Public folders have been there for ages.
But, Ive seen people face difficulties and facecannot expand the foldererror while accessing the public folders.
This article will explain the reason behind your issue and the procedure to fix the problem without difficulties.
What is Office 365 Public Folder?
Office 365 public folders are created to provide shared access within the organization.
Members of the company can access and share the information with the public folder.
It helps to arrange the contents in a deep hierarchy that is easy to browse.
Outlook users can see the entire hierarchy and browse easily for content.
Public folders can store any file or Outlook items.
They are used for discussion purposes, review, or to provide feedback.
It allows the members to screen the contents before publishing.
People can share files and get fast access to files created in other programs.
Though, users have mentioned that they face problems accessing the public folders in Office 365.
There are particular reasons behind the issue.
Keep reading the article to discover the subject.
Also, check out our separate post on how tofix Microsoft Teams you cant send messages error.
Why Cant I Access Office 365 Public Folders?
The following passage explains the reasons broadly for your better understanding.
To learn more about them, consider reading the full article.
Public folders are accessible only between the organizations.
Users outside the organization have no access to the files in the public folder.
A user can access them if he is added to the public folder member list.
You cant access it because youre not an existing member or not a part of the organization.
Other than these clients, the public folder doesnt work.
You wont get access to the folders by using those clients.
Outlook 2016 has no access to Exchange 2007 legacy public folders.
It only supports Exchange 2010 and later.
The issue appears when the AutoDiscover service cant get the email address from the public folder mailbox.
You may encounter these issues if theres no public folder in your Office 365 or you cant access them.
The subsequent solutions can help you resolve public folders access problems.
Quickly check out our epic guide onMicrosoft Teams set out of office alerts.
How to Fix Access Issue in Office 365 Public Folders?
There are some additional procedures to fix your problem.
Check out the solutions below to resolve your issue effortlessly.
Run theGet-Mailbox -PublicFolder -SoftDeletedMailboxcommand from thePowerShellto check the folder availability.
Also, you could get the deleted item list from the program.
Check the Member List
Members from outside of your organization cant enter the public folder.
Additionally, an unlisted user has no access to the public folder.
After doing so, test whether the problem is solved for the user.
Check out our latest fix forMicrosoft Teams Error 80090030.
Access from a Different Computer
Users have mentioned that using a different computer has fixed their problem.
Your current PC may have issues restricting you from accessing the public folder.
Also, a firewall can block your connection from using the program.
Try accessing the public folder using a different PC and look to see if its solved for you.
If not, delete the profile from your old computer and create a new profile on your new PC.
Ensure Correct Exchange Server Version
Outlook 2016 supports Exchange Server 2010 or newer.
Users cant get into the old Exchange Server using Outlook 2016.
To resolve this problem, transfer the folders from the old Exchange Server to a new one.
Check the AutoDiscover Service
Outlook users face problems accessing public server folders in Exchange Server 2013 or 2016.
It happens because the AutoDiscover service cant discover the email address in the public folder mailbox.
Contact Support
These solutions should fix all your public folder access issues in Office 365.
I firmly believe youve managed to resolve your problem by following the steps.
If you still encounter the issue, consider contactingMicrosoft Support.
They will provide additional support for the Exchange Admin Center and your problems.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I open public folders in Office 365?
To open public folders in Outlook Web, right-click onFavorites> Add public folders to Favorites.
How do I access public folders in Exchange Online?
From Exchange Admin Center (EAC), go toPublic Folders > Public Foldersto access public folders.
Why did the Office 365 public folders disappear?
you’re able to give specific permission to the members, which is essential and life-saving.
Unable to reach the public folder can affect the work of yourself and the company.
Also, it can give you a hard time using the Outlook software.
