Searching for an email message in Office Outlook consists of various criteria.
Some like to search by date, some by the specific word, some are interested to find the specific attachment name in the folder, and some want to search in the sent folder.
Frankly speaking, the list will go on and on.
Here in this article search for an email in Outlook considering various aspects are covered.
Searching an email in the folder (like Inbox, Sent, Outbox, Draft, delete) by date, word, sender name, receiver name, message type, specific email, or parent email required different actions.
Let’s begin with:
Find Email in Outlook (Instant Search)
There are multiple options to find an email in Outlook. The instant search option is the easiest and fastest way to find an email.
Instant search works as a filter to find a specific word message from the bulk message in the folder, you can use the “Instant Search” feature of Office Outlook to quickly find your messages.
How does it work?
To search for a new term, enter the text for which to search in the search bar just above the email inbox list.
Enter your keyword and hit enter, in the above search tab there is a magnifying glass button at the right end of the field.
You can select or review previous search terms.
Then select a previous search term from the drop-down menu that appears. Either way, Outlook then shows any items that match the search criteria.
How To Refine Search?
Refining the results from emails in your inbox is really a meaningful change for the user, there are multiple options and categories available in Office Outlook (search tools), which help to grab your required result very easily.
You can filter the emails through the following categories.
- From – You can search from the specific “from” for instance – Name of the sender.
- Subject – The user is required to find a specific keyword in the subject line from the mail folder, for instance – An account statement.
- Has attachment – Can bring attachment results in a row.
- Categorized – Categorized is the color separation of the message, you can easily filter the emails by selecting a specific color.
- This week – This option is specifically designed to search an email by dates in Outlook. You can select according to your preference and the result is on.
- Sent to – This option is slightly tricky, there are three options in this category. (Sent To: Me or CC: Me, Not Sent Directly to Me, Sent to Another Recipient)
- Flagged/Important – These two categories are rarely used but are useful for the user.
- More: More option contains tons of other variety of options.
- Attachment contains
- Bcc
- Categories
- Cc
- Due Date
- Expiration Date
- Flag Status
- From
- Important
- In Folder
- Body
- Modified
- Read
- Received
- Sensitivity
- Sent
- Message Size
- Start Date
- Subject
- To
Some of the search options are great and are popular among users, but most users still facing search problems and unable to get the results as expected.
I have randomly selected some major options and provided you step by step guide to execute your actions.
Search from Subject Line
Searching a specific keyword from the message box Instead search box is a toll, have you ever taken a real shot?
I like to search for the ‘Progress’ keyword in the subject line.
Most of the users simply enter the word progress in the subject line, which is not wrong, you can find your findings from the hey.
For searching a specific keyword from the subject line, here is the solution to convert from search into a magnet to just drag those messages having that keyword in the subject line.
How to Search Emails in Outlook (subject line)
Here is the step-by-step guide to finding email using the Instead search bar for specific keywords on the subject line.
- Open Office Outlook >> Click on the search box above the email, it will automatically open up the search tab option for you.
- Find the refine group and click on the subject.
- You will get the auto-filled message in the search bar [subject:”keywords”], all you must do is replace the word “keyword” with your search specific.
- Finally, you can get your results, with the keyword landing in the subject line.
- Must try ~
For instance: – I enter ‘Closure Keyword’, and what I found from the folder, let’s have a look.
You can clearly see the list of emails pop out with that keyword, which is how it works.
Search From Attachment
Bring all emails having attachments, are easy to find you are required to follow the simple steps as earlier, and the result will bring you a list of emails with attachments.
Here are the steps:
- Open Outlook >> Click on the search bar above the email, it will automatically open the search tab option for you.
- Find the refining group and click on the ‘Has Attachments.
- You will get the auto-filled message in the search box [hasattachments:yes], in that case, you don’t have to do anything.
- Finally, you can get your search results, with the attachments.
Search Email by Date in Outlook
To find an email by the date it is recommended to read this article Search Email by Date in Outlook.
You can also use the refine section (this week). Under this option, your search is not limited to the week, but there are multiple search options.
Selecting any one from the given options, you can observe a specific message appears in the Instant Search field like – received:today, received:yesterday, received:this week, received:last week, received:this month, received:last month, received:this year, received:last year.
Not only that you will get the result accordingly.
Search using sent-to option
This is the way to search for emails based on who they were sent to.
Clicking on the first option [sentTo:Me or CC:Me] will give you a message in the Instant Search field, which is (to:”Amit Kumar Bansal” OR cc:”Amit Kumar Bansal”).
You can get the list of emails that are directly in the TO form addressed to you or in carbon copy form.
Clicking on the second option [Not sent Directly to Me] will give you a message in the Instant Search field, which is NOT (to:”Amit Kumar Bansal” OR cc:”Amit Kumar Bansal”)
The result is quite different you will get the search results of emails that are not directly or in carbon copy form sent to you. The result must be those emails that are sent to you in Bcc form.
Search by Attachment Contains in Outlook
I personally love this feature in Microsoft Outlook search by attachment contains, the only reason is finding those emails having specific keyword name in the attachment.
Naming your attachment file sometimes is the only thing you remember, digging with this tool will attract only those emails having that specific keyword.
How to use search attachments contain?
It is amazingly simple to use, here is a few steps tutorial:
- Open Outlook >> Click on Instant Search field >> Search Tab appears
- Click to more in ‘refine section’ >> select attachment contain from the drop-down list.
- You can see an additional search bar appears just below the Instant Search field, which contains two sections. [ 1. Attachment contains & 2. blank section]
- The Black section required your keyword, and what you want to search.
- Enter the “keyword”, and the Instant Search field is automatically filled with (attachment:”your keyword“).
- Finally, you will get your result if the form of an email with the attachment of your entered keyword.
- Refer to the below snapshot.
Search Specific Word/Content in Outlook Body
Technically if you want to search for a specific word or content or phrase in the body of your email, this section will help you out.
Search attachments contain and search content in Outlook body are almost similar.
How To Search in Email Messages Body/Text in Outlook?
Search in the email messages body to narrow your search scope for specific keywords in the message body. Without wasting more time drive straight – How to Search in Email Messages Body/Text in Outlook?
- Open Outlook >> Click on Instant Search Field >> Search Tab appears
- Click to more in ‘refine section’ >> select body from the drop-down list.
- You can see an additional search bar appears just below the Instant Search field, which contains two sections. [ 1. Attachment contains & 2. blank section]
- The Black section required your keyword/text, and what you want to search.
- Enter the “Text”, Instant Search field automatically filled with [contents:(TEXT)]..
- Finally, you will get your result if the form of an email with that text available in the body.
- Refer to the below image.
Message Size and Sensitivity are some more major filter requirements users usually require.
Bonus Search Ideas in Outlook 2019
Before repping up the article, I had one more search idea in Outlook, which really turns me crazy. Have you ever realized if you want to filter your search with more than one criterion?
Is it possible to Outlook?
Yes, it is.
Here are some search ideas with multiple criteria.
- What to search for in an email with a specific subject and attachments.
You can select both simultaneously and the result is clear in the Instant Search field, you will get the list of emails having closure keywords in the subject, and all emails have the attachment. Refer image.
- Another example is if you like to search for emails received this week with attachments and have specific “Text” on the body.
All three commands are easily viewed in the search bar and the results are also clear.
The Power of Outlook Search
There are multiple permutations and combinations you can try to get your result clear. Most experts even don’t know the things outlook behind their backs. Use this as a springboard to learn what else Outlook can do for you.
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