Outlook search is not showing recent email messages

Dear Julie Jager,

To ensure I understand your request correctly and to support you as effectively as possible, I need more specific information from you:- Are you using a business/ school account or a personal account?

• How long did this issue happen?
• Do other colleagues experience same issue?

In the meantime, kindly try these steps:

1> Compare the results in Outlook on the web

Open Outlook on the web and sign in with the affected account.

Go to the folder where the message should be located.

Search using the same keyword, sender, subject, or date.

Compare the results with the Outlook desktop application.

• If the message appears on the web but not in the desktop application, continue with the local Outlook and Windows indexing checks below.
• If the message is also missing on the web, verify the search criteria, folder, mailbox, retention settings, and message location.

2> Open Outlook in Safe mode

Press Win + R > run: olk.exe --safe

Start Outlook in safe mode to check whether an add-in is causing the problem. Architecture changes in new Outlook | Microsoft Learn

If search works in safe mode:

Select File > Options > Add-ins.

Next to Manage: COM Add-ins, select Go.

Record or take a screenshot of the enabled add-ins.

Clear the checkboxes to disable the add-ins. Do not remove them.

Restart Outlook normally.

Re-enable the add-ins one at a time, restarting Outlook after each change, until the issue returns.

3> Create a new Outlook profile and test the account

In Start Menu > Control Panel > Mail (Microsoft Outlook) > Show Profiles > Add > enter a profile name > OK

Enter the user’s email address and select Connect or Next.

Complete the password and multifactor authentication prompts.

After setup finishes, select Finish.

Under When starting Microsoft Outlook, use this profile, select Prompt for a profile to be used.

Select Apply, then OK.

Open Classic Outlook and choose Outlook-Test.

4> Repair New Outlook app

In Start Menu > Settings > Apps > Installed apps > New Outlook > three dots > Advanced options > Repair

If it is not available or does not help the problem, select Reset. Repair apps and programs in Windows | Microsoft Support

I hope the information shared helps point you in the right direction.