The new Outlook search in the title bar is disconnected from the content it searches

[Mary Branscombe]

I appreciate the benefits of Microsoft Search in the Office apps but I'm getting feedback form multiple people that having the search in the title bar is unhelpful because they need to use the title bar for dragging the window around. In Outlook in particular, having the search box so far away from the content that you're searching is jarring. I understand the value of consistency, but I think that the utility of putting search with the content it searches overrides being consistent at all costs. Can we have an option to move the search box back down to the content in Outlook, and perhaps not to have it in title bars at all?

[#2]

On my office PC, the search is at the top however on my home PC and my laptop, the search bar is down under the ribbon where i like it. all versions are Microsoft 365 and up to date so I have no idea why they are different

[#3]

@Jeremy Bradshaw much thanks for the tip on being crafty. I wouldn't have gotten there myself! At least I can search now.

Adding my vote to this being one of the worst UX changes of the decade, and it's only 2020

[#4]

I too, believe that the Search Bar needs to be placed near to the content it searches from.
Or better, they could allow the position of the search bar to be changed by the users as they seem fit.

It is a nightmare to use such a feature in the current way.

[#5]

Maybe its just me, but I have a hard time clicking into the new search bar to show the details search by e.g. subject, to, from... appear. It appears briefly and goes away again....? 

Also, having to 'click' on 'Search' rather than hitting 'Enter' is annoying and time consuming.

This new Search takes significant time out of my schedule, bad decision to change it! 

[#6]

@Juergen_410 

I have the same problem.  I think the response time is a lot slower so you have to methodically calculate your timing or the whole window shrinks.  

[#7]

I agree with most everyone here.  I would be happy to chime in and complain as well, but is it worth my time?  In other words, does this fall on deaf ears, or do Microsoft Engineers actually read this stuff?  If anyone sees other places to post about this, then please share.  

Here are some other places to consider posting as well:

https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/outlook-blog/search-in-outlook-puts-your-results-on-top/ba-p/...

https://outlook.uservoice.com/forums/322590-outlook-for-windows-desktop-application

[#8]

I have a question for Microsoft developers - is appearance really the most important thing and not functionality?
I have used Office since at least 1995, and it was one of the best and most valuable programs in the world. And until 2016 updates for them were mostly reasonable.
But after that I even can't understand is there any developer who uses the programs on a daily basis and has been doing so for more than 1 year?
Why are they breaking things that were so good that they didn't need to be changed at all, and they did what they were meant to do? You put them locations where they don't fit and besides, they don't do what they should do?
Right now I see that no one cares anymore about users who have been using the product for more than 3-4 years? And about that search, I see also in my phone when I open outlook and try search something, I lose my focus! I see everything else but not that thing I needed - I wanted search emails, not contacts, not documents I changed last year?
Please give me name of that "smart guy", who thinks that if I go to store and try find bread from bread's shelf - you need to show me choice of cosmetics, women's underwear and all other things I did not want?
PLEASE DO NOT DO THAT!
Before You will break fundamentals of program, please consult at least some of the users who has used and still using them.
Quite certainly there are a lot of people in the world who would like to continue using these programs as they have used them for 25 years, rather than re-learning every year because a bunch of young developers thought they were the smartest to decide what is better for the whole world!
So, please, fix that Outlook search as I must work with it almost 24x7 and it was good enough that there was no need to change it at all! And anyway - don't lose focus on what the user did.
To develop, I still think means make things better not just nicer. :)

[#9]

I've already moaned on here once, but now that I've been forced to work with this a little longer, my opinion... is simply that it's worse than I previously thought.

I now have no faith in the result sets I get when searching my mailboxes.  Items I could find using a combination of, for example, sender's name and a "tag" from within the body of the mail no longer show up.

To summarize:  THIS SUCKS!!!!!!  WHO on god's green earth, and WHO USES THE TOOLS DAY-IN and DAY-OUT could POSSIBLY think any of this is "progress"?  I don't care of "Project Cortex" is going to tell me 2 days in advance before my socks develop holes... I WANT TO FIND WHAT I NEED TO FIND WHEN I NEED TO FIND IT?  WHO do I need to talk to (Product managers, engineering, dev...?) to get this point across?

Thanks

A very controlled, calm and centered Russ

(I would've included some quotes about leading a Mindful Life, BUT I CAN'T FIND THEM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[#10]

Hi all, 365 Office, fully updated on win10 and yes like you I was appalled at the change at first. 

I use search a lot, like all day every day, private consultant, 2 personal businesses and at least 9 separate email accounts at once. Like many I have had to be careful when creating new or reply email to ensure that I am sending from the proper acct but I have only made that mistake once in the many months since the location changed. I have gotten used to always starting with the "from" dialog just in case.

Here are some tips that have made me forget all about my original issues with the change. 

Alt-Q and to open always but it's my left forefinger so it's natural

a quick esc removes the dropdown for ribbon access  

Many times I am repeating a task so the recently used items has what I am looking for 

It only blocks a couple of items and I am usually digger way deeper anyway.

I am always in "All Mailboxes" mode so I can catch my criteria regardless

I used the search all unread or "isread:no" function so much I made it a customized item on my quick access along with many other repeated tasks,

hope this helps a bit

ed

[#11]

I don't have the options in this illustration. There is no option to collapse the Microsoft search box by default. I agree with everyone that moving the search box to the title bar was a huge mistake. It should be right above the emails like it used to be.

[#12]

Please reverse this unfortunate change immediately.

[#13]

Fully agree with the comments, bad move! Please change back to prior location!!!
I can't even pull down for detailed search, only if you enter something into the main search bar first... or is it only me?

[#14]

I agree 100%. The Outlook search in the title bar is awful.  Please put it back!

[#15]

I have been using Outlook for over 20 years aned I reallly dont like the location of the new search window.    I use remote desktop extensivly to work from home.  The remote desktop tab at the top of the screen always covers up the new Outlook Search bar.  Every time I do a serch I have to slide the remote desktop tab over to see the new search field.   Its really frusterating and slows me down.   I dont understood why developers force their new ideas without offering an option to change the location back to where it was if they dont like it.  I also dont like that its not even in the main software window and I have to look up to see it.  I never had a problem with the search feature before the change and dont see the need to change it.  @Mary Branscombe 

[#16]

Same problem. I have four installs of Microsoft 365 Outlook desktop and I never know which one will show what search bar. Yesterday the new search bar was in the title bar. Today, after forcing a version update (MS "Update" wont' do it), the search is back to it's old position.

What's with this? Why not let users control this?

[#17]

@ricardoswe Well, I was able to do one thing to make the pain less from the new search bar -- I put in several dozen separators in the quick action toolbar. That pushes the search farther to the right in the title bar, which works better for me. YMMV.

[#18]

I am hating the search bar at the top, for some weird reason it has only just moved, and my Outlook is always updated.

I need it near the content, I have multiple inboxes and it was so much easier when it was above the inbox near the content, now I have to move around with my mouse more in Outlook to search.

Which idiot developer thought this was a good idea?

[#19]

@Mary Branscombe 

I normally look forward to updates for O365, but the movement of the search bar in Outlook has totally thrown me - I really don't like it and would much prefer for it to be moved back.

[#20]

@DougBroda 

Could you specify how you added operators to the quick access toolbar?

[#21]

@Mary Branscombe 

I agree.  I don't like the location.  I did add search functions to the Quick Access Toolbar.  Works pretty well and it is much closer to the Results Window.