How To Fix Outlook search not working Mac

If you’re facing issues with Outlook search not working on your Mac, this step-by-step guide will help you restore its functionality quickly and effectively. Outlook relies on macOS’s Spotlight indexing to deliver search results, so the fixes mostly revolve around reindexing Spotlight and ensuring Outlook and macOS are up to date.

Step 1: Restart Your Mac

Restarting your Mac can often resolve temporary glitches with Spotlight services, which Outlook depends on for searching emails. Simply reboot your machine to refresh background processes.

Step 2: Check for Updates

Ensure both your macOS and Outlook application are updated to the latest versions. Developers frequently release patches that fix bugs affecting search.

• Open Outlook, go to Help > Check for Updates.
• For macOS update, open System Settings > General > Software Update.

Keeping software up to date eliminates incompatibility issues.

Step 3: Rebuild Spotlight Index for Outlook

Since Spotlight indexing drives Outlook search, rebuilding the Spotlight index specifically for Outlook data can fix issues:

• Open System Settings on your Mac.
• Navigate to Siri & Spotlight > Spotlight Privacy.
• Click the + button and add the Outlook folder located at:
  ~/Library/Group Containers/UBF8T.../Office/Outlook (Note: UBF8T… is a variable folder name.)
• After adding, restart your Mac.
• Then go back to Spotlight Privacy and remove the Outlook folder to trigger reindexing.
• Allow up to an hour for Spotlight to finish reindexing Outlook data.

This forces Spotlight to refresh its index of your emails and restores search functionality.

Step 4: Rebuild Outlook Search Index Internally

You can also rebuild Outlook’s own search index:

• Open Outlook and go to Outlook > Preferences > Search > Indexing.
• Click Rebuild to start reindexing Outlook’s search catalog.

Note this process can take some time depending on mailbox size.

Step 5: Verify Outlook Profile and Folder Locations

Sometimes Outlook search fails due to:

• Invalid characters in your Outlook profile name, such as slashes (/).
• The Outlook profile folder not residing in the expected user Library location.

Check your profile name and correct any unusual characters by managing profiles via Outlook Profile Manager or Microsoft’s profile tools.

Step 6: Use Third-Party Tools for Easy Reindexing

If manual steps seem complex, apps like CleanMyMac can automate reindexing Spotlight and perform additional maintenance to improve search performance.

• Download CleanMyMac (available as a free trial).
• Use the Performance module to run Spotlight reindexing with a single click.

This approach is user-friendly and keeps your Mac optimized.

Step 7: Create a New Outlook Profile (If Needed)

If search problems persist, consider:

• Creating a new Outlook profile.
• Import your data into the new profile.

This can resolve issues stemming from corrupted profiles.

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By systematically following these steps—restarting your Mac, updating software, rebuilding both Spotlight and Outlook search indexes, checking your profile, and optionally using optimization tools—you should be able to fix the Outlook search not working on your Mac efficiently and get your email search back on track.