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Eugene7's avatar
Eugene7
Copper Contributor
Feb 08, 2026

Outlook For Android Search Not Working with IMAP Folders

I have been trying to get Microsoft to fix Search not working for IMAP email account folders for a number of years.

Even though Microsoft support have confirmed the BUG multiple times no fix has ever been provided.

I am again in a discussion with Outlook For Android support via the support Live Chat option within Outlook but the support engineer basically says I am the only person to have ever reported this bug to Microsoft...

Now obviously a quick Google shows may users complaining about the same bug from around 2019 onwards... but for some reason Outlook support do not seem to be able to use Google...

For those that may not know of the issue, the Search function will only work with Outlook email accounts or Gmail whne an email has been moved from the Inbox to another folder.
If you use a different IMAP email provider and use Folders to move email into from the 'Inbox', the Search function will not find those emails - ever.
(The Search function seems to work for the inbox only with IMAP accounts.)

So I have a request!

Please, any Outlook for Android users that have this issue PLEASE report the BUG to Outlook for Android Support via the 'Settings/Help & Feedback/Contact Outlook mobile support' option.

The more users that report this ongoing issue the better, and we may get Microsoft to take it seriously, rather than fobbing users off with a 'no-one else has the issue' response!

3 Replies

  • YannToberen's avatar
    YannToberen
    Copper Contributor

    I run into these kinds of problems even when the email isn't in an IMAP subfolder. Microsoft is increasingly showing that they don't want standard users anymore; they're only interested in large enterprises. There’s so much nonsense going on right now—if I didn't have an Xbox, I would have deleted my Microsoft account a long time ago.

  • Eugene7's avatar
    Eugene7
    Copper Contributor

    Does no-one else use IMAP and sub folders with the Outlook Mobile app???