Office Settings & Configuration

Why Outlook No Longer Shows Email Counts by Category & How to Fix

Maira Mehtab Sep 28, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user is trying to find the missing email totals that previously appeared next to collapsed email categories in Microsoft Outlook.

Product: Microsoft Outlook
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Viewing grouped or categorized emails in the Outlook inbox.
Observed behavior: Email count summaries no longer appear beside collapsed categories in the current version of Outlook, a feature that was present in older versions.

Before you start

Verify whether you are using the 'New Outlook' interface or the 'Classic Outlook' version, as the display of folder and category summaries differs significantly between the two.

Solution 1Recommended

Submit a Feature Request via Outlook Help

Since the missing email counts are a product limitation of the new Outlook, submitting official feedback helps Microsoft prioritize the return of this feature.

The new Outlook interface is still rolling out and receiving updates. Currently, it does not support displaying total email counts next to collapsed categories. Because community moderators cannot control product development, the best approach is to request this feature directly from the development team.

Open the Help Menu

Launch the new Microsoft Outlook application and navigate to the top ribbon menu, then click on the 'Help' tab.

Select Feedback

Click on 'Submit Feedback' or 'Feedback' from the available options.

Detail Your Request

Describe that you want the 'email totals beside collapsed categories' feature restored, and click submit to send the request to Microsoft.

Community Forums: You can also post a feature request in the official Microsoft Outlook Community to gain upvotes from other users experiencing the same limitation.

Solution 2

Revert to Classic Outlook

If you rely heavily on seeing email totals beside collapsed categories for your daily workflow, switching back to the classic Outlook version will immediately restore this functionality.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Will the new Outlook ever bring back email counts for collapsed categories?

Microsoft has not provided an official timeline for restoring this feature, but it remains a widely requested addition. Submitting direct feedback through the Outlook app helps developers prioritize its return in future updates.

Why does my unread email count still show, but not the total category count?

The new Outlook interface prioritizes unread notifications to alert you of new messages. Total counts were removed from collapsed categories in an effort to declutter the user interface and streamline the visual experience.

How do I check total emails in a specific folder without the category count?

You can determine the total number of emails by clicking into the desired folder and looking at the bottom left status bar of the Outlook window, which displays the total item count for that specific location.

Can I use third-party add-ins to display category email counts in the new Outlook?

Currently, the new Outlook has limited support for third-party COM add-ins compared to the classic version, and there are no reliable add-ins available that can forcefully restore this specific interface element.

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