Outlook: search is not working or finds nothing
If Outlook says there are no results for an email you know is there, do not panic. The email is almost certainly still there, and the search just needs a nudge. Work down the steps below and stop when it works.
Step 1: check where you are searching
Click in the search box at the top. Look for a choice such as Current Folder, Current Mailbox or All Mailboxes. If you are searching only the folder you are in, change the choice to Current Mailbox.
Step 2: look for the 'try again' link
Outlook sometimes shows only some results. At the bottom of the results, click a link such as Try again to include results from the server or More. Older emails can then appear.
Step 3: restart
Close Outlook completely and reopen it. Then restart the computer, which fixes many oddities.
Step 4: check how much mail is stored on your computer
In classic Outlook, click File, Account Settings, Account Settings, then select your account and click Change. Look for the slider under Mail to keep offline. If it is set to a short period, older mail is searched on the server and may be slower or missing. Setting it to All brings it all to your computer, but needs disk space.
Step 5: rebuild the Windows search index
Classic Outlook relies on Windows search. Open Settings, then Privacy & security, then Searching Windows, and choose Advanced indexing options. Click Advanced, then Rebuild. It can take hours, and search may be patchy until it finishes. Leave your computer on.
Step 6: check for add-ins
Hold the Ctrl key while opening Outlook and answer Yes to start in safe mode. If search works, an add-in is likely the cause and we can help find it.
Tips
- Search for a sender with the From filter in the search bar for faster results.
- If your mailbox is very large, search can be slow while Outlook is syncing.
When to get more help
If search is still empty after a rebuild, or emails really seem to be missing, contact us before deleting or reinstalling anything.