All my suggested contacts are gone!?

If your suggested contacts are not appearing in Outlook, there are a few steps you can take to troubleshoot the issue:

1. Check AutoComplete Settings: Ensure that the AutoComplete feature is enabled. You can do this by going to File > Options > Mail and checking the box for "Use AutoComplete List to suggest names when typing in the To, Cc, and Bcc lines."
2. Clear AutoComplete List: If AutoComplete is enabled but still not working, try clearing the AutoComplete list. You can do this in the same settings menu by selecting the Empty AutoComplete List button.
3. Send Test Emails: After clearing the list, send a few test emails to the same email address to see if the AutoComplete starts working again.
4. Check for Address Book Policies: If you are using a Microsoft Exchange Server account, ensure that the address book policy applied to your account allows you to see the contacts you are trying to email. If not, you may need to add the recipient as a personal contact.
5. Restart Outlook: Sometimes, simply restarting Outlook can resolve temporary issues.

If these steps do not resolve the problem, you may want to check for updates to Outlook or consult Microsoft Support for further assistance.

References:

• AutoComplete not working correctly in Outlook 2010
• Internal recipient's address isn't autocompleted or suggested

Hi Chris,

Thank you for sharing your question. I understand how annoying it is when your suggested contacts just vanish, 'specially when they were all good before. I am here to help.

Usually, this happens 'cause Outlook's AutoComplete thing gets wonky or isn't playing nice between your devices. Those suggested contacts? They're not stuck around forever – Outlook just makes 'em up from your AutoComplete list. That list can reset when you update or change your account settings.

to fix it, first make sure AutoComplete is even on. Go to File > Options > Mail and tick the box that says “Use Auto-Complete List to suggest names.” Then, wipe the AutoComplete list clean in that same spot and fire up Outlook again. If that doesn't do the trick, try renaming the RoamCache folder. You can find it at %LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft\Outlook\RoamCache. Just rename it to old_RoamCache and restart Outlook so it can make a brand spankin' new cache. Sendin' emails will slowly build that list back up. Oh, and double-check your Outlook is up-to-date and synced right on both your computer and phone.

I hope this helps.

Best Regards,

Noel

Hi Chris,

Thank you for the update. I am happy your issue is now resolved.

Feel free to reach us anytime.

Best Regards,

Noel