How to Fix Outlook Instant Search Problems in Windows?

If you use Outlook to manage emails, you may have encountered a problem where the search function does not work properly. This can be frustrating, especially if you need to find an important email quickly.

You may see an error message like:

Instant search encountered a problem while trying to display search results. Modifying your query may resolve this problem.

or

Outlook cannot perform your search.

Fortunately, there are some possible solutions that can help you fix Outlook search problems in Windows 11. In this article, we will show you how to troubleshoot and resolve Outlook search issues using various methods.

What Causes Outlook Instant Search Problems?

There are several possible causes for Outlook search problems, such as:

• Outdated or corrupted Outlook software
• Damaged or missing Outlook data files (PST files)
• Incorrect or incomplete Outlook indexing settings
• Conflicts with Windows Search service or other programs
• User profile or registry errors

Depending on the cause, you may need to try different solutions to fix Outlook search problems.

Here are some of the methods that you can try to fix Outlook search problems in Windows 11. We recommend that you try them in the order that they are listed, as they start from the easiest and most likely fix.

Solution 1: Ensure the Windows Search service is running

1. Press Windows+ R keys, type services.msc, and hit Enter. This opens the Services window.
2. Scroll down or use the alphabetical order to find “Windows Search” in the list of services.
3. Look at the “Status” column. If it says “Running“, the service is already active. If not, proceed to the next step.
4. Right-click on “Windows Search” and select “Start” from the context menu. This will initiate the service.
5. Right-click on “Windows Search” again, choose “Properties“, go to the “General” tab, and under “Startup type“, select “Automatic“. This ensures the service starts automatically with Windows.
6. Click “Apply” and then “OK” to save the changes.
7. Though not always necessary, restarting your system can ensure the changes take effect.

By following these steps, you’ll ensure that the Windows Search service is running properly on your system.

Solution 2: Check whether Outlook set to be indexed

The problem might not be due to any known issues. Check if Outlook is set to be indexed. Here’s how you can do it:

1. Go to “File” in Outlook.
2. Click on “Options.”
3. Look for the “Search” section.
4. Click on “Indexing Options.”
5. Select “Modify.”

It’s important to note that in Outlook, you can’t choose specific mailboxes or PST files to index. It’s an all-or-nothing situation—you either index everything in Outlook or choose not to index at all.

Solution 3: Double-Check Outlook Index Settings

Another possible reason for Outlook search problems is that the Outlook index settings are incorrect. You need to make sure that the Outlook data files and folders that you want to search are included in the index. Here are the steps to check and configure the Outlook index settings:

Check the Indexed Locations

1. Open Outlook and select File > Options > Search > Indexing Options.
2. Under Indexed Locations, make sure that Microsoft Outlook is checked.
3. If not, click Modify and check the box next to Microsoft Outlook.
4. Click OK to save the changes.

Configure Indexing Options

1. Open Outlook and select File > Options > Search > Indexing Options.
2. Select Advanced > Index Settings.
3. Under Troubleshooting, click Troubleshoot Search and Indexing.
4. Follow the instructions on the screen to fix any problems with the indexing options.
5. Click OK to save the changes.

After checking and configuring the Outlook index settings, restart your PC and check if the Outlook search function works.

Solution 4: Refresh Outlook’s indexing

1. Go to Search Options and uncheck Outlook.
2. Close Outlook and wait for 5 minutes. Check Task Manager (CTRL + SHIFT + ESC) to ensure the outlook.exe process has stopped.
3. You might notice increased disk activity; this is the Search Indexer clearing indexed items.
4. Open Outlook again and revisit Search Options.
5. Check the box next to Outlook to reselect it.
6. Leave your computer idle. Check periodically until it shows “0 items remaining.”

This process forces Outlook to re-index its data, which could resolve any indexing issues.

Solution 5: Rebuild the Outlook Index

One of the most common causes of Outlook search problems is that the Outlook index is damaged or incomplete. The Outlook index is a database that stores information about your emails and other items, which allows you to search them quickly. To fix this, you need to rebuild the Outlook index. Here are the steps:

1. To access Indexing Options, type “Indexing” in the Control Panel search field to find the applet quickly.
   • For Windows 10: Go to Start, type “Indexing Options.”, select “Indexing Options” from the search results.
   • For Windows 11: Go to Start, then Settings, navigate to Privacy & security, and click “Advanced indexing options” at the bottom. Click on Indexing Options.
2. In the Indexing Options dialog, click on “Advanced.”
3. Click on “Rebuild.”

Note: Rebuilding the index starts afresh. Depending on the volume of documents, it might take a while and could slow down your system. It’s recommended to initiate this process overnight to minimize system disruption.

Note that rebuilding the Outlook index may take a long time, depending on the size of your Outlook data files. You can still use Outlook during the process, but the search function may not work properly until the index is rebuilt.

Solution 6: Repair PST Files

Another possible cause of Outlook search problems is that your Outlook data files (PST files) are damaged or missing. PST files store your emails and other items on your PC. To fix this, you need to repair your PST files using the Inbox Repair Tool (scanpst.exe). Here are the steps:

1. Close Outlook and any other programs that use PST files.
2. Locate the scanpst.exe file on your PC. The location may vary depending on your Outlook version and Windows version. Here are some common locations:
   • Outlook 2019: C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\root\Office16
   • Outlook 2016: C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\root\Office16
   • Outlook 2013: C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office15
   • Outlook 2010: C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office14
   • Outlook 2007: C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office12
3. Double-click the scanpst.exe file to open it.
4. Click Browse and locate the PST file that you want to repair. The default location of the PST file may vary depending on your Outlook version and Windows version. Here are some common locations:
   • Windows 10: C:\Users<username>\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Outlook
   • Older versions: C:\Documents and Settings<username>\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook
5. Click Start to begin the scan. The tool will check the PST file for errors and try to fix them.
6. If the tool finds any errors, click Repair to fix them.
7. Repeat the steps for any other PST files that you want to repair.

After repairing your PST files, restart your PC and check if the Outlook search function works.