How to Show the Total Number of Items in an Outlook 2010 Folder

If you use Microsoft Outlook 2010 to manage your emails, keeping track of how many items are in a specific folder—such as your Inbox, Sent Items, or custom folders—can help you stay organized and manage your workflow more effectively. Fortunately, Outlook 2010 provides a simple way to display the total number of emails, appointments, or other items in any folder.

This guide explains step by step how to show the total number of items in an Outlook 2010 folder.

Table of Contents

Step 1: Open Microsoft Outlook 2010

Launch Outlook 2010 from your desktop or Start menu.
Make sure your mailbox is fully loaded.

Step 2: Locate the Folder You Want to Check

In the left-hand Folder Pane, find the folder (Inbox, Sent Items, or a custom folder) you want to inspect.

Step 3: Open Folder Properties

Right-click on the folder name.
Select Properties from the context menu.

Step 4: View Total Number of Items

In the Properties dialog box, look for the section labeled “Folder Size” or “General”.
You’ll see two important pieces of information:
- Total number of items in the folder
- Number of unread items (if any)
If you want a detailed breakdown of folder size, click Folder Size… to see how much space each subfolder occupies.

Step 5: Optional – Display Item Count in the Folder List

You can also make Outlook show the item count next to each folder:
1. Right-click the folder.
2. Select Properties.
3. Under the General tab, choose Show total number of items.
4. Click OK.
Now the folder list will display the total number of items next to the folder name, making it easy to monitor at a glance.

Tips for Managing Large Folders in Outlook 2010

Archive old emails: Keep your folders light and improve Outlook performance.
Sort or filter emails: Use sorting or filtering options to find items quickly.
Regularly check folder size: Large folders may slow down Outlook or affect mailbox limits.

Final Thoughts

Knowing the total number of items in an Outlook 2010 folder is useful for organizing your mailbox and staying on top of your emails. By using the Folder Properties option, you can easily view both total and unread item counts, and even display these counts in your folder list for convenience.

Keeping track of folder size and item numbers ensures your Outlook remains efficient and manageable, even for heavy users.