Outlook is one of the most popular email clients in the world; used by millions of people to manage their emails, contacts, and calendars. However, like any software, Outlook can sometimes experience issues that prevent it from working as intended. One common issue is problems with the search function, which can make it difficult; to find the emails and other data you need. Users can only see the message, “Outlook is currently indexing your items”, and this process never finishes. In this blog, you will get to know how to use the Outlook Search Repair Tools effectively and efficiently.
Before knowing how to use this tool, you need to know why this Outlook Search Repair Tool actually matters. Let’s find out.
Why do outlook search repair tools matter?
There are many reasons because of which the Search Repair Tool matters and affects our work like it restores data productively, fixes indexing issues, reduces manual troubleshooting, and maintains and supports all business-related work.
By using the right Search Repair Tool, whatever problems or issues come in Outlook, we are able to fix them easily, because of which our work gets completed effectively and efficiently without any tension and stress.
What are the common issues in outlook?
There are several issues and problems faced in outlook are mentioned below:
- It shows the incomplete results and search not working properly
- Sometimes calendar entries disappearing or may be not updated
- Stuck or unsent emails in the outlook
- Mail not syncing correctly
- Corrupted PST or OST files
- Due to third party extensions, performance may be slower
When to use the search repair tools?
Before using these tools, you should know when we use the Search Repair Tools, so let’s understand why we use these Search Repair Tools. And why they are important and resolve our problems:
- Outlook unable to find emails through search
- Latest emails missing and not even any inbox activity is not reflected in outlook search
- Outlook search is slow or freezing
- Outlook search crashes or shows errors
- Recent outlook or windows upgrade has affected search functionality
Understanding how outlook search works
Outlook search relies on the indexing process which creates a searchable database of your emails, attachments, and other mails quickly.
To understand how the Outlook Search Repair Tool works, you should keep some things in mind, like some things are mentioned below:
- Indexing system – Outlook depends on the windows search service to index your email data for quick results.
- Data sources – It builds a searchable index from PST and OST, rather than accessing the server directly
- Search scope – Search can target individual folders and mailboxes or include all messages in the search range.
- Incremental indexing – New messages are processed and indexed on arrival, but the large volumes of data or recent modifications can reduce speed.
- Search filters – Helps to refine search results using built-in options like subject, from, and date
- Search cache – Helps to improve search speed by storing previous results, though it may result in errors if the cache is damaged.
How to Use Microsoft Outlook Inbuilt Search Repair Tool?
Using the search tool is very easy and you can do it by following the below mentioned steps.
Step 1: Close Outlook
Before you begin, make sure to close Outlook and any other Office applications that are running. That is important because the search repair tool needs exclusive access to your Outlook data files, and other applications may prevent it from working correctly.
Step 2: Locate the Outlook search repair tool.
The Outlook search repair tool is included with the Microsoft Office suite, so you don’t need to download or install anything. To locate the tool, open the Control Panel and click on “Programs and Features” (or “Add or Remove Programs” on older versions of Windows). From there, find Microsoft Office in the list of installed programs and select it.
Click the “Change” button, and then choose “Repair” from the options that appear. This will launch the Microsoft Office repair tool, which includes the Outlook search repair tool.
Step 3: Run the Outlook search repair tool
Once you’ve opened the Microsoft Office repair tool, select “Online Repair” and click “Repair”. That will start the repair process, which may take several minutes to complete. The Outlook search repair tool will automatically run as part of this process, and it will scan your Outlook data files for any problems with the search function.
Step 4: Verify that the search function is working
After the repair process is complete, open Outlook and try using the search function to find an email or other data. If the search function is still not working correctly; you may need to repeat the repair process or try some additional troubleshooting steps.
Additional Troubleshooting Steps to Fix Outlook Indexing Problem
If the Outlook search repair tool does not fix the search function in Outlook, there are a few other steps you can try:
- Rebuild the search index: Outlook uses a search index to quickly find data in your email, contacts, and calendar. If the search index is corrupt, it can cause problems with the search function. To rebuild the Outlook search index, go to File > Options > Search, and click on “Indexing Options”. From there, click “Advanced” and then “Rebuild”. This may take some time to complete, but it can often fix search issues in Outlook.
- Check for updates: Microsoft regularly releases updates for Office and Outlook that can fix bugs and improve performance. Make sure you have the latest updates installed by going to File > Office Account > Update Options > Update Now.
- Check your search settings: Outlook includes a variety of search options and filters that can affect how the search function works. Make sure your search settings are configured correctly by going to File > Options > Search and reviewing the various options available.
- Reconfigure Outlook: You can try to reconfigure MS Outlook from scratch if the indexing does not work. In this way, MS Outlook will create a new data file.
If everything fails, you can try to convert the Outlook data file. For instance, if you are using Outlook with an MS exchange server and have an OST file, then convert OST to PST. Later, you can import this PST to MS Outlook again to access your data. That will also resolve the problem.
Bottom Lines
In most cases, the MS Outlook search repair tool is powerful enough to fix search problems in Outlook. Using the Outlook Search Repair Tool is a straightforward and effective way to resolve issues with missing or incomplete search results in Microsoft Outlook. But in many cases, this tool fails to fix the problem.
Thus, it is advisable to try to repair your Outlook data file. Regular maintenance and updates can also help prevent future search-related problems. With a little bit of patience and persistence, you can get your search function working properly in no time!
FAQ’s of Outlook Search Repair Tools
Q1. What are the outlook search repair tools?
Microsoft provides the outlook search repair tool to resolve issues with outlook’s search features, like incomplete results or slow searching.
Q2. How do I access the outlook search repair tool?
You can access the outlook search repair tools by the following steps: download the recovery assistant (SaRA) from the official Microsoft website. After that follow the below steps:
- Open SaRA
- Choose “Outlook”
- select “search doesn’t return results”
- follow the instructions that appear on the screen.
Q3. Is the outlook search repair tool available for all outlook versions?
This tool is designed for outlook 2016, 2019, and Microsoft 365 (earlier known as office 365). it might not fully work on older version like outlook 2013 or 2010
Q4. Will I lose any data when using the repair tools?
No, this utility doesn’t delete or modify your emails or outlook files. Its main function is to fix issues with indexing and search function settings
Q5. Can I use the outlook search repair tool on Mac?
No, this tool performs functions only for windows-based outlook. Mac users should use macOS’s spotlight indexing or refer to outlook troubleshooting steps tailored for macOS
Emily
I'm a content writer with a solid understanding of software and technical topics, which allows me to break down complex concepts into clear, engaging content. I enjoy creating articles, guides and documentation that connect with both tech-savvy readers and those new to the subject