Fixed Microsoft 365 Groups Missing in Outlook Issue

Wanna know why your Office 365 group not showing in Outlook? Follow this article to find out the reasons and the solutions to fix it. Also, I will suggest ways to prevent losing your Microsoft 365 groups. So, buckle up and know why this issue is occurring.

Microsoft 365 Groups is a great tool for collaboration. This feature allows you to easily share your resources like group mailbox, calendar, SharePoint document library, OneNote notebook, and Planner. Office 365 groups are also displayed in Outlook, where team members can send emails and view their calendars.

So, it is a great feature for the businesses. However, many users face this issue – Office 365 groups not showing in Outlook. To know why this problem occurs, I will try to explain it properly.

Reasons Why Office 365 Group Not Showing?

• You are using an outdated Outlook application, which is why you couldn’t see the groups.
• There is no proper synchronization between Outlook and the server.
• You didn’t provide appropriate permissions and authorization.
• The group facility is available to some Microsoft 365 plans. So, check your license to see if it supports the function or not.
• Your organization has changed some admin policies related to groups, which is why you can’t see them.
• A corrupt or damaged Outlook profile may cause visibility issues.

As you can see, there are several reasons why the Office 365 group is not showing in Outlook. So, if you are facing a similar problem. Then, I have several ways to fix it.

Different Group Errors

Outlook desktop, OWA, and Outlook mobile application display this issue in different ways. If you don’t know which one this problem is. Here is a common errors that occur when this issue occurs.

• The Microsoft 365 group is not visible in the Outlook Desktop App
• Unable to see the group in Outlook Web App
• Office 365 group not showing in Outlook Mobile App.
• Unable to sync the Microsoft 365 group on multiple devices.
• Admin settings hide the groups.

Now, let’s see the solutions that can help you resolve the problem of Microsoft 365 disappearing.

Minor Fixes for Office 365 Group not Showing Outlook Issue

Below are some of the minor solutions that can fix your issue in minutes. First, use these methods; if the problem persists, you can use the advanced solutions that I have explained below.

1. Update Outlook Application: New Outlook and classic Outlook with build version 16.0.16714.10000 or later support group facilities. If you are using an older version, then update to the latest one to get the features. Updating Outlook is easy.
   • Go to the File menu of the program.
   • Select Office Account. Click on the Update Now option.
   • Click on the latest update to download it.
2. Manually Re-Sync Groups: In some cases, the auto-sync of the group will stop working due to several issues. So, you can manually synchronize the groups. From the following steps.
   • In Outlook, select the Send/Receive tab in the Outlook client.
   • Click on the Update Folders option and wait for the synchronization.
   • Alternatively, you can also click Send/Receive All Folders.
3. Re-Add Missing Office 365 Groups: If you are missing a specific group, you can re-add it by using the steps below.
   • Go to the Outlook application, click on the More option, and open the Groups section.
   • Right-click on the Groups and choose the New Group or Browse Group option.
   • Choose the specific Office 365 group, then click on the Join button.

Disable Cached Exchange Mode

The Cache Exchange Mode allows you to organize a copy of your inbox and group messages. But if the mode is outdated or enabled, it will hide your Office 365 groups. To disable it, follow the steps below.

1. First of all, open Outlook and click on the File option.
2. Select the Account Settings and again Account Settings from the drop-down list.
3. Choose, Exchange, or Microsoft 365 account. Press the Change button.
4. Uncheck the Use Cached Exchange Mode to download email to an Outlook data file checkbox.
5. Click on the More Settings button and then uncheck the Use Cache Exchange Mode. Hit the Ok button.

Check Outlook Settings to Resolve the Issue

If the settings of Outlook are not configured properly, then you may face the problem of Office 365 groups not showing in Outlook. So, below are the steps to properly apply your settings.

1. Go to the Outlook application and click on the File option.
2. Select the Options button and then Advanced.
3. Click on the Show All Groups from the Group section.
4. Lastly, click on Ok to save the settings.

Check AutoDiscover XML File

The AutoDiscover XML file is a configured file used by Outook. It is used to automatically configure the email settings for users. If the file is not present, then you can’t see Microsoft 365 groups. So, below are the steps you have to follow.

1. First, I am going to find the file by following this folder location: %LocalAppData%\Microsoft\Outlook\xx
2. In the file, there is an email address that is used to create and identify the group, like this: [email protected].
3. Replace the group primary email address with the above format.
4. Make sure that the email address you are using exists as an object on the Office 365 server. So that the server recognizes the group.
5. Now, update this new address in the AutoDiscover XML file.

Create New Outlook Profile to See Groups

A corrupt or damaged Outlook profile can cause you many problems, including Office 365 not showing in Outlook. Here, how you can resolve it.

1. Run the control panel on your computer.
2. Go to the User Accounts option and then click on the Mail button.
3. Select the Show Profiles button. Hit the Add option.
4. Enter the name of the profile and press the OK button.
5. Sign in to your account and configure it with the profile.
6. Set the newly created profile as the default. Select the Always use this profile.
7. Press the Apply button nd then OK. After that, start Outlook, and now you can see the groups.

Rebuild the OST File

You already know that Outlook provides PST and OST files that store their data. The  OST file is mainly used to store a synchronized copy of mailbox data. But if it is corrupted, outdated, or out of sync with Exchange Online. Then, you cannot see your groups. SO, to fix it, rebuild your OST file by following the steps.

1. Press the Windows+R button. Enter this location: %localappdata%/Microsoft/Outlook to find the damaged OST file.
2. Rename the OST file that is connected to your email account. Replace .ost with .bak at the end of the name to create a backup of your original OST file.
3. Go to Outlook, and it automatically starts to create a new OST file and eventually starts synchronizing all your mail to the new file.
4. This way, you can access all the mail items, including the Office 365 groups.

Here are the solutions that can resolve the problem. But, it is a temporary option; there are still chances that the Office 365 not showing in Outlook will occur. So, in order to avoid that, below are some practices that you can use.

Precautions to Avoid Office 365 Groups

• Make sure that new memberships are properly added and confirm their status in the Microsoft 365 admin center.
• Also, encourage them to accept the group invitation immediately. Because a pending invitation may delay visibility.
• Up-to-date your Outlook application, whether it is a desktop client or a mobile app.
• Ensure synchronization between Exchange Online and Outlook properly.

In addition to these precautionary steps, it is also important to take a backup of your Microsoft 365 groups. Here’s how you do this.

Backup Office 365 Groups

You don’t have to worry about losing your data when the Office 365 Group is not showing in Outlook. But, due to this problem, issues like access, hidden settings, or accidental deletions can cause your group data to be lost. This is why a regular backup allows you to helps you if you can’t get your Office 365 groups. To help you in this, SysTools Office 365 Backup Software will be very helpful.

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Final words

If the Office 365 group is not showing in Outlook, then here I have explained several ways that you can use to resolve it. Also, I have provided reasons and the common scenarios of why you can’t see the Microsoft 365 groups. And provide various precautionary steps to avoid this problem from happening again in the future.