“Outlook Search” is a wonderful feature that helps users save their precious time by showing them the message, document, or mail they require instantly. With this search facility of Outlook mail, users don’t have to scroll through several emails to find a particular thing they need. However, problems occur for users when “Outlook search not working” shows up. Because this is a very common issue faced by almost every user sooner or later, we have researched a few best tips to fix it with ease.
Here in this blog, we will be discussing how to make the “search” option function again in simple ways.
Table of Contents
Why Is Outlook search not working?
The Outlook search feature doesn’t work properly if there is something wrong with Outlook mail. Due to a weak internet connection, the old version of the mail app, server down problems, etc, the search option can not work the way it should be working. In addition, other unknown reasons can also cause this issue.
Now, let’s understand the troubleshooting tips given here so that we can reach the solutions soon.
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How To Fix “Outlook Search Not Working”?
#1. Launch Windows Troubleshooting Program
Whatever version of Windows you use or if “windows 11 outlook search not working”, run this troubleshooter program for instant fixing. This is an in-built program on the windows operating system helpful to find and fix technical errors.
Moreover, you need to follow some simple steps in order to get started with this troubleshooting software.
- First, go to the “Start” button.
- Then, click on the “Settings” option.
- After that, go to “Update & Security”.
- Now, choose “Troubleshoot” and then, “Additional Troubleshooter”.
- Thereafter, find and choose “Search & Indexing”.
- Finally, run “Troubleshooter”.
Once this troubleshooting software finishes detecting and resolving Outlook mail issues, “the Outlook search issue” will be rectified.
Hence, go and check if the search option is working. But if not, close and restart the mail.
#2. Restart Your Outlook Mail
While encountering the “Outlook search not working windows 10” error, you need to restart Outlook mail. So, log out and log into your mail account again. Simply, close and restart the program using the procedure given below.
- First and foremost, click on the “Start” button and type “Task Manager” and click on it to proceed further.
- Thereafter, click on “Microsoft Outlook” and then, “End Task”.
- To start Outlook mail again, click on the “start” button.
#3. Update Outlook Mail App
If the Outlook mail search feature is not working on the app, update your mail app by important updates. The old version of the app may cause various technical issues and “searching not working” is one such error.
You need to follow the given steps to update the mail app for Outlook 2013, 16, and 19.
- At first, launch the Outlook application.
- Next, go to the “File” option.
- Choose “Office Account”.
- Thereafter, choose “Update Options”.
- Further, choose the “Enable Updates” option if it is given.
- At last, click the “Update Now” option.
Apart from this, follow the given process to update the mail app if you are using Outlook 2010.
- First, open the app.
- Second, click the “File”
- Third, choose “Help”.
- Again, choose the “Check For Updates” option.
- The mail app will start new updates afterward.
#4. Restart Your Device
This is the simple troubleshooting tip you can follow to fix “Outlook search not working on mac” or any other device. Whatever device you use to run Outlook mail, restart the device if the search option is unable to get you what you want.
For this, go to the “Start” button and click the “Restart” option.
After the device finishes rebooting process, you need to go back to Outlook mail and try using the search option.
Hopefully, restarting the device will fix the current issues with your Outlook Mail. As a result of this, the search function will also start functioning well.
#5. Make Sure Outlook Is Indexed For Search
The Outlook search feature can stop functioning when the search engine doesn’t index it for search. To resolve this issue, check the steps to index Outlook mail.
- In the beginning, open Outlook.
- Next, click “File”.
- Then, select “Options”.
- Now, click “Search”.
- Click “Indexing Options” after clicking the “Source” section.
- Thereafter, Outlook will be shown in the list of indexed locations.
- However, if it is not, click the “Modify” option.
- Further, make sure the “Microsoft Outlook” option is checked.
- Lastly, click “Ok” to confirm.
#6. Delete and Build Search Index Again
If there are technical issues with the search index, the search won’t work properly. Therefore, you will have to delete and build the search index again.
Check the process below to delete the rebuild the search index.
- To begin with, go to Outlook mail.
- Then, go to “File” and select “Search”.
- Click “Search”.
- Next, click “Indexing Options”.
- Now, click “Advanced” under the indexing option.
- Ultimately, you can click on “Rebuild”.
Now, this process will take a few moments to be finished. Once it is done, check the Outlook search option.
Conclusion
Specifically, the given troubleshooting tips must have been useful to fix the “Outlook search not working” problem. Further, you can also seek more guidance and solutions from us if this issue is still bothering you.