Rules do not work automatically
One of my rules which I have configured in Outlook does not work automatically. However, it does run fine when I choose "Run Rules Now..." manually. I don't do anything fancy with the rule as all it does is moving the message to another folder.
How do I get this rule to run automatically?
This usually indicates a corruption of either the rule or within the mailbox. It could also indicate a corruption in the send/receive settings file (srs-file) of Outlook.
Reset srs-file
Resetting the send/receive settings can be achieved by renaming the srs-file of your profile to .old. You can find the srs-file for your mail profile in;
C:\Users\%username%\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Outlook
To easily locate the folders for you, you can also use OutlookTools (free!)
Fix corruption when using a POP3 or IMAP account
When you use a POP3 or IMAP account and the above fix doesn’t work, you can reset your rules and test your mailbox for corruptions with the steps below.
- Start with deleting the rule via;
- Outlook 2007
Tools-> Rules and Alerts... - Outlook 2010, Outlook 2013 and Outlook 2016
File-> Manage Rules & Alerts
- Outlook 2007
- Determine the location of your pst-file;
- Outlook 2007
File-> Data File Management... - Outlook 2010, Outlook 2013 and Outlook 2016
File-> Account Settings-> Account Settings-> tab Data Files
- Outlook 2007
- Close Outlook and run scanpst.exe against your pst-file to check it for errors
- Start Outlook again
- Recreate your rule.
Note: To force a deletion of all your rules at once, start Outlook with the /cleanrules switch;
- Start-> type;
outlook.exe /cleanrules
(note the space in the command)
Fix corruption when using an Exchange account
If you are within an Exchange environment, you can see if it works when you disable Cached Exchange Mode and then recreate the rule in the same way as described above.
If it does work now, locate the ost-file for your mail profile and rename it to .old and then enable Cached Exchange Mode again.
Locate the ost-file;
- Outlook 2007
File-> Data File Management… - Outlook 2010, Outlook 2013 and Outlook 2016
File-> Account Settings-> Account Settings…-> tab Data Files
Turn Cached Exchange Mode on/off
- Outlook 2007
Tools-> Account Settings…-> double click on your Exchange Account - Outlook 2010, Outlook 2013 and Outlook 2016
File-> Account Settings-> Account Settings…-> double click on your Exchange account
