mailbox folders missing content

Question

Level 1

38 points

mailbox folders missing content

Basic history: We’ve used Windows computers for decades until I won an iPad in 2011. We’ve always had the same MSN emails, and the 4 newer iPads we own and my 2019 MacBook Pro transferred outlook mail features with few issues. Over the decades of genealogy research, I created and saved folders for that and other personal files under the Mail page on Outlook and whatever it was called before then. The folders all show up in the Mail feature on the iPads, the MacBook, and my one small, cheap Windows 10 laptop, and my Samsung Android cell phone.

The Problem: Last month I got 8 gift cards at a good price delivered via email. To “store” them where I could get at them while at the store by just showing one on my phone to a clerk, I moved the “cards” into a new Folder under the Mail heading, “Mailboxes” I guess they’re called, along with all those older folders. So yesterday I was going to that store and went to check that I could get at the cards on my phone, and the folder showed no content! Upon checking further, none of the other dozen or so Folders (those with “File” icons) showed content.

Upon getting home, I checked my iPads and sure enough none of them showed content in any File iconned folder on the Mail page. So I go to the MacBook, and all the folders under Mail have content as intended. I spent hours fiddling with settings options on the Android phone and the iPads to no avail… they won’t bring up folder content. Is the MacBook storing the content onboard and the phone and tablets not, and can’t access folder data for some reason at the MSN/Outlook server?

I’m just not cyber-astute enough to understand how this all works. Do I need to connect the folders to my iCloud storage to make them available to the iPads? But will the Android phone be able to get at them? Or is there a better way to have the cards easily opened on the phone, which is the main goal?

MacBook Pro (2017 – 2020)

Posted on Apr 19, 2023 4:33 PM

Reply

Answer 1

Hafcanadian Author

Level 1

38 points

Apr 21, 2023 2:22 PM in response to AdvisorMP

I don't believe I have a sign-in issue, as I can get at any content in my or my wife's email folders, and from any device. Under "Mail" ("Mailboxes" on the iPads) in the left column, are listed "boxes". The first is "All Inboxes", followed by my Mail, then my wife's Mail. Generally the iPads and MacBook lists are similar, but not quite identical.

The iPads have a "Flagged" box next and that's it for the topmost section of the list; the MacBook instead has a box labeled "Exchange" next, followed by several other boxes that use other than envelope icons. Rather than describing the differences, I'm attaching screenshots of our iPad Pro and of the MacBook Pro. One thing I noticed is that the iPads and Android phone can open anything except those boxes with "File" icons. The MacBook opens File icon listings fine, displaying file preview lists and opening any I click on, mostly old stored emails.

Note the "Exchange" listing on the MacBook that's not on the iPads. If I'm correct, that is somehow connected to MSN, but seems to show only emails to my wife. I don't think that's part of the difference in the iPads' not displaying box content.

To really confuse me, I just went on my Samsung phone to double check how it lists its mailboxes, and happened to click on the gift card listing, and the darned thing opened! All 8 cards are previewed and open. They would not open while I was on the road Wednesday. So I then suspected a home WiFi vs cell signal involvement in causation, so I turned off the phone's WiFi switch; but the cards still showed up here at home even when accessing servers via cell service. The card mailbox (and others) showed only "No content" via cell service Wednesday. Upon checking the other envelope-iconned boxes on the phone, after a brief "synch" they do display now. They sure didn't Wednesday in a store parking lot. So now it's just the iPads (they are all WiFi-only devices) that won't preview and open envelope-oconned boxes.

Sorry if this is a head-scratcher. I've had other iPad Pro issues that even Apple Store personnel couldn't understand or correct. But this problem is across all 4 iPads. And it leaves me wondering whether or not the next time I try to use one of the gift cards in the store I'll be able to open them on the phone.

I have to believe there is a common setting on the iPads that's locking out or for some reason not accessing data for all envelope-iconned, created auxilliary mailboxes that aren't main basic ones, such as my emails, my wife's emails, junk, sent, trash, flagged, or drafts.

iPad Pro screenshot:

MacBook Pro screenshot:

Reply

Answer 2

mingoslkd

Community Specialist

Apr 21, 2023 3:21 PM in response to Hafcanadian

Hi Hafcanadian,

Reading over your last activity, it seems that you may need to be connected to Wi-Fi or cellular data to access the folder with the gift cards.

We have an idea or two to help with making sure you can access those gift cards.

Email them to yourself again. But, this time keep them in the Inbox, where you can access even with no internet connection.
Or, if you use iCloud Photos, take screenshots of the gift cards, and keep them in the Photos app. Keep all of your devices connected to Wi-Fi or cellular data as iCloud syncs them to each of your devices.

With either idea, drop the internet connection and verify you are still able to view the gift cards. This way, you'll be assured to be able to access them when out and at the store.

As far as a solution to why this is happening, it may be beneficial to contact Apple Support, so they can go over the situation with you. They may be able to determine if this is an internet connection issue, or something else which we're missing also.

Get Support

All the best.

Reply

Answer 3

AdvisorMP

Community Specialist

Apr 21, 2023 12:48 PM in response to Hafcanadian

Thanks for reaching out Hafcanadian,

It sounds like you're having some trouble accessing your MSN email account when using the Mail app on Apple devices, or with your Android device as well. We can help.

When we talk about email, there are a few elements to consider:

Email is received, sent, and stored by your email provider. In this case your provider appears to be MSN.
The apps on your MacBook, iPad, and your Android phone each save your email account credentials to automatically sign in and check your email.

Since you are having this issue with both an Android device as well as Apple devices, it is very likely the issue has to do with your email provider. The most common reason this might have happened is if you've recently changed your email account password, but didn't update to the new one on your devices.

You can follow these steps first If you can't receive email on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch, and then Change settings in Mail on Mac to ensure you are using the correct sign-in information.

Hope that helps.

Take care.

Reply

Answer 4

Hafcanadian Author

Level 1

38 points

Apr 21, 2023 2:46 PM in response to Hafcanadian

I don't believe I have a sign-in issue, as I can get at any content in my or my wife's email folders, and from any device. Under "Mail" ("Mailboxes" on the iPads) in the left column, are listed "boxes". The first is "All Inboxes", followed by my Mail, then my wife's Mail. Generally the iPads and MacBook lists are similar, but not quite identical.

The iPads have a "Flagged" box next and that's it for the topmost section of the list; the MacBook instead has a box labeled "Exchange" next, followed by several other boxes that use other than envelope icons. Rather than describing the differences, I'm attaching screenshots of our iPad Pro and of the MacBook Pro. One thing I noticed is that the iPads and Android phone can open anything except those boxes with "File" icons. The MacBook opens File icon listings fine, displaying file preview lists and opening any I click on, mostly old stored emails.

Note the "Exchange" listing on the MacBook that's not on the iPads. If I'm correct, that is somehow connected to MSN, but seems to show only emails to my wife. I don't think that's part of the difference in the iPads' not displaying box content.

To really confuse me, I just now went on my Samsung phone to double check how it lists its mailboxes, and happened to click on the gift card listing, and the darned thing opened! All 8 cards are previewed and open. They would not open while I was on the road Wednesday. So I then suspected a home WiFi vs cell signal involvement in causation, so I turned off the phone's WiFi switch; but the cards still showed up here at home even when accessing servers via cell service. The card mailbox (and others) showed only "No content" via cell service Wednesday. Upon checking the other envelope-iconned boxes on the phone, after a brief "synch" they do display now. They sure didn't Wednesday in a store parking lot. So now it's just the iPads (they are all WiFi-only devices) that won't preview and open envelope-iconned boxes.

I'm wondering if the cell phone not being able to get at the auxiliary boxes' content was due to a weak cell signal, which is a known issue in that particular geographic location. Perhaps it just couldn't, or didn't have time to, "synch"?

Sorry if this is a head-scratcher. I've had other iPad Pro issues that even Apple Store personnel couldn't understand or correct. But this problem is across all 4 iPads. And it leaves me wondering whether or not the next time I try to use one of the gift cards in the store I'll be able to open them on the phone.

I have to believe there is a common setting on the iPads that's locking out or for some reason not accessing data for all envelope-iconned, created auxilliary mailboxes that aren't main basic ones, such as my emails, my wife's emails, junk, sent, trash, flagged, or drafts.

iPad Pro screenshot:

MacBook Pro screenshot:

Reply

Answer 5

Hafcanadian Author

Level 1

38 points

Apr 21, 2023 2:54 PM in response to Hafcanadian

For some reason the system won't let me edit nor delete the first of two posts, but it did post the second one which is a slightly edited copy where I was merely correcting grammar/spelling. Sorry for the apparent duplication.

Perhaps admin can erase the first version above; it's not offering me an edit pencil icon, or I'd have done it.

Reply

mailbox folders missing content

Similar questions