How Outlook Search Attachment Type? [Straight Forward Methods]

Microsoft Outlook allows the user to send emails with attachments and the attachment type doesn’t matter.

Allow finding an email or the sender for the particular date or any criteria. In this article, I would cover how to find out attachments by file type in Outlook easily.

Sometimes you want to find out a specific Outlook attachments file (only we remember is the file, not even the sender or time, and also do not remember the file type name), search tools in Microsoft Outlook are the solution.

Here we will discuss this common problem.

This Article Consist:

What is the Extension for Outlook Files?

A file extension is an identifier used as a suffix to the name of the computer file in an operating system.

Type of Attachments Files (Extensions) used in Outlook

Word Documents – docx
Excel Spreadsheet – xlsx
PDF Files – pdf
PowerPoint Presentation – pptm
CSV (Comma Delimited) – csv
Web site URL – html
Common picture Formats – jpg, png, gif, bmp, tip
Zipped folder/RAR (compressed) – zip
Plain text – txt

Where to find attachments in Outlook?

The Search Bar available in Outlook is very user-friendly, the search bar in Outlook helps you find messages with attachments, with attachments of different file types or common files.

Find messages with attachments of one specified file type

How To Search for a Specific File Type

If you want to search Outlook for attachment type for the specific file type having .docx, .pdf, .xlsx, or .zip files, etc. you have to type ext: extension in the Search Box.

The extension is your file type.

For instance, I am searching for zip/RAR file one of my colleagues email me, on the other hand, I also forget how to send the mail. I input the ext: zip or ext: RAR in the search box.

Search for attachments by file extension

Search for multiple attachment types in a single search

Sometimes two separate/multiple files are sent to you, how to find Mails with Attachments of Two Or More File Types?

The process is similar to the above example, you must search for multiple file types. The question is How?

For instance, if you are searching for [zip/RAR and docx] file mail, that means you are aware that you have received both types of files in a single mail.

Type: {ext: zip docx} or {ext: rar docx} in the search box.

Now you will find the list of emails containing both zip/rar + Docx files.

How to find mail with the attachment of at least one file type from different file types.

Let’s understand in simple words.

My colleague sends me a draft file for scrutiny, but I am unable to find it, and also, I am not aware of the file type too.

In that case, I have to use both the file type (OR function)

Type: {ext: pdf or docx} in the search box.

Few Examples

ext: (pdf or docx)
ext: (xlsx or pdf)
ext: (text or zip or HTML)

How Do I Search for Files Containing a Specific Word or Words?

If you want to find the attachment containing specific content, in that case, the [attachment: <specific content>] search command finds out your mail.

You can also instruct Outlook to search specific content (word or words) from the attachment of a particular type.

For instance: [attachment: <specific content> ext: docx]

You can also search by multiple words [attachment: <specific content> <specific content> <specific content> ext: docx]

This command combines the search for specific words inside docx attachments.

How to Find Messages Without Attachments of Specified File Types in Outlook

This is the kind of reverse search that is rarely used by the user. In easy terms, if you want to exclude your search with a specific extension type, you have to type [ext: Not extension]

For instance: –

Type input [ext: NOT pdf]
Type input [ext: NOT pdf NOT docx NOT text]

Another type in the same category

If you want to include a specific file type and parallelly exclude a specific type, you can follow the command in search of Outlook

Type input [ext: docx NOT doc]
Type input [ext: xlsx NOT xlx]

How Outlook Search for the sender along with specific file type attachment

We all are familiar with Outlook with the sender names, and the result reveals all the mail sent by the sender, but if you want to search for a specific file type sent by the specific sender, here are a few examples.

Finding a list of emails from your sender is very easy either you can type the complete email address in the search bar or type some initials of the email or just his/her name.

Now along with that Type input [from: <name of sender> ext: <extension>]

Quick Tips to Search for Email Attachments with Specific File Types in Outlook

Typing from before name filter search of emails received directly to you (no CC and no BCC) is included. also, add an extension type and you will get your perfect result on your screen.

There are several multiple search patterns like finding or searching emails with PDF/Excel attachments or other types of attachments in Outlook the user can try according to their search criteria.

This article is very helpful for the reader, please comment below and add your suggestion for more transparency.

such as Microsoft Windows.

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How Outlook Search Attachment Type? [Straight forward Methods]