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Email "To" field stopped picking up contact email addresses.

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Beginning last night, when I am composing an email and am on the "To" field, I am unable to access my contact list like I was before. Before last night, all I had to type was a single letter and the alphabetical list came up. The more letters I typed, the narrower the alpha list got. When I type a letter in the "To" field now, nothing happens. When I click on the "To" icon, my address list comes up, but then disappears when I click on a contact.

Beginning last night, when I am composing an email and am on the "To" field, I am unable to access my contact list like I was before. Before last night, all I had to type was a single letter and the alphabetical list came up. The more letters I typed, the narrower the alpha list got. When I type a letter in the "To" field now, nothing happens. When I click on the "To" icon, my address list comes up, but then disappears when I click on a contact.

Chosen solution

Sorry, I just got around to testing on my account and the address matching still appears for me. (Screen shot example attached.) This isn't my main account, so I only have a few contacts in it. Possibly the problem occurs when you have a large number of contacts. ??

Also, could you test in Firefox's Safe Mode? In Safe Mode, Firefox temporarily deactivates extensions, hardware acceleration, and some other advanced features to help you assess whether these are causing the problem.

If Firefox is not running: Hold down the Shift key when starting Firefox.

If Firefox is running: You can restart Firefox in Safe Mode using either:

  • "3-bar" menu button > "?" button > Restart with Add-ons Disabled
  • Help menu > Restart with Add-ons Disabled

and OK the restart.

Both scenarios: A small dialog should appear. Click "Start in Safe Mode" (not Refresh).

Any improvement? (More info: Diagnose Firefox issues using Troubleshoot Mode)

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All Replies (8)

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What mail site are you using? A volunteer with an account on the same site could take a look and see whether they have the same problem.

Meanwhile...

When you have a problem with one particular site, a good "first thing to try" is clearing your Firefox cache and deleting your saved cookies for the site.

(1) Clear Firefox's Cache

See: How to clear the Firefox cache

If you have a large hard drive, this might take a few minutes.

(2) Remove the site's cookies (save any pending work first). While viewing a page on the site, try either:

  • right-click a blank area of the page and choose View Page Info > Security > "View Cookies"
  • (menu bar) Tools > Page Info > Security > "View Cookies"
  • click the padlock or globe icon in the address bar, then the ">" button, then, More Information, and finally the "View Cookies" button

In the dialog that opens, you can remove the site's cookies individually.

Then try reloading the page. Does that help?

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I use Hotmail and I regularly delete browsing history, cookies and add-ons. The "Email "To" issue does not happen when I use Internet Explorer, which is something I tried a couple of hours ago.

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Chosen Solution

Sorry, I just got around to testing on my account and the address matching still appears for me. (Screen shot example attached.) This isn't my main account, so I only have a few contacts in it. Possibly the problem occurs when you have a large number of contacts. ??

Also, could you test in Firefox's Safe Mode? In Safe Mode, Firefox temporarily deactivates extensions, hardware acceleration, and some other advanced features to help you assess whether these are causing the problem.

If Firefox is not running: Hold down the Shift key when starting Firefox.

If Firefox is running: You can restart Firefox in Safe Mode using either:

  • "3-bar" menu button > "?" button > Restart with Add-ons Disabled
  • Help menu > Restart with Add-ons Disabled

and OK the restart.

Both scenarios: A small dialog should appear. Click "Start in Safe Mode" (not Refresh).

Any improvement? (More info: Diagnose Firefox issues using Troubleshoot Mode)

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I just now tried to send an email, and the "To" field picked up the address I was after. Perhaps your mojo, and that you cared enough to send me suggestions, enabled a cosmic fix. Thank you.

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The issue has returned....bummer. Does not happen when I use Internet Explorer, but I prefer Firefox since it does not freeze nearly as often.

I can, however, click the "To" icon and after about 10-15 seconds my address list appears and I can slowly scroll down the alpha list.

Does anyone else have this issue or is the universe just picking on me?

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One week later and no feedback from Firefox, and the problem remains. Bummer.

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Do you have the older layout or the new layout? If you check the address bar:

  • Old layout: something.mail.live.com
  • New layout: outlook.live.com/owa/

I just discovered recently that I was switched to the newer layout, so my testing might not apply to your setup.

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New layout, and I refreshed Firefox again just an hour or so ago. The addresses are picked up when I use Internet Explorer, but that program freezes and crashes even more often than Firefox does. 'Tis a conundrum, to be sure.