Forum Discussion
Outlook Search not showing Recent Emails (December-2021)
Hi All,
The outlook search option stopped working properly after WIndows10 update.
The issue has happened after installing a security update from Windows (December 14, 2021—KB5008212).
I had tried re-building the Indexing but it was same. Once the issue started I had searched for the solutions and finally found that recent Windows update has created the issue. I had uninstalled that particular update and the search issue was fixed.
So let us know when the fix will be available for this bug?
381 Replies
A good solution found.
Run "Services" as administrator. Select "Windows Search" -> Select:"Startup type: Automatic" -> Apply
-> Ok.
Check Indexing Options from Control Panel. If the indexing shows complete then check on Outlook search.
I guess, the problem will be solved with the existing Security Update from Microsoft.
- Until Microsoft issue a patch for this the quickest fix is to close all programs, open windows services (Windows + R and enter 'services.msc'). Find Windows Search and restart. You can then open outlook. This temp fix will work until you reboot. This temp fix takes seconds and there is no need to rebuild the index. I use Win11 but this should work on Win10
The biggest problem is that most Workers in Big Companies dont have Admin rights to restart this service, so this solution is not feasable.
Making several restarts on the PC kind of fix this matter, untill suddendly and with no explanation, Windows Search service stops again...
It's really annoying. Hope they fix it soon.
- It's working on Windows 10, but what to do on windows 11? please reply.
Danish_Kamal sorry, I didn't upgrade to W11 so don't have a solution for you. Hope someone else has or else MS can come up with a patch to resolve this problem soon like they did for W10. Good luck!
- any one try to update windows 11 to fix this matter
Gabe_BrattonMicrosoft
DumiduGamage,
This issue will affect all Outlook versions because they all use Windows Desktop Search. However, if your email is hosted in the M365 cloud it will not be as big of an issue. Outlook M365 uses Service Search for most searches for Exchange Online hosted mailboxes. Search for POP/IMAP and Exchange offline all use WDS so those are all affected.
I don't have confirmation yet but I do think this issue affects Windows 11 starting with update https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/december-14-2021-kb5008215-os-build-22000-376-868d2c2f-a201-456e-be42-d95c794bebf0. I have seen reports with it but Windows has not confirmed that too me yet.
The Windows Team is actively working on this issue. As soon as we know when a fix is available, I'll post back with that info.- There is a big problem with Windows 11 indexing. I think this may be related to the outlook search.
https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/all/indexing-broken-in-windows-11-painfully-slow-at/6ab8417e-d014-4596-85c1-fbfd9b61035c?page=2
Same problem coming in Window 11 but the OS update KB5008212 is not in window 11 update history. Can you please help me to find the solution of Outlook email not search in window 11 VineeshKV88
- Gabe_Bratton
The Windows Team is investigating the issue for a fix. I have seen some reports that this issue might affect Windows 11 too starting with Dec update KB5008215.
In the meantime a workaround is to set the registry key in this article, Outlook Search not showing recent emails after Windows update KB5008212 (microsoft.com). After you set this registry key, and restart Outlook, Outlook will use its built in legacy search. After the Windows fix is out you can delete that registry key to get back to Windows native WDS Search.
Another option. Put this text below in Notepad and save as preventindexingoutlook.reg. Then double click on it and install the regkey.
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Search]
"PreventIndexingOutlook"=dword:00000001- Thanks for the information. I hope you can resolve this soon because making changes to the Registry is a little bit daunting for us less technical users. I have uninstalled all updates after 12/15/21. I have uninstalled KB5007186 twice and it keeps reappearing in the uninstall list. This is despite my updates being paused. Currently, my search is not showing anything after 1/7/22.
- Outlook Search seemed to work after the first reboot upon installing yesterday's cumulative update, but a further reboot broke the search again.
I repeat: yesterday's cumulative update doesn't solve the issue. Try rebooting again and you will see the problem persists.
The only solution is to remove all cumulative updates from KB5008212 and newer ones and prevent further cumulative updates until the issue is solved by MS. Of course you can still install updates related to other products (Office, .NET, etc.).- No comment , Outlook search from Microsoft is a ridiculus problem that generate a lot of time waste.
I have many customers with the problem and i tried to rebuild index , scan .pst , outfix and many other things to solve that but there isn't a definitive solution.
Now for the specific issue my situation is that :
- I don't know if pc have KB5008212 maybe is included in a cumulative update
- If apply Microsoft workaround , search performace is inaccettable
I spend many day to solve thet problem from my customers but i don't know any other action to solve that.
I just updated my Windows 10 software with January 11, 2022—KB5009543 (OS Builds 19042.1466, 19043.1466, and 19044.1466) and my MS Outlook search now shows all emails after 1st Jan. 2022
- Huh, I had an update yesterday but KB5009566.
- What's your point? Can you be more specific? I was just sharing that my Outlook search function only showed emails up to end of 2021 and nothing in 2022 until I just updated my Windows 10 and the problem was resolved.
Latest cumulative updated KB5009543, released yesterday, seems to cause the same issue (it probably includes the updates contained in KB5008212). So if you have removed and prevented automatic reinstall of KB5008212, now it will also be necessary to do the same for this KB5009543.
This is becoming more and more annoying...
Paolo_DelReYes its the same issue with KB5009543. There is no any updates from Microsoft yet. Hope it will be fixed soon with a new update.
I have the same problem too. Tried to install Latest cumulative updated KB5009543 of January, but the problem persists.
Obviously, it is no longer even possible to uninstall the December cumulative update now 😞
I also tried the Windows Registry solution, but the searches don't work completely.
We await a possible solution or workaround.
P.S.
I have an Exchange Server 2016 Standard on-premise and by connecting via browser with the OWA the searches work
- Man it seems like the only temporary solution that we have now is that we need to restart the windows search service often whenever the user restarts the PC.
Restarting windows search service will enable outlook to reindex and enable search function.
For the meantime I instructed everyone in my office who's having the same issue to keep their pc open until further updates from microsoft.
- When you guys uninstall the KB5008212 update what do you do for it to not come back? Windows 10?
There is a specific tool from Microsoft to prevent uninstalled updates from reinstalling automatically that is called "Show or hide updates".
Here is the official download link:
https://download.microsoft.com/download/f/2/2/f22d5fdb-59cd-4275-8c95-1be17bf70b21/wushowhide.diagcab- in my Company I refuse the update in Wsus Server..
- Hello everyone
I've already tried rebuild index, I've tried the method of adding the key in REGEDIT, I've reinstalled outlook, I've updated windows, but all options work for a few hours and most of the time when the pc restarts the problem comes back and outlook doesn't find recent emails. and I can't uninstall this KB5008212 update either, I've tried using cmd, I've tried in safe mode, anyway, I don't know what else to do...- Gabe_Bratton
Make sure you are setting the regkey in the correct path. Once you create the regkey restart Outlook to pick up the change.
You will know its working when you see the policy notification right above the search results that says: "Search performance will be impacted because a group policy has turned off the Windows Search service."
Another option. Put this text below in Notepad and save as preventindexingoutlook.reg. Then double click on it and install the regkey.
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Search]
"PreventIndexingOutlook"=dword:00000001
