Outlook Search Not Working on Mac (Fixed)

Everyone considered Outlook as the best platform to send emails. The number of Outlook users is increasing day by day due to its amazing features and user friendly interface.  One such interesting feature is the Outlook email client search tool. It helps the users to search for a particular detail in an email such as folder, the sender, date and more. But due to many reasons, your Outlook search tool can’t work in certain situations. When it comes to using outlook on mac, it become more complicated. If you are going through the same Outlook issue mentioned above and looking for easy solutions to fix Outlook search results not working on Mac then, this will be the best blog to go through. The detailed guide will help to find the reasons and most easy solutions to the issue.

However, before going to the solutions, let’s know the major reasons for the Search function not working issue.

Why Outlook Search is Not Working?

The error or issue can be happen due to several issues. If you are searching for particular information or mail in an email, sometimes you will get no result. Outlook is not searching and showing emails or results based on your search. This can be the major problem with the Outlook search engines and there could be many causes for such an issue in the Outlook account. Some of the most possible reasons are listed below:

1. Windows search feature is turned ‘Off’.
2. Issues in Windows Indexing Service.
3. Outlook ost file is corrupt or damaged.
4. An outdated Microsoft Office.

These are the most common reasons for the issue. There can be many other unknown and causes for this issue. The below methods will give the instructions that can solve this Outlook search not working issue for the most common issues in no time by following the below-mentioned solutions.

What I do if the Outlook Search is Not Working on my Mac?

There are multiple easy ways to deal with the Outlook search not working problem, especially on Mac. This blog have major solutions and tips for it. Read and implement one by one. The steps are only applicable to the 2016, 365, 2010 and 2013 Outlook versions.

Solution 1

Fix the Windows Indexing Service

If the reason behind the search option not loading problem is a particular system error in Windows indexing service, then you should rebuild the service. It can be rebuild by as per the steps below:

• First, Open your MAC system and go to the ‘Control Panel’ in it.
• You will see a list of options and double-click the ‘Programs and Features’ option.
• Tap on the ‘Windows Features’ tab and tap the ‘On’ option.  
• Click on the button of ‘OK’ to restart your system.
• After restarting your system, open the MS Outlook and give some time while the application is reconfiguring the search engine.
• Then, you can Go back to ‘Control Panel’ and Select the ‘Programs and Features’ in it.
• Tick the box of ‘Windows Search Features’ and let it update the changes in it.
• After completing the process, go back to the ‘Control Panel’ in the system.
• Click on ‘Windows Indexing Service’ option and choose the ‘Advanced Option’ in the list.
• click the option of ‘Rebuild and tap on ‘OK’ button.
• Let the process complete itself and then, verify the indexing process immediately.
• Press ‘Control’ + ‘F’ keys together and open ‘Indexing Status’.
• If the message in Outlook has finished indexing all the items’, it will pops up on your screen. This indicates the process is completed.
• Now, you can restart your system for one last time to start afresh.

After you done all these steps, open your Outlook account again and search anything. This is to verify the issue is resolved or not.  

Solution 2

Update the Microsoft Office and Solve Outlook Search Not Working Issue

The outdated versions of MS Office which is not updated can be the reason for technical glitches in an account. This can be solved by updating the account.

1. Check updates in your version of Outlook.

Steps for Outlook versions 2016 and 2013

• Login to the Outlook and select the ‘File’ in it.
• Click on the option ‘Office Account’.
• Scroll the tab to get the ‘Product Information’.
• Click the option ‘Update Options’.
• Then, tap on ‘Enable Updates’.
• Now click ‘Update Now’ and hit the option of any of the recent updates.

Steps For Outlook versions 2010

• Open Outlook and select ‘File’.
• Navigate yourself towards ‘Help’.
• Open ‘Check for Updates’.
• Select the option of ‘Install Updates’.
• Select any of the available updates.
• Click on ‘Download’.

Steps For Outlook versions MacBook

• Start Outlook by login and find the option of ‘Help’ in it.
• Tap on the option ‘Check for Updates’.
• Scroll the options and select ‘How would you like to install the updates?’.
• Click the option of ‘Automatically Download and Install’ in it.
• Then, open the list of ‘Check for Updates’ and choose any recent update.

2. Once the update has downloaded, click on the button of ‘Install’.

3. Run’ the new version

4. Restart your system after all these steps.

After applying these steps, you can open the  Outlook account to search for a particular detail to get the results perfectly.

Solutions 3:

Repair Outlook

You can repair the outlook to solve the issue. By repairing it, you can fix many common Outlook issues including the search option glitch.  Read the basic steps to repair Outlook and it can done with the help of built-in repair services.

How to Repair the Outlook and fix your Outlook 2016 search not working issue?

• At first, open the option ‘Outlook Search Repair Service’.

(If the option Outlook Search Repair Service is not available in your mac, you can download it)

• Remeber to remove any notification of duplicate Outlook installation pops on your screen.
• Restart your system after this.
• Open the option of ‘Reindex’ and let the service completely do its job.
• When you get a ‘Reindexing has completed’ message after doing these,  close the page.

Repair Outlook and fix your Outlook versions of 2010/ 2013 search not working issue

• Tap on the ‘Start’ and go to the ‘Control Panel’. in settings
• Scroll down the list of ‘View By’ in it and select the ‘Category’ option.
• Again scroll down the tab of ‘Programs’ and click on the ‘Uninstall the Program’ option in it.
• Click on ‘Microsoft Office’ and you can hit the button of ‘Change’.
• Choose ‘Repair’ or ‘Online Repair’ from there.
• When ‘Control Window’ appear, click on ‘Yes’.
• After the completing the process, you should restart the system and will see that Outlook 2013 search not working issue has been fixed.

Solutions 4:

Fix Outlook Search Not Working Issue on Mac through ‘Rebuild Database’ process

Use the rebuilt service to repair the corrupt database on your MacBook device. Below are the instructions which will help you do so:

• Shutdown all the MS Office applications like MS Office, Excel, etc.
• Press long on the ‘Option’ key and click on ‘Outlook’ and the ‘Microsoft Database Utility’ will be open.
• Select the database identity you wish to reconstruct.
• Hit the button of ‘Rebuild’.
• Once the process is completed, restart your MacBook and open Outlook.

‘Microsoft Outlook Search Not Working’ issue needs to be fixed as soon as possible. This one issue can lead to many others such as:

1. No search results
2. Emails for a certain time
3. The search option will be removed completely
4. You may get incomplete search results

The solutions that are mentioned above is the simplest and effective for solving the issue. Among all these methods, any one of the solutions will be helpful for  you in dealing with the Outlook search not working issue.

Also Read: Outlook Error 0x800ccc0e Office 365 (Fixed)

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) Related to Outlook Search Not Working