Microsoft Outlook Search Troubleshooter Mac

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If you're using Outlook to access your Office 365 email account or another Exchange-based email account, and you're having problems, we want to get you back to sending and receiving email as quickly as possible.

Note

If you're looking for help with Outlook.com, check out Help for Outlook.com. > If you're looking for help with Outlook for Mac, check out Outlook 2016 for Mac Help.

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Outlook for Mac support tools. 11/4/2019; 3 minutes to read; Applies to: Outlook for Mac for Office 365; In this article Summary. This article describes some useful tools for Microsoft Outlook for Mac. More information Outlook Search Repair. The Outlook Search Repair tool repairs search results within Outlook. Run the Outlook 2016 Search Troubleshooter. The next method to fix the 'No Results' search issue in Outlook 2016 for MAC, is to run the Microsoft Outlook Search Troubleshooter. Close Outlook 2016 for MAC. Run the Outlook 2016 Search Repair Troubleshooter tool from MS. Welcome to the Outlook Community! Connect and discuss the latest Outlook news, updates and best practices. Third party promotional content will be deleted. Thanks for your help keeping this community a vibrant and useful place!

We can diagnose and fix several common Outlook connectivity issues for you. If our automated tool can't fix your issue, or you'd like to fix it yourself, see the next section.

Outlook for Mac search returns 'No Results,' and task items are not displayed. In Microsoft Outlook 2016 for Mac or Office for Mac 2011, you receive a 'No Results' message when you try to search for an email message or apply a filter to a folder, and task items are not displayed in the Tasks folder. Both versions of Outlook for. Just sign in and go. Access your favorite Microsoft products and services with just one login. From Office and Windows to Xbox and Skype, one username and password connects you to the files, photos, people, and content you care about most. Search Search Office help. Or Outlook problems. If the Microsoft Support and Recovery Assistant can't fix a problem for you, it will suggest next steps and help.

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Fix software update and profile issues

Out-of-date software and corrupted Outlook profiles are two of the most common issues that can prevent you from sending and receiving email. If you're an admin with multiple users reporting problems, you also should check for service issues with Office 365.

Common Outlook fixes

Run Windows UpdateIf your Outlook client software or Windows operating system software is out of date, you might have problems sending and receiving email. For Windows Update instructions, see Windows Update: FAQ
Repair your Outlook profileAn Outlook profile is a set of configuration information that includes your user name, password, and file storage location. To repair your Outlook profile, see Fix your Outlook email connection by repairing your profile.
Check for service issuesAdmin only: If more than one person in your organization is experiencing email problems in Office 365, it could be due to a problem with the service. Go to the Office 365 service health dashboard page (admin sign in required), and check the status of the services under Exchange Online.

The Outlook for MAC search 'No Results' problem, can appear after updating MAC OS or Office for MAC from one release to another or can appear suddenly without an obvious reason. In such cases the Outlook Search function in Outlook 2011 for MAC or in Outlook 2016 for MAC does not work and returns 'No Results' when you try to find something in Outlook mail program that you know it exists. Despite the Outlook search problem, SPOTLIGHT is working correctly and displays results.

This tutorial contains instructions to resolve the Outlook for MAC Search problems (Search returns 'No Results'), in Outlook for Mac 2016 or Outlook for Mac 2011.

How to fix: Outlook MAC Search Returns 'No Results' in Outlook 2011 or 2016 for MAC *

* Suggestion for Outlook 2016 users: We've identified that the most common root for this problem is the need to re-index Outlook's Search Database, so we recommend to try method-6 first to see if it solves the problem.

Method 1. Verify that the Outlook Profile/Identity is stored at the default location.

First of all, make sure that the Outlook 2016 for Mac Profile or the Outlook for Mac 2011 Identity data is stored under the correct default location and has no special characters on its name. If the Profile or Identity name contains a special character, then follow the steps in this Microsoft Article to change the name:

  • Outlook 2016 for Mac default Profile Location:
      • ~/Library/Group Containers/UBF8T346G9.Office/Outlook/Outlook 15 Profiles/Main Profile
  • Outlook for Mac 2011 default Identity location:
      • /Users/username/Documents/Microsoft User Data/Office 2011 Identities/Main Identity
Method 2. Install all Microsoft Updates.

1. Open any Office application such as Word, Excel, or Outlook.
2. On the top menu, go to Help > Check for Updates. *

* Important: If you don't see the 'Check for Updates' option on the Help menu, then download and run the latest version of the Microsoft Auto-Update tool from https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3133674. (After running the tool, the 'Check for Updates' option will be available).

Method 3. Run the Outlook 2016 Search Troubleshooter.

The next method to fix the 'No Results' search issue in Outlook 2016 for MAC, is to run the Microsoft Outlook Search Troubleshooter.

1. Close Outlook 2016 for MAC.
2. Run the Outlook 2016 Search Repair Troubleshooter (source-2) tool from MS:

Method 4. Move Messages to another Outlook folder.

1. Open Outlook.
2. Create a new folder inside Outlook (e.g. Inbox-New)
3. Select and move all messages to the new created folder.
4. When the moving is done, move back your messages to the original folder. (This process will force Outlook to re-index the emails and they start to appear in the results).
5. Once you done delete the temporary folder.

Method 5. Re-Index Hard Drive in Spotlight.

1. Open the System Preferences and click on Spotlight.
2. Make sure that Mail Messages is checked under the Search Results tab
3. Then click the Privacy tab.
4. Make Sure that the Outlook Profile (or Identity) folder or one of its parent folders is not added to the Privacy tab. (If so, then remove them, skip the rest steps and try to find something using the Outlook search).
5. Then Drag and drop the hard drive icon from the desktop into Spotlight. (This will remove the current index)
6. Finally highlight the hard drive you just added and click the minus button to remove it. (This will force Spotlight to create a new index)
7. Wait until Spotlight indexing your drive.
8. After indexing restart your computer.
9. Try to use the Outlook search.
10. If the problem persists:

a. Delete (or move to desktop and delete them later) the following files from the User's Library/Preferences folder:

  • com.microsoft.Outlook.SyncServicesPreferences.plist
  • com.microsoft.SyncservicesAgent.plist

b. Then delete (or move to desktop) from the User's Library/Preferences/Microsoft/Office 2011 folder, the file OfficeSync Prefs

c. Restart your MAC.
d. Try to perform a search in Outlook. Microsoft word mac find and highlight.

Method 6. Re-index the Outlook for MAC Search Database.

Outlook for Mac uses OS X Spotlight to search your mailbox. If the Spotlight Index is corrupted then the Outlook search may display 'No results'. At this case you have to re-indexing the Outlook 2016 for Mac search database. Microsoft 640 mac address. To do that:

  • Outlook 2016 for MAC:
    – To re-index the Search database in Outlook for Mac 2016

Microsoft Outlook Search Troubleshooter Mac Free

1. Restart Mac.
2. Go to Finder > Applications > Utilities > Terminal.
3. Type 'mdimport -L'.

  • IMPORTANT: If you see more than one instance of 'Microsoft Outlook Spotlight Importer.mdimporter' delete the Outlook application that you are NOT using, empty it from the Trash, again restart your Mac, and go back to Step 1.

4. Without closing the 'terminal' window, open Outlook and try the search function. If you receive results when searching then the problem is resolved. If the Outlook search displays again 'No results' then continue below:

5. In Terminal, re-index your Outlook database using the following command and substituting your own user name for <user_name>:

mdimport -g '/Applications/Microsoft Outlook.app/Contents/Library/Spotlight/Microsoft Outlook Spotlight Importer.mdimporter' -d1 /Users/<user_name>/Library/Group Containers/UBF8T346G9.Office/Outlook/Outlook 15 Profiles/Main Profile

  • Note in the command above, the path after '-g' is the default path where your Outlook is installed. The path after '-d1' is the default path to your profile. You'll have to substitute your actual paths if you have renamed your profile or installed Outlook in a different location.

6. Re-indexing will take some time to complete. Once the process is complete, quit and re-launch Outlook. *

* TIP: Here is an alternative method to re-build the Outlook 2016 Database in MAC:

1. Go to the following location:

  • ~/Library/Group Containers/UBF8T346G9.Office/Outlook/Outlook 15 Profiles/Main Profile/Data

2. Move the Outlook.sqllite file to your desktop. (This will force Outlook to detect an issue and to do an auto rebuild).
3. When the Rebuild is completed, open Outlook and perform a search.
4. If the search is working then delete the 'Outlook.sqllite' file from your desktop.

  • Outlook for Mac 2011:
    – To re-index the Search database in Outlook for Mac 2011

1. Hold down the Option key, and then click the Outlook for Mac 2011 icon. (or go to Applications > Microsoft Office 2011 > Office > Microsoft Database Utility).
2. Highlight your Identity Click Rebuild.

Method 7. FIX Spotlight Permissions & Rebuild Spotlight Index using Terminal.

The final method to resolve the 'No Results' issue when performing a search in Outlook 2011 or 2016 for Mac, is to fix the Spotlight permissions in Outlook 2011 database and then to rebuild the Spotlight database, by following the steps below:

On the contrary, if you install Office from a Volume ISO file, this is optional so just skip it if you want.Step 3: You activate your Office using KMS client keycscript ospp.vbs /setprt:1688cscript ospp.vbs /unpkey:6MWKP nulcscript ospp.vbs /inpkey:NMMKJ-6RK4F-KMJVX-8D9MJ-6MWKPcscript ospp.vbs /sethst:kms8.msguides.comcscript ospp.vbs /act. If you are not sure of this issue, don’t worry, just run both of the commands above. One of them will be not executed and an error message will be printed on the screen.Step 2: You convert your retail license to volume onefor /f%x in (‘dir /b.rootLicenses16ProPlus2019VL.xrm-ms’) do cscript ospp.vbs /inslic:”.rootLicenses16%xIf your Office is got from Microsoft, this step is required. Cd /d%ProgramFiles%Microsoft OfficeOffice16cd /d%ProgramFiles(x86)%Microsoft OfficeOffice16If you install your Office in the ProgramFiles folder, the path will be “%ProgramFiles%Microsoft OfficeOffice16” or “%ProgramFiles(x86)%Microsoft OfficeOffice16”. https://omgstreams.netlify.app/microsoft-office-mac-key.html. It depends on the architecture of the Windows you are using.

  • Outlook for Mac 2016

1. Open Terminal from Applications > Utilities.
2. Give the following commands in order (Press Enter after typing each command)

  • sudo mdutil -i off /
  • sudo rm -rf /.Spotlight*
  • sudo rm -rf /.metadata_never_index

3. Reboot your computer.
4. After restart, open Terminal again and type these commands in order:

  • sudo mdutil -i on /
  • sudo mdutil -E

3. Now wait until Spotlight reindex your entire drive. You can monitor the process if you click at Spotlight Search icon at the upper-right corner. When the indexing is completed (100%) then proceed and try the Outlook search.

  • Outlook for Mac 2011.

1. Open Terminal from Applications > Utilities.
2. Give the following commands in order (Press Enter after typing each command)

Click Data Connections select the connection that failed to refresh and click Change File Path to update it. Download microsoft query for mac. Scenarios to tryRefresh your workbook queries as you would usually do (for example, via Data Refresh All or VBA). Note that the refresh will work only for those queries that pull data from text, CSV, XLSX, XML or JSON files.You may need to update the file path so that it works on your Mac. Getting startedThe new functionality is live for all Office Insiders Fast customers in Excel for Mac version 16.26 (19052200) and later.UPDATE! This feature is now also available to Insider Slow customers running 16.27 (19070800) and later.

  • sudo chown root:wheel '/Applications/Microsoft Office 2011'
  • sudo chmod 755 '/Applications/Microsoft Office 2011'
  • sudo mdutil -a -i off
  • sudo rm -rf /.Spotlight-V100
  • sudo mdutil -a -i on

3. Now wait until Spotlight reindex your entire drive. You can monitor the process if you click at Spotlight Search icon at the upper-right corner. When the indexing is completed (100%) then proceed and try the Outlook search.

Method 8. Completely Remove and Reinstall Office for MAC.

1. Backup Outlook Data (copy Outlook Identity or Profile to another location. e.g. your Desktop).

2. Completely uninstall Office 2011 MAC or Uninstall Office 2016 for MAC.

3. Re-install Office for MAC.

Microsoft

Microsoft Outlook Search Troubleshooter Mac Software

4. Open Outlook for MAC and use the Import command to import the Outlook data from the backup location.

5. Follow the steps is method-6 above to reindex the Outlook search database.

6. Try the Outlook search function.

Did it work for you?
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