After Windows 11 update all of my emails for 2025 in Outlook Classic are gone

It sounds like you may have encountered an issue related to the Windows 11 update that affected your Outlook Classic emails. Here are some steps you can take to try to recover your lost emails:

1. Check the Deleted Items Folder: Sometimes emails can accidentally be deleted. Check your Deleted Items folder to see if your emails are there.
2. Search for PST Files: If you were storing your emails locally, they might be in a PST file. Use the search function in Windows to look for files with the .pst extension. If you find any, you can import them back into Outlook.
3. Repair Outlook: Use the built-in repair tool for Outlook. Go to Control Panel > Programs > Programs and Features, select Microsoft Office, and then click on Change. Choose the Repair option.
4. Check for Previous Versions: If you have File History or another backup solution enabled, you might be able to restore previous versions of your Outlook data files.
5. Contact Microsoft Support: If none of the above steps work, consider reaching out to Microsoft Support for further assistance.

Make sure to regularly back up your Outlook data to prevent future loss.

Hi Mark, it sounds like the update may have signed you into a different Windows profile or reset some settings, which can make locally stored Outlook data appear missing. Outlook Classic stores emails in PST files on your computer, so they’re likely still there but not linked to your current profile. First, check if you see a new user folder under C:\Users and confirm if your old one is still present. Then open Outlook and go to File > Account Settings > Data Files to see if your original PST file is listed. If not, search your drive for *.pst and note the location. You can reattach the file in Outlook through Account Settings. Did you notice any prompt asking to create a new account or profile during setup? And do you recall if your emails were in a PST file or an OST file before the update?

It sounds like the update switched your Outlook data location to OneDrive, which usually happens when Windows enables OneDrive sync during setup. If your PST files aren’t in C:\Users, they may have been moved to OneDrive or a new profile folder. First, check your OneDrive folder on your PC and online for any .pst files. Also, look under C:\Users for any old profile folders that might still have your data. If you find the PST file, you can reattach it in Outlook through File > Account Settings > Data Files. If you don’t see it anywhere, did you notice if OneDrive was turned on during setup or if you created a new Windows account? That will help narrow down where the files went.

It sounds like the update enabled OneDrive sync and moved your PST files there, which explains why Outlook is pointing to OneDrive now. The sync errors usually happen because PST files are large and constantly change, which OneDrive struggles with. The good news is your files are likely still in OneDrive, just not fully synced. Check your OneDrive folder on your PC for the actual PST files and confirm their size. If they’re there, you can copy them to a local folder like C:\OutlookData and then reattach them in Outlook via File > Account Settings > Data Files. If they’re only partially synced or missing, log in to OneDrive online and see if the full files are stored there. Do you see the PST files in your OneDrive folder with full sizes, or are they showing as placeholders?