I am not able to check my contact list alphabetically while sending email by clicking on new email .
I am not able to check my contact list alphabetically while sending email by clicking on new email .

As of yesterday, the Contact Picker dialog has been returned to an alphabetical A-Z sort order. As many comments show, lots of Outlook.com users are already seeing the fixed behavior. If you do not observe this in your Outlook Web session, you will need to refresh your browser (or maybe even clear your cache).
Again, the sort order not being alphabetical A-Z was always a bug and was never by design.
You may be interested to know the next item on our plan for the Contact Picker: Soon, there will be a way to type letters and by so doing filter the list down to matching entries. This means you shouldn’t need to scroll over and over, in the future.
Thanks for your continued support.
220 comments
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Anonymous commented
The past few weeks, I noticed some of my flagged emails in my Inbox and Sent box just disappeared. I could not find them in any folder including the Deleted Folders. I like OTW but this is weird.
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Anonymous commented
My contact list was displayed alphabetically first name until about 2 weeks ago. Then suddenly changed to some random display. NOT GOOD.
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Anonymous commented
My "contact picker" is all but useless. I have been satisfied with this email since early Hotmail, but it looks like the program has been butchered. I hope it can be corrected soon.
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David commented
I know all of us will be relieved to see the lists return to normal. Thank you.
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Willie commented
I can pull my groups up. What happen to the icon to go o my contacts
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Anonymous commented
Due to your recent and frankly, quite stupid change to the “To” format I have almost completed the total change to my Gmail account. Thanks for the memories, cya.
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G commented
Philip Loh - Then why did the helpdesk send me this response 4.5 hours ago? "The issue you are reporting is by design. This is how it will work. In case if you are unhappy about it, you can provide your feedback at the link I provided earlier. I regret for the inconvenience."
Plus about three other times I've been told in the last week the same thing - basically - like it or lump it. And going by the numerous comments below it has been the answer given to everyone who has contacted the helpdesk.
Hardly a small misunderstanding. We have all put up with this for well over a week. Lets hope this is sorted within the next 24 hours. I'm not holding my breath! -
Robert Wieneke commented
Now today I get an email from Microsoft Customer support and the "Story" has changed: It is no longer a "system design", now it is an "issue" and they are working on a fix.
From: Microsoft Customer Support <WINLV.WLDA.WW.00.EN.MVN.MSI.TS.T01.SPT.00.EM@css.one.microsoft.com>
Sent: Tuesday, September 24, 2019 3:20 PM
To: xxxxxxxxx@hotmail.com <xxxxxxxxx@hotmail.com>
Subject: SRX1483188514ID - Follow Up | Outlook.com | Email & Communication | Composing Email
Hi,
Thanks for getting back. This is Gilbert from Outlook.com Support and I’ll be assisting you today about your concern.
We appreciate your time for posting your feedback through uservoice. I can see here that our Product Group/Engineers are already aware of the issue and is working on a fix. We apologize if we’re unable to provide you with the definite timeframe for the resolution.
If there are things you’d like to see in Outlook.com, please let our Product Group knows by posting your feedback through this link:
https://outlook.uservoice.com/
Please do not hesitate to reply to this thread if you have questions.
Yours sincerely,
Gilbert -
Anonymous commented
Due to your recent and frankly, quite stupid change to the sending format of Outlook I have now almost completely switched to my Gmail account. Thanks for the memories, cya.
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Tom Walsh commented
"We really appreciate our customer who are keen on giving us feedback to develop or product and services. Our Engineers might create this option if they received several request from it"... Who the heck requested this random list????
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Tom Walsh commented
What we you thinking with the new contact list - what is the logic????? This is broken broken borken.
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Tom Walsh commented
What we you thinking with the new contact list - what is the logic????? This is broken broken broken.
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Tony Silva commented
when writing an Email when I click on TO: for contacts it does not appear in Alphabetic order anymore I have it set on setting to view last name sequence
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Anonymous commented
According to Outlook the newly implemented random contact list is based on A1 (ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE) supposed to show recently used or common used contacts.
It just doesn’t work - it’s completely without any intelligence, logic or correct reference.
The “intelligence” suggest contacts I seldom have used or not used for a year.
Like everybody else: I WANT MY OLD ALPHABETIC LIST BACK.
Please - when can the old well-functioning alphabetical list be used again?
Please reply!
May-Britt denmark -
Anonymous commented
According to Outlook the newly implemented random contact list is based on A1 (ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE) supposed to show recently used or common used contacts.
It just doesn’t work - it’s completely without any intelligence, logic or correct reference.
The “intelligence” suggest contacts I seldom have used or not used for a year.
Like everybody else: I WANT MY OLD ALPHABETIC LIST BACK.
Please - when can the old well-functioning alphabetical list be used again?
Please reply!
May-Britt denmark -
G commented
For the urgent attention of Outlook.com Developers' Team,
Please explain in words of one syllable exactly how NOT having contacts in ALPHABETICAL ORDER makes users' lives easier?
Simple question requiring a simple answer. Maybe I am missing something here, as so far I fail to see how this is helping users in any way, shape or form.
Then tell us EXACTLY WHEN you will be reversing this ludicrous idea? Or adding an option for users to arrange their own contacts in an order that does make their lives easier when composing a new email? -
Bruce Pilon commented
Day 7 THE MESS IS GETTING WORSE. TRIED TO POST A COMMENT BUT IT DIDN'T SHOW UP. NOW WHAT? ARE YOU AVOIDING COMMENTS? WHAT IS BEING DONE TO FIX THIS PROBLEM? SAYING IT IS A BUG IS CHEAP TALK. WHY AM I NOW GETTING COMPLETE STRANGERS WHEN I GO to TO AND TYPE IN A LETTER TO FIND SOMEONE ON MY OLD CONTACT LIST?
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Bruce Pilon commented
Day 7 and things are worse. Received an e-mail a bug was uncovered. Well, fix it! Tried to forward an e-mail to someone who did not make my new worthless contact list. They didn't show up when I typed in J. They are in my list when I go down and click on People. However, a big list of people showed up who I have never heard of when I typed J.
MSN YOU HAVE MORE THAN A BUG, YOU HAVE A MELTDOWN! MAYBE YOU NEED TO START OVER. FIND SOMEONE WHO CAN FIX THIS. -
CWH commented
"Outlook.com Support
September 23, 2019, 23:53 +0000Thanks for your response , I sincerely apologize for the inconvenience caused to you.
Further this by the design which is been implemented by the outlook.com developer's team.
For any other issues please feel free to reach us back again.
Regards,
Priyank S.
Outlook.com Support"24 Sep 2019
It is clear that the Microsoft outlook.com developer's team doesn't use Outlook.com for sending email messages!
"Further this by the design which is been implemented by the outlook.com developer's team.
May your go bald and experience constant surprise WIN 10 automatic defect update introductions.
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Robert Wieneke commented
A bug nothing!!!!!! I was told by Outlook.com Support that the "TO" drop-down box now being out of alphabetical order "is by system design." and intentional.
From: Microsoft Customer Support <WINLV.WLDA.WW.00.EN.MVN.MSI.TS.T01.SPT.00.EM@css.one.microsoft.com>
Sent: Monday, September 23, 2019 8:48 PM
To: xxxxxxxxx@hotmail.com <xxxxxxxxx@hotmail.com>
Subject: SRX1483188514ID - Outlook.com
Hello,My name is Ross of Outlook.com Support and we apologize for the delay in response. We received an update from the Escalation Team regarding your issue with the "TO" button a different drop-down box with the contacts in it now appears and they are not in alphabetical order.
According to our Escalation Team it is by system design. If you feel that your contacts should be alphabetically arranged when sending emails is necessary to your account, you may send us your feedback and suggestions. We really appreciate our customer who are keen on giving us feedback to develop or product and services. Our Engineers might create this option if they received several request from it.
For feedback and feature request, you can send it over to our UserVoice: