In outlook all searches reveal no results

Dean Yeadon 0 Reputation points
2026-03-17T05:26:48.1933333+00:00

Even when I use advanced search I never get any results

Moved from Microsoft 365 and Office | Install, redeem, activate | For home | Other

Outlook | Windows | New Outlook for Windows | For home

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  1. AI answer

    2026-03-17T05:27:01.2133333+00:00

    When Outlook search returns no results at all, the most common causes are known issues with specific builds or with the Windows search index. Use these steps in order:

    1. Update Outlook/Office to the latest build
      For Outlook 2016, there was a known issue where All Mailboxes search returned no results after updating to version 16.0.8827.2062. This was fixed in Monthly Channel Version 1712 (Build 8827.2179).
      • Open Outlook.
      • Go to File > Office Account.
      • Select Update Options > Update Now to install the latest updates.
    2. If this started after a Windows 11 upgrade, check indexing status
      After upgrading to Windows 11, the search index is deleted and rebuilt, which can cause Outlook searches to return no results until indexing completes.
      • In Outlook, click in the Search box.
      • On the ribbon, select Search Tools > Indexing Status.
      • If many items remain to be indexed, wait for indexing to finish and test search again.
      • If urgent search is needed while indexing is still running, follow the “temporary workaround” section in No search results for POP, IMAP, or Exchange accounts to switch Outlook to its built‑in search.
    3. If results are incomplete or missing older mail
      • In classic Outlook:
        • Go to File > Options > Search and, if needed, enable Include messages from the Deleted items folder in each data file when searching in All Items. Restart Outlook.
        • Go to File > Account Settings > Account Settings > select the account > Change. Move Download email for the past slider to a longer period or All, then restart Outlook.
        • In File > Options > Search, clear Improve search speed by limiting the number of results shown if more results are needed, then restart Outlook.
    4. If none of the above helps
      Follow the full troubleshooting flow in the Outlook search article and, if necessary, the advanced steps in No search results for POP, IMAP, or Exchange accounts (linked from that article). As a last resort, uninstall and reinstall Office using the Microsoft 365 uninstall troubleshooter, or manually uninstall Office as described in the article, then reinstall and test search again.

    References:

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  2. Chloe-V 12,610 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
    2026-03-17T13:56:53.8766667+00:00

    Hi Dean Yeadon,

    Welcome to Microsoft Q&A forum.

    To quickly narrow this down, could you please confirm the following four points:

    • Are you using New Outlook or Classic Outlook?
    • What type of account is this: Microsoft 365/Exchange, Outlook.com/Hotmail, or IMAP/POP?
    • When signing in and searching on Outlook on the web (via a browser), do results appear?
    • If using Classic Outlook: click in the Search box > click the three dots (…) on the Search bar > select Search Tools > Indexing Status and share how many items are shown as “remaining to be indexed.”

    Once this information is available, the likely cause can be identified and the appropriate steps shared based on the Outlook version and account type in use.

    Note: Please follow the steps in our documentation to enable e-mail notifications if you want to receive the related email notification for this thread. 

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