How to Fix Outlook Search Not Working?
Outlook Search not working is a very common problem which Microsoft Outlook users face. If you have this problem, you may want to read this article to find out how to fix Outlook Search not working. In this article, I will show you some of the most effective ways of solving this problem.
If you receive an error message saying that your email cannot be found, it means there is a problem with your email account. So, the first thing you need to do is to check the mail flow in your Inbox. If all your emails are fine, then the problem may be with the outlook database. To solve the problem, you need to scan your computer and repair all the errors that may have resulted due to the bad management of your email account.
Rectifying Outlook Search Problem Not Working
The next step is to understand the nature of the problem. In case of Outlook Search not working, you will need to perform an Outlook Search Repair. The steps involved in this process are quite simple. You need to open the Outlook Express software. Then, click on the Mail icon. From there, you will be able to view the different folders that are present in your Inbox.
In the folder, you will be able to locate the folders that contain the mails you have sent and received. Now, click on the Search button. You will be able to see the search results, which will include all the folders that are associated with the mails you have sent or received. In the Outlook Search Results, you will be able to find the email that you are looking for.
If the email you are looking for is not in the search results, it means that there might be a few problems with your email account. For instance, it may be due to junk or spam filters or it may be due to some errors in the Outlook Express software. It can also be caused by various anti-spam programs. These are some of the common reasons why the email not appearing in the search engine of Outlook Express. You can also perform a manual search in the email account itself and try to find the email.
However, if your problem persists even after you have run the Outlook Search Repair, then it is necessary for you to take up the problem with Microsoft support. Microsoft provides email service for different clients and operating systems. Sometimes, the problem persists with an update from Microsoft. You should check for the updates and install them if they are required.
Before jumping to any conclusion about the nature of the problem, it is advisable to first verify whether the problem is with the Microsoft Outlook Express or with some other mail client. If your problem persists even after you have run the Outlook Search Repair, it indicates that the problem may be with your email client. Microsoft provides many different email clients including Outlook Express.
Fix The Outlook Search not working problem
To fix the Outlook Search not working problem, you can also try other email client like Microsoft Hotmail, Gmail and Yahoo. You should open the email account in these email clients and enter all the email addresses that are associated with the search box. If you successfully typed the email address and the search tool finds the email address in the search result page, you will get the details of the person to whom the email address belongs. However, this does not happen automatically.
The Outlook Search Tool problem sometimes can be caused by the anti virus blocking the Outlook Express search feature. You should remove the virus from your computer and enable the search feature again. When you start Outlook, go to the Account tab and click on Setup Account. You should follow the instructions provided and click on Next. You should fill out the information requested and click on Create Account.
If you are not able to logon to the Windows Live Writer and Outlook Express, it could be due to a hardware problem. Check the hardware of your computer and see if you are using the right driver. If you have any error messages, it could be due to missing drivers. You should download the latest driver update and install it on your computer. If you are unable to connect to Outlook Express, it could mean that you are using a corrupt Internet Explorer registry file. This problem can be easily fixed with a good registry cleaner software.
If your Outlook Search not working issue is not a hardware problem, it could be a network or Internet problem. It is recommended that you check for the integrity of your network and firewall. There might be a virus that has infiltrated your computer. It is highly suggested that you scan your computer with a good anti-virus program before continuing your work.
The outlook is a personal information manager developed by Microsoft. It includes webmail, calendaring, contacts, and task services. Prior to 2011, Outlook was named Hotmail, after which Microsoft changed the name to Outlook and relaunched it. The Outlook search feature allows the users to search information in a specific email among the collection of hundreds or thousands of emails. The information you want to find maybe the sender’s name or email, the date of the email received or sent, the folder it is placed in, or through the keyword; all of this can be done using the Outlook search operator. There may be multiple reasons why Outlook may not be working, follow this blog to find out the solutions to Outlook search not working or the outlook something went wrong.
SOLUTIONS FOR SEARCH NOT WORKING ON OUTLOOK
Below are the solutions that you can use if you are unable to search in outlook.
UPDATE MICROSOFT OFFICE
The most common for all kinds of problems with Outlook occurs due to the outdated version of Microsoft Outlook being used. Updating Microsoft Office may be the key to your problem. To update Microsoft Office, start Outlook and select File to reveal a menu. In that menu, select Office Account, then locate and select Update Options under the Product Information segment. If there is an update available, select Enable Updates and then Update Now to start the update. Once the update is complete, check if the Outlook email search not working problem is solved.
OUTLOOK INDEXING TROUBLESHOOT
If the problem with searching is the No matches found or search results my incomplete because items are still being indexed message, you require troubleshooting the indexing function. To fix this problem, start Outlook and click inside the Search box to activate the Search Tools tab. Under the search tool drop-down menu will be an option called Indexing status. Outlook has finished indexing your items, and 0 items remaining to be indexed. Wait if there are any items left to be indexed and try again. Check if the problem with search not working in outlook is solved. If not, follow the next step.
Rebuild Outlook Index: Troubleshooting Outlook search issues
REPAIR OUTLOOK
The built-in repair utilities can often fix outlook email search not working errors. First, close all functional Microsoft Office applications. Click on the search box in the taskbar next to the Start button on your Windows 10 laptop or desktop and type Apps & Features. This search will display options for your search, then select Apps & Features from these options. Under the installed apps & features option, locate Microsoft office and click on it. Select modify to open the repair options. You will find Quick Repair or Online Repair in this option – select quick repair and click on the Repair button at the bottom of the window. Wait till the repair is complete, and open Outlook to check if the outlook search not working error is resolved.
REBUILD OUTLOOK INDEX
You can resolve this issue by rebuilding the Outlook index. To rebuild the Outlook index on windows 10:
- Type Control in the search box placed on your desktop or laptop taskbar.
- Click on Control Panel to open, and click on Programs in the control panel window.
- Upon landing on the Programs segment, find and click on Programs & Features.
Please scroll down to navigate Outlook 2016 or your version of it. Click on Change from the top menu and select Quick repair, then repair.
OUTLOOK INDEX LOCATION
The next solution to search not working in Outlook problem is checking Outlook Index location. Open Outlook and select File to reveal a drop-down menu. Click on Option and then Search; click on Indexing Options next from the options you see. Click on Modify next and ensure a tick in the box placed next to Microsoft Outlook and then click on OK to save.
REGISTRY FIX
If you are unable to search in outlook, another solution is to repair Outlook using the Windows Registry. To carry out the process, press the Windows key along with the R key to open the Run dialog. In that run box, type and search Regedit. This will open the Registry Editor, where you need to press the control key and the F key to view the search menu. Please copy the following text and paste it there: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Search. Once you find it, select the right-hand panel and then right-click to select New Dword (32-bit). Rename the new Dword as PreventingIndexOutlook assign the value 0 to it. Press OK to save the changes and there restart your system.
OUTLOOK REINSTALL
If Outlook something went wrong error persists, reinstall Outlook to resolve it. This isn’t the best solution to this problem but can serve as the last resort if any of the above solutions don’t work.
Closing Notes
Fixing outlook problems can seem a little bit tricky, but if you are provided with correct step-wise guidance, they can be resolved easily. Follow the solutions given above one by one and see for yourself which one works well for you. You can find more information, problems, and solutions related to Microsoft Outlook and other email service providers like Gmail, Yahoo, AOL, Thunderbird, etc., on our other informative blogs.
