Office 365 Classic Outlook "Empty Auto-Complete List" not working.

Posted by Bubbly_Drummer_6629@reddit | sysadmin | View on Reddit | 15 comments

We are getting reports from users in our environment stating the "Empty Auto-Complete List" option is no longer working. Also tried the command line method. Referencing: The Outlook AutoComplete list | Microsoft Learn.

Anyone else seeing the issue with this version?

Microsoft® Outlook® for Microsoft 365 MSO (Version 2603 Build 16.0.19822.20086) 64-bit

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Hornblower409@reddit

Write up by Slipstick. Not anything we haven't already seen but everything in one place.
https://www.slipstick.com/outlook/deleting-autocomplete-entries/

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Hornblower409@reddit

Starting to see the problem reports on Microsoft Q&A as well:

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/5864251/unable-to-remove-autosuggest-email-from-outlook

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/5868405/outlook-365-classic-autocomplete-gone-strange

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AndAroundWeGo-Dave@reddit

Yep, thats me :) Only solution for me so far was to remove the old hotmail address that was using exchange, then Outlook reverted to a local autocomplete dat file. It created a new one so no addresses in the list, but now at least I can open and edit it with the NK2 editor. Still no X to delete them on the fly though. I then tried to re-add my olfd hotmail account as an IMAP, but that fails trying to log in (tried original username password, ensured IMAP access was turned on, create an app password etc - nothing worked. So have simply diverted all emails to that address to my gmail.)

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Hornblower409@reddit

You are one dedicated (and clever) hacker. I don't have the problem so I can't test.

But based on the reports I've seen, I almost have to believe that, this is a Microsoft problem, and the only real fix will be a new release.

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SeekingApprentice@reddit

For Outlook Desktop (Microsoft 365 / 2019 / 2016 / 2013 / 2010):

Open Outlook.
Click on the File tab in the top left corner.
Select Options from the menu.
In the Mail category, scroll down to the Send Messages section.
Click on the Empty Auto-Complete List button.
Confirm by clicking Yes when prompted. This will delete all entries in your AutoComplete cache.

Alternatively, you can also clear individual email addresses from the AutoComplete list by:

Start typing an email address in the "To" field.
Use the arrow keys to highlight the unwanted email address.
Press Delete on your keyboard to remove it from the AutoComplete list.

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Dry-Ad-4511@reddit

I've tried emptying my auto-complete list, deleted the contact, and it won't let me delete the auto-complete email when I go to draft the email. The X doesn't show up and delete or shift delete doesn't delete the email. My contact has a new email address that I have added to my contacts and Outlook will not bring it up.

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AndAroundWeGo-Dave@reddit

Yep, exactly the same here. Thought I was going nuts. I am now getting suggestions for people I have never emailed, ones I email several times a day not coming up until I type their full name. Very frustrating!

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iamexplodinggod@reddit

I just had this issue start popping up for users last week, except its for New Outlook and OWA. Still trying to find a solution.

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AndAroundWeGo-Dave@reddit

Yep, started for me last week - the X is gone to remove suggestions, random suggestions now popping up that havent been used in 10 years, Emptying the list does nothing. WTF M$??

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