Outlook searches return no matches

[StuartR]

Something has gone wrong with searching in Outlook. Whatever I search for returns no results, even when I can see the matching emails so I am quite sure that they should match.

I've checked that Outlook is included in the indexing options, and I've tried rebuilding the search index, but this didn't help.

Any more suggestions?

[HansV]

If you're using Windows 8.1 or earlier (your screenshots suggest so), you can try uninstalling, then reinstalling Windows Search:
- Activate Control Panel.
- Activate Programs (or Programs and Features).
- Click 'Turn Windows features on or off'.
- Clear the 'Windows Search' check box.
- Click OK and wait until the process has finished.
- Restart Windows.
- Repeat the above steps, this time ticking the 'Windows Search' check box.

[StuartR]

Thank you Hans. I won't know if this worked until it has finished rebuilding the index.

[StuartR]

Sadly that made no difference. The reindexing found more than 250,000 items, but Outlook still says "No results" for every search.

[HansV]

If you look at the Services tab of the Task Manager, is WSearch / Windows Search running?

[BobArch2]

I am running Outlook (as part of Office 365) as is my son. He reported to me last week that a recent update (v1702 build 7870.2024) to Outlook corrupted the search capability.

At the time I was running v1701. I ran a search while Outlook was still v1701 and all was well. I then updated to v1702 and the search function ceased working. I rebuilt the search index at the time and the function was partially restored. But only slightly. Less than a 1% hit ratio, IMHO.

My son indicated that there are several references to the problem on the Internet. But I will admit I have not gone looking for those complaints.

[HansV]

It does look like searching is broken in Outlook 2016...

[StuartR]

Bother. I use this a lot.
(WSearch is running)

I can get some (limited) search functionality by turning off Windows Search altogether. Then Outlook search does work, but VERY slowly, after warning me that there is no index to use.

[HansV]

I guess we'll have to wait until Microsoft repairs it in a future update (or not...)

[HansV]

Microsoft has confirmed the problem with Outlook 2016 build 7870.2020. They're working on it; the only workaround currently is to revert to the previous build.

See Outlook search stops working after updating to build 7870.2020 and higher.

[BobArch2]

Moments ago, 11:15AM, 2017.03.28, I checked for an Office 365 update and v1702 Build 7870.2031 was available. After installing, I checked the search facility and it is now working as expected.

Happy updating folks...

[HansV]

Yep, can confirm. Thanks, Bob!

[StuartR]

THANK YOU. It's working again for me too.