simplistically - but I want updates AND categories. Crazy?
Ewan Kennedy 15 Reputation points

2025-11-22T22:56:59.4366667+00:00

It didn't work for me. This is intensely frustrating. I didn't want or need anything more than the legacy version was already providing me. The new version has caused endless frustration and pointlessly wasted more hours than I can count.

11 additional answers

Dennis Dean 40 Reputation points

2025-11-26T01:16:37.8266667+00:00

I just installed Outlook 16.103.2 on my Mac running Sequoia 15.7.2 and it appears that the ability to select Categories is back. I haven't tried all the Categories related actions, but the basic one to assign a Category to an email works. Thank heavens! And I really have to compliment Microsoft in what I view as a pretty rapid fix.
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Dennis Dean 40 Reputation points

2025-11-26T01:40:11.25+00:00

Categories are back on my Tahoe Mac with Outlook 16.103.2 installed. However, I'm having some as yet unexplained crashes of Outlook now. Not quite sure what is triggering them yet.

H Marion 0 Reputation points

2025-11-27T16:41:14.4533333+00:00

Same here, except I'm still running Sequoia 15.7.2. I agree also that this was a pretty quick fix. I was afraid to try a lot of the suggested solutions because I've had lots of problems using Outlook and thought I might not be able to sign in after signing out. I use the calendar almost exclusively, and the inability to assign categories required a lot of close scrutiny so that I didn't miss anything.

Mary Lou James 0 Reputation points

2025-11-30T17:05:47.89+00:00

Where did you get the update? I am guessing it is not for MAC. Thanks in advance.

Amy Uhrbach 115 Reputation points

2025-11-30T17:10:43.2566667+00:00

This IS ONLY for Mac. Just turn on your automatic updates, or go to help | updates the application.

Mary Lou James 0 Reputation points

2025-11-30T17:48:32.4433333+00:00

I went to HELP in outlook and opened updates, The window showed I had auto updates checked and it immediately started to update Outlook but the progress bar for installation started and quickly stalled. I stopped it, I have OS Sequoia 15.6.1. I think I will let others beta test for awhile.

Mary Lou James 0 Reputation points

2025-11-30T17:54:11.7033333+00:00

Apparently, Outlook 16.103.2 is not compatible with OS Sequoia 15.6.1

Darius Sarrafi 5 Reputation points

2025-12-02T15:13:26.0733333+00:00

I have Sequoia 15.6.1 and my problem was removed with the latest update. Here's where you find the MAU application:

Macintosh HD/Library/Application Support/Microsoft/MAU2.0/Microsoft AutoUpdate.app

Mary Lou James 0 Reputation points

2025-12-02T17:39:51.0033333+00:00

Darius - really? did the installation of the OUTLOOK update stall like it appeared to do for me? (perhaps I was too impatient)

Darius Sarrafi 5 Reputation points

2025-12-02T22:12:54.13+00:00

I had the same problem as everyone else: saw the categories but couldn't select/assign them. The problem went away after the latest update was installed!
Amy Uhrbach 115 Reputation points

2025-11-30T17:11:25.65+00:00

As noted above, this is FIXED in the current Outlook update.
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Mary Lou James 0 Reputation points

2025-12-06T16:20:37.27+00:00

I was able to update Outlook to Version 16.103.3. The categories began working again. I am running Sequoia 15.7.2

I just discovered I can no longer search within a folder or across all items. I can perform a find in a given message, but again, the search option in the top right corner no longer works. It finds nothing.

Anyone else having this problem?
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