How can you search for emails in Outlook?

[Pablocruz23]

I am migrating from Gmail to Outlook as I change to a Microsoft-using company.

What Gmail has going for it is their tagging feature combined with search. After 13 years, I can find any email in that system in less than 10 seconds.

With Outlook, you must put emails into folders (only one, not multiple like tags). And from what can tell, the search function in the upper right only searches in the currently open folder. If you want to find emails in every folder, you would have to go to each folder and perform the same search.

Please tell me I'm missing some key functionality, and it is possible to search through all of your emails in one go. Otherwise, it makes no sense to put emails into separate folders. They should all be in the Inbox so you can search for them.

[#2]

In the search box there is a drop down arrow (I think it only appears when you start typing in the box) . Use that to select the target for your search (whole mailbox, inbox, particular folder etc.)

[#3]

@Lloyd Adams 

Mine doesn't include a dropdown menu at any point, before or after I start typing. See attachment.

To confirm, I'm using Outlook for Mac v 16.49.

Perhaps a mature search solution is only available for Windows users?

[#4 · Accepted solution]

@Pablocruz23 

Not familiar with the MAC versions. But this might help: https://support.microsoft.com/en-ie/office/find-items-by-doing-a-basic-search-in-outlook-for-mac-53b...

[#5]

Thank you!! I did not notice those options that appear on the left when I clicked into the search field on the right. But now that you've pointed those out, that was exactly what I was looking for.