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Fix: Outlook Mail Folders Not Updating While Using Cached Mode

Ritu Roy | File Repair fix How to's Outlook Software Technology | 6 minutes read | Modified on: 17-06-2025
Mail Folders Failing to Sync and Update

Summary – Cached Exchange Mode is the standard setting for Microsoft Exchange and Office 365 email accounts, allowing users to access their emails even when the network connection is slow or lost. However, sometimes this mode can cause problems, such as synchronization errors or mail folders not updating properly. In this article, we have outlined effective solutions to resolve the issue of Outlook mail folders not updating while using Cached Mode.

Outlook failing to update folders or mail items is a frequent yet significant issue faced by many users from time to time. This problem can arise due to various factors related to the Outlook client, user profile, or the data file (OST – Offline Storage Table).

Even though your mailbox stays synchronized and updates are visible in Outlook Web App (OWA) or when using Outlook in Online Mode, the changes may not appear in Cached Mode (also known as Offline Mode).

In this article, we explore the common causes behind the issue of Outlook not updating folders while in Cached Mode and provide practical solutions to fix it.

Common Reasons Why Outlook Mail Folders Aren’t Updating in Cached Mode

  • Network connectivity problems
  • Outlook is set to Work Offline mode
  • Emails are sorted incorrectly, affecting the display
  • Corrupted cache files in Outlook
  • Faulty or incompatible add-ins interfering with syncing
  • Damaged or corrupted Outlook user profile
  • Oversized or corrupted OST files
  • Corruption in Outlook program files or drivers
  • Messages are getting stuck in the message processing pipeline due to conflicts or corrupt data

Note: The message processing pipeline, which was first implemented in Outlook 2007, manages incoming messages before showing them in the Inbox by using a secret folder named ItemProcSearch inside your mailbox. Issues in this pipeline can also cause delays or failures in updating mail items.

How to Fix Outlook Not Updating Mail Folders in Cached Mode

If your Outlook mail folders aren’t updating, the first thing to check is your internet connection. A weak or unstable connection can interrupt the sync between Outlook and the server. Try restarting your Wi-Fi router, or if the problem continues, contact your internet service provider.

If your connection is fine but Outlook still isn’t updating folders, try the solutions below. These methods apply to all modern Outlook versions, including 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021.

Method 1: Turn Off Work Offline Mode and Manually Refresh Outlook

Sometimes, Outlook might be set to “Work Offline” without you realizing it. In this mode, Outlook disconnects from the mail server, which means no new messages or updates come through, even though everything looks fine. Here’s how to check:

  1. In Outlook, go to the Send/Receive tab at the top.
  2. Make sure Work Offline is not turned on (if it is, click it to disable).
  3. Look at the bottom status bar—it should say “Connected to Microsoft Exchange.”
  4. Still in the Send/Receive tab, click “Update Folder” to force Outlook to sync your folders.

Method 2: Check Your Email Sorting Settings

At times, the issue isn’t with Outlook syncing; it’s just the way your emails are being sorted. If emails appear out of order, it might look like nothing new is coming in, even though they are.

To make sure you’re seeing the latest messages:

  1. Open Outlook and go to your inbox.
  2. Click the “Sort by” option at the top of your mail list (depending on your Outlook version).
  3. Choose “By Date” and make sure it’s sorted by Newest first.

This should bring the most recent emails to the top, so you know if your folders are truly updating or not.

Method 3: Use the /cleanips Command to Refresh Outlook Sync

Sometimes Outlook just needs a little nudge to get things back on track. One handy trick is to launch Outlook with a special command called /cleanips. This tells Outlook to refresh how it processes new emails in Cached Exchange Mode, which can help fix syncing issues.

Here’s how to do it:

  1. First, close Outlook completely.
  2. Press Windows + R on your keyboard to open the Run dialog box.
  3. Type the following command exactly as shown:
    Outlook.exe /cleanips
  4. Hit Enter or click OK.

Outlook will now start with this special setting, which may help resolve issues where folders aren’t updating with new messages.

Method 4: Clear Offline Items to Trigger a Fresh Sync

If a specific folder like your Inbox isn’t showing the latest emails, you can manually clear its offline content. This forces Outlook to re-download everything from the server. But be careful: this removes all local (offline) copies of the emails in that folder. Make sure to back up your data if you’re unsure.

Here’s how to do it safely:

  1. Open Outlook.
  2. Right-click on the folder that’s not updating (e.g., Inbox) and choose Properties.
  3. Under the General tab, click Clear Offline Items.
  4. A warning will pop up—click OK to confirm if you’re ready.
  5. Now go back to the folder and press Shift + F9 or click Update Folder from the toolbar.

Outlook will start re-syncing the folder, downloading fresh copies of the emails directly from your Exchange or Office 365 server.

Method 5: Clear Outlook’s Cache Files

Sometimes, Outlook holds on to outdated or corrupted cache files that can mess with how it performs, including stopping emails from updating properly. A quick cleanup of these files can often fix the problem.

Here’s how to clear the cache:

  1. Close Outlook completely.
  2. To launch the Run dialog box, press Windows + R.
  3. Type this in and press Enter: %localappdata%\Microsoft\Outlook
  4. In the folder that opens, look for a folder named RoamCache.
  5. Open it, select all the files inside, right-click, and hit Delete.
  6. Now restart Outlook and see if things are syncing correctly again.

Method 6: Enable ‘Send Immediately When Connected’

If you notice that even your sent emails aren’t syncing properly in Cached Mode, there’s a setting that can help: Send Immediately When Connected. Enabling it makes sure outgoing emails are sent and updated as soon as Outlook connects to the internet.

To turn it on:

  1. Navigate to File > Options > Advanced in Outlook.
  2. Under the Send and receive section, tick the box that says Send immediately when connected.
  3. Click OK and then restart Outlook.

Now, any email you send should sync right away with the server.

Method 7: Use the Sync Slider to Limit Offline Data

Outlook allows you to control how much mail data is stored on your computer using something called a Sync Slider. This setting helps keep your OST file smaller and your Outlook faster and more reliable, especially when syncing issues are happening.

Here’s how to adjust it:

  1. In Outlook, go to File > Info > Account Settings > Account Settings.
  2. Double-click your email account from the list.
  3. In the Change Account window, find the Mail to keep offline slider.
  4. Move the slider to 1 year or less (depending on how much mail you really need offline).
  5. Click Next > OK, then restart Outlook.

This reduces the OST file size and can improve syncing behavior.

Method 8: Archive Older Emails to Free Up Space

If your mailbox is loaded with years of emails, archiving older ones can help Outlook run smoothly. Archiving moves older messages into a local PST file, reducing the size of your mailbox and OST file, and that can fix syncing issues in Cached Mode.

To archive mail:

For Outlook 2013:

  1. Select Archive under File > Info > Cleanup Tools.

For Outlook 2016, 2019, or 2021:

  1. Go to File > Info > Tools > Clean up old items.

Then:

  1. Choose Archive this folder and all subfolders.
  2. Select the folder(s) you want to archive.
  3. Choose a date under Archive items older than.
  4. Click Browse to pick where the archive file will be saved.
  5. Make sure the option Include items with ‘Do not AutoArchive” is checked.
  6. Click OK to start the process.

You can create multiple archive files if needed, separating them by folder, time period, or however it works best for you.

Conclusion

Cached Mode in Outlook is great for users with Microsoft Exchange or Office 365 accounts because it lets you work with your emails even when you’re offline. But to keep things running smoothly, it’s important to make sure your PST file doesn’t get too large. An oversized PST can slow things down or cause syncing issues, sometimes even stopping Outlook from updating your mailbox properly.

If you notice that your emails look outdated or aren’t syncing correctly in Outlook, try the fixes we’ve covered in this guide. They can help you restore proper synchronization and improve Outlook’s performance.

However, if nothing seems to work, you can take things a step further with a tool like CubexSoft Outlook Converter Tool. It allows you to export data from your PST file and move it to platforms like Office 365, Exchange Server, Gmail, Yahoo, Outlook.com, and many others. You can also convert your emails to formats like PDF, MBOX, EML, or transfer them to other clients like Thunderbird, Mac Outlook, Zimbra, Amazon WorkMail, and more.